Module 8 Melanoma
INTRODUCTION
WHAT IS MELANOMA?
The most dangerous form of skin cancer, melanoma begins in a type of skin cell called a melanocyte. Melanocytes produce the skin pigment known as melanin, which is responsible for our natural skin color. When exposed to sunlight, these skin cells produce large amounts of melanin as part of the tanning process, helping to protect the skin from burning.
GETTING STARTED…..
TO EXAMINE THIS FURTHER GO ONTO THE NCBI WEB SITE AT: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
- CLICK “OMIM” FROM THE TOP SELECTIONS
- AT THE BOTTOM FIND “GENES AND DISEASE” AND SELECT IT
- ON THE NEXT PAGE CLICK ON “CANCER” AND THEN FIND “MALIGNANT MELANOMA”
- WHAT CHROMOSOME IS MELANOMA FOUND ON?
- THE MUTATION OF WHAT GENE CAN CAUSE VULNERABILITY TO MELANOMA?
- ON THE “MALIGNANT MELANOMA” PAGE CLICK ON “CDKN2”
- THEN SELECT THE NUMBER “9” AND EXPLORE THE “MAP VIEWER”
- WHAT 2 GENE SEQUENCES ARE CLOSELY RELATED TO THE SEQUENCE FOR MELANOMA?
- GOING BACK TO THE “MALIGNANT MELANOMA” PAGE, YOU WILL SEE MANY CHOICES OF PAGES AND LINKS ON THE LEFT MOST SIDE (E.G. PEDMED, MEDLINEPLUS, OMIM, ETC) SCHROLL THROUGH THE PAGES TO ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.
- MELANOMA IS A TYPE OF CANCER. WHAT ARE THE OTHER 2 TYPES OF SKIN CANCER?
- GIVE 3 OTHER DISEASES THAT ALSO OCCUR AS A RESULT OF A MUTATION ON THIS SAME CHROMOSOME.
- WHAT IS THE LARGEST ORGAN IN YOUR BODY AND WHAT’S THE FINCTION OF THIS ORGAN?
ANSWERS TO MALIGANT MELANOMA MODULE 8
- Chromosome 9
- Mutation in the CDKN2 gene on chromosome 9 can underlie susceptibility to melanoma.
- Methylthioadenosine phosphorylase; Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2B (p15, inhibits CDK4)
- Basal cell carcinoma; Squamous cell carcinoma
- Friedreich’s ataxia, Tangier disease, Chronic myeloid leukemia, Tuberous sclerosis
- The skin is the body’s largest organ. It protects against heat, sunlight, injury, and infection. It helps regulate body temperature, stores water and fat, and produces vitamin D.