The http://bit.ly/2rKn6wK Biomedical Research in Melanoma group at Vall d'Hebron Institut de Recerca has found a new way for melanoma treatment by a pharmacological therapy targeted to cellular metabolism. The study has been published in https://goo.gl/uEi7Gi" Oncogene journal.Tumor cells must adapt to its environment and, at the same time, adjust its production machinery for the replication (metabolism). This situation increases the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, leading to toxic compounds production like aldehydes. If these compounds are not removed, they would provoke cell death.After studying 13 types of different tumors, researchers concluded that melanoma tumor cells showed the highest ROS levels. It is even more interesting that an increase of ROS amount corresponded to an increase of aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH1A3), an aldehyde detoxification enzyme."The study has allowed us to prove that normal melanocytes does not express this enzyme, whereas the enzyme ALDH1A3 is highly expressed in melanoma cells", explains Dr. Juan ángel Recio, head of the Biomedical Research in Melanoma group. Moreover, it has been discovered than DIMATE, an ALDH1A3 activity inhibitor, attacks tumor cells leading to apoptosis and favouring the tumor growth inhibition. Thus, it means a new therapy strategy for melanoma treatment.This drug, which it is currently assayed in a clinical trial with leukemia patients in France, has demonstrated - in animal models - a better response than the current standard treatment with dacarbazine.Four different mouse models were used, including immunocompetent models and models with patient-derived tumors. "It has been demonstrated in these models that DIMATE acts specifically against tumor cells, therefore its toxicity is very low. It is an irreversible inhibitor that acts independently of the initial genetic alteration of the tumor cell and, moreover, it is able to destroy the tumor reservoir, the cancer stem cells which are the responsible for chemoresistance and relapses", asserts Dr. Recio.MelanomaMelanoma is the most aggressive type of skin cancer. Its incidence is increasing and the prognosis for patients with late-stages disease is not very encouraging. There are two aspects that difficult the achievement of an effective treatment: the tumor heterogeneity and its intrinsic resistance to therapies.The appearance of new treatments in the last years, like BRAF inhibitors or immunotherapy, has increased significantly the melanoma patient's survival. However, the long-lasting responses are limited, therefore it is vital to continue looking for new therapeutic alternatives to defeat this disease.