Of all types of identified variants of skin cancer, skin melanoma is not only the most prevalent in the United States, but the most fatal form of skin cancer classified. Researchers have studied notable advantageous hallmarks found among melanoma and other skin cancer subtypes to aid in tumor cell identification, pathology, and classification. However, emerging characteristics such as hijacking immune inflammatory responses, genome instability, and cancer predisposition genes are also found to be major contributors to carcinogenesis. At the root of this disease is the presence of a prevalent mutation within the BRAF oncogene, which has been linked to the manifestation and progression of melanoma within affected individuals. This paper is a comprehensive analysis and exploration of cancer biology and the pathology of skin melanoma through the lense of genomics and biotechnology. This paper aims to examine genetic mutations such as BRAF-V600E and its relation to the carcinogenesis of melanoma to gain a deeper understanding of the disease progression process. Furthermore, this paper will showcase how utilizing genomic technology, bio-databases, and alternative therapeutics can aid in patient diagnoses and the formation of patient plans-of-care.
Eisella N. Pearson (Wed,) studied this question.