Self-destruct protein has potential to treat advanced skin cancer

Scientists have designed a ‘self-destruct’ protein that could be used to treat advanced forms of skin cancer. The researchers at St George’s, University of London, found that the small protein – called a p16-related peptide – could kill melanoma skin cancer cells in the lab while minimising damage to healthy skin cells.

Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK

Melanoma skin cancer is the fifth most common cancer in the UK, with around 16,700 new cases every year.. Scientists hope that, in the future, the peptide could be used to treat cases of melanoma that have spread around the body (metastatic melanoma).

How does p16-related peptide work?

The peptide is based on an important anti-cancer protein called p16, which works naturally by causing cells to stop dividing permanently if they mutate and start growing abnormally. In the case of skin pigment cells, they then form a harmless mole instead of melanoma. However, occasionally one of the cells mutates further and inactivates p16 itself. It can then escape the growth arrest and divide to become melanoma.