Heterogeneity of melanomas: from the mountains to the sea - sea level, sun exposure and pollution in the development of cutaneous neoplasia

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Cutaneous melanoma has become an increasingly common tumor in most developed countries as a consequence of greater exposure of pale Caucasian skin to natural ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The aim of the project MEMS is to strengthen the partnership among research institutes in the programme area favouring the interchange of technical as well as scientific knowledge on cutaneous melanomas. Through the partnership of health and research institutions in Italy and Austria, the project will investigate if environmental variables, such as the altitude of residence, UV and/or pollutants exposure could contribute to the development of specific types of cutaneous melanomas and could promote its progression. Innovation in this project will refer to association of local heterogeneity to clinical, microscopic and molecular heterogeneities in cutaneous melanoma. The trans-border area of our partnership is heterogeneous: the seaside (Trieste), Northern and Southern Alps (Tyrol and South Tyrol), and the valleys (Aviano). That area is mostly populated by pale-skin inhabitants, with higher incidence of cutaneous melanomas. In that population we are going to characterize melanoma heterogeneity on the clinical and molecular level in order to associate those variables to environmental ones to investigate their relationship with the development of the disease.

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