Scientists from Sweden have identified the weak point of the most aggressive form of skin cancer - melanoma. It turned out that malignant melanoma cells overactivate two key processes in mitochondria - cellular “power plants”. Blocking these processes using existing drugs effectively destroys cancer cells without affecting healthy cells. The work is published in the journal Cancer.

The authors of the study from Lund University analyzed the protein composition of 151 samples of tumor and normal skin. They found that the most dangerous melanomas increase the work of mitochondrial mechanisms responsible for protein synthesis and energy production from nutrients.

 Blocking these processes with conventional antibiotics (acting on bacterial protein synthesis, similar to mitochondrial) and inhibitors of energy metabolism led to the death of tumor cells. Healthy skin cells were virtually unaffected.

"Melanoma uses mitochondria as a source of power - and that's where its vulnerability lies. We can use existing drugs to block this pathway and increase the effectiveness of therapy," said work leader Dr. Yeovanis Gil.

In addition, the researchers proposed to use mitochondrial protein “fingerprint” as a biomarker - it will help doctors determine whether the patient is suitable for such therapy. 

According to the authors, this discovery not only brings personalized treatment of melanoma closer, but may also form the basis of combination therapy strategies for other treatment-resistant cancers as well.