Skin cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Mechanistic differences driving distinct skin cancer subtypes
IRAS ID
216310
Contact name
Amaya Viros
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
9 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world and carries significant morbidity and mortality. Broadly they are divided into melanoma and non melanoma skin cancer which respectively affects 13,000 and 100,000 new patients annually. Although the vast majority of skin cancers are associated with cumulative ultraviolet radiation (UV) we know that the prognosis of melanoma in the elderly confers a worse prognosis.
The aim of our research is to better understand the mechanisms involved in rare and common forms of skin cancer which occur in the young and elderly and to understand why this confers a worse prognosis. By better understanding these fundamental questions, which have largely been neglected within the literature, we hope that this will be translated into clinical care by targeting groups of patients who may be more at risk of worse prognosis.
Samples will be used from the human tissue bank at the CRUK (Cancer Research UK) at the university of manchester and from the pathology department at Salford Royal Foundation Trust (SRFT). The samples collected at SRFT will be from patients who have previously undergone care at the centre. The aim of the project is to find genetic markers that will characterise distinct forms of cutaneous disease of the skin in the young and old.
This study will be done by scientists and clinicians who have a standing clinical and scientific relationship, and are named collaborators on the funding grant. This study will use surplus material from the original diagnostic tumour samples collected from patients.
REC name
London - City & East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/2098
Date of REC Opinion
22 Nov 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion