Study reveals skin cancer's damaging process

In the research conducted by Loyola University health system scientists, it has been revealed that sun rays can damage skin cell’s DNA.

PKC malfunction results in damaged skin cells
A protein in the skin called protein kinase C (PKC), when activated, functions to fix the damaged cells. However, if the damage is irreparable, the PKC protein instructs the cell to die, the research team led by Dr. Mitchell Denning found out.

In the cell-division cycle that takes place in the skin, the healthy cells grow and divide. At various points in this cycle, the damaged cells stop to repair the damaged DNA before proceeding to the next step.

The team established that PKC is responsible for stopping the damaged cell at this point in order to repair it. But in squamous cell carcinoma--cancer developing in the tissues, the PKC gene is deactivated.

This results in the cell-division process to continue without any repairs, and thus produce cancerous tumors.

“A class of drugs called protein kinase inhibitors potentially could shrink tumors by turning the PKC gene back on,” said Denning.

She also added that, “Several such drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for other cancers.”

Denning is working on grants to test such drugs on animal models.

The findings of the study appear in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Repairing the damage
Approximately 1 million people in the United States are diagnosed with skin cancer each year. Researchers say that squamous cell carcinoma accounts for around 200,000 to 300,000 new cases every year.

Squamous cell carcinoma starts developing on the epidermis--the uppermost layer of the skin. Many a times, top layer of the skin--such as the face, ears, neck, lips or back of hands--comes in direct contact with the sun.

There are various surgical treatments for getting the cancerous tissues removed, like simple excision, curettage and electrodessication (scraping with a surgical tool and treating with an electric needle) and cryosurgery (freezing with liquid nitrogen). But removing large skin cancers may require skin grafting that can disfigure the skin.

There also are nutritional supplements like vitamins C and E that can help undo the damage at initial stages.

Fortunately, skin cancer is visible and treatable, but it is important that you report the first noticeable change in skin to your general practitioner.