Sunburns strike twice by altering pigment cells, harming surrounding tissue
Thursday, February 27, 2014 - 09:02
in Biology & Nature
Melanoma is particularly dangerous because it can form metastases in vital organs such as the lungs, liver or brain. UV radiation is considered to be the most significant triggering factor. An interdisciplinary team of researchers has now discovered that sunburns contribute to the development of this malignant disease not only through direct alteration of pigment cell genomes but also indirectly through inflammatory processes in the surrounding tissue.