The researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston reported that the cancer drug Gleevec had compelled metastatic melanoma into decline for the first time.

The case involves a 79-year-old woman with malignant cells tumors in some parts of her abdomen. The tumor cells conceded an irregularity in a gene called KIT, so the patient was registered in a clinical trail of the drug imatinib (Gleevec), which affects the KIT gene.

After four weeks, the therapy was started; there was striking decline in tumor size and metabolism. Two of the tumor stacks had gone, and many others were quite smaller. After four months, the lumps were still under test and, nine months later, the woman was taking the drug and her condition was quite stable.

The report was published in the April 20 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Effective cure for melanoma “This is the first evidence of the principle that we can find a weak point in sarcoma and by marking that gene with a drug, cause the [tumor cells] to die. It is particularly exciting because there haven’t been any effective cures for melanoma patients with metastatic disease,” study author Dr. Stephen Hodi stated.

He said this case may involve just one patient, but should stir new hope in the battle against melanoma. Because earlier research was unsuccessful to spot any genetic weak point that could be embattled to stop melanoma cell growth, some researchers believed that no such weak point exists for melanoma cells. The finding of this one proposes there may be others.

“Impressive slowing down of the diseases is somewhat that, as doctors, we’ve hardly ever seen. Confirm these results will require enrolling additional patients in clinical trials — something we’re actively working to accomplish,” Hodi said.

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