Developing a Screening Process for Early Detection of Melanoma

Abstract

This thesis explores the possibility of detecting early signs of potentially life threatening melanoma through a simple blood test before the cancer reaches an untreatably fatal stage. There is promising data to support that such an assay is possible to determine whether a patient may have metastatic melanoma. This early detection is possible because the body appears to synthesize antibodies against transient receptor potential melastatin 1 (TRPM1), when under the stress of metastatic melanoma. We can easily synthesize the portion of TRPM1 peptide that the human antibody recognizes, and therefore measure whether or not the patient has these critical antibodies in their blood serum. The presence of these antibodies is a red flag and can hopefully lead to immediate examination from a doctor who may be able to stop the disease from progressing further. This assay can hopefully save many lives.