The team's research pinpointed sites on 22 genes that have significantly different methylation levels between melanomas and non-melanoma lesions, as well as 12 locations that are highly predictive of melanoma. According to Thomas, another goal of the team is to develop a DNA-methylation test for melanoma tumor DNA that is shed into the bloodstream and that can serve as a measure for disease activity.
　　"If this test can be developed, it opens the door to diagnose recurrence early and initiate treatment while tumors are more likely to respond to treatment. It would also give us another way to monitor patients for response to treatment and help us better optimize treatments for each patient," Thomas noted.
　　Other members of the research team include Sharon Edmiston, BS, Zakaria Khondker, MStat, Pamela Groben, MD, clinical professor of pathology & Laboratory Medicine, Xin Zhou, PhD, Pei Fen Kuan, PhD, research assistant professor of biostatistics, Honglin Hao, Craig Carson, PhD, and David Ollila, MD, associate professor of surgery, all at UNC-Chapel Hill. The team also included Haitao Chu, MD, PhD, of the University of Minnesota and Marianne Berwick, PhD, MPH, of the University of New Mexico.