Phenotypic Plasticity in Uveal Melanoma Spheroids

A recent study from the Liverpool Ocular Oncology Research Group (LOORG) evaluates the behaviour of uveal melanoma (UM) cells and its importance when treating metastatic disease.

Cancer cells are believed to have the ability of changing their features in a way of becoming more resistant. In uveal melanoma cells, it appears that a similar process occurs. This happens in response to the environment they are in, meaning that uveal melanoma cells may behave differently in liver (where they may spread to and form metastases) that they do in the eye (where they originally are).

This study observed UM cells, in a 3-D culture (which recreates the living environment of uveal melanoma cells in a more accurate way), in different environments, to found that the cells do have some adaptability.

These discoveries are important to better understand the metastatic process of UM, this is, the way the disease can spread from the eye to other parts of the body.

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