Collegiate Times

Tech research dealing with human disease may be reaping rewards from an unlikely member of the animal kingdom.

Recent studies of horses with malignant melanoma reveal possible treatments for humans suffering from similar cancers. This research is headed by John Robertson, professor at the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine. Robertson also directs the college's Center for Comparative Oncology.

Melanoma is a very serious form of skin cancer that begins in the cells that make skin pigment (melanocytes). The commonalities that exist in horse and human melanoma allow researchers to test a number of treatments never before tried on humans. Fair-skinned individuals who are excessively exposed to direct sunlight are at risk just like horses with pale coats of grey or white.

Melanoma is usually treated with chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy and/or surgery. Robertson is presently testing a number of experimental treatments on horses. One of these treatments is an oil of biblical significance, frankincense. This botanical oil has selective anti-tumor properties that do not appear to disrupt normal cells.

How this oil will affect animal and human cancer patients is, as of now, unknown because ?research work is in very early stages,? said Robertson.

One particular patient, a mature, grey thoroughbred, Chili, with malignant melanoma was treated with frankincense to get an idea of its effects. Robertson and his fellow equine researchers followed a daily regimen of injecting the oil directly into Chili's tumors and also applying it topically on one of the visibly affected areas.

The results of this preliminary experiment were promising. Some of the small tumor cells were destroyed by the treatment while at least one larger tumor, treated topically, was reduced in size. Robertson explains that ?this work is in the earliest stages in developing a potential new therapy ? and researchers need to do many more studies before they are sure this is a proven and useful therapy.?

This work has been done in collaboration with the Clinical Research Program at Wake Forest University's Comprehensive Cancer Center who, according to Robertson, ?had a major role in studying mechanisms of tumor cell killing in tissue culture? and ?helped develop the clinical trial protocol now being tried.?

Dr. Edward Shaw, professor and chairman of the department of radiation oncology at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine said, ?the collaboration is very unique. We both have the goal of finding better ways to treat cancer for our patients, whether human or animal.?

Several other projects are also underway at the Center for Comparative Oncology. Researchers are investigating the breed and coat color in familial genetics pertaining to their susceptibility to malignant melanoma. They are also comparing serum samples from healthy and infected horses in hopes of discovering a ?marker molecule? indicating a presence of the disease. A full evaluation of all surgical methods will also be undertaken in an effort to reduce the amount of tumors in horses with advanced stages of melanoma.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. accounting for 22.8 percent of all deaths. In 2005, 1,372,910 cancer cases were reported. Approximately 4 percent of those cases were melanoma, according to the American Cancer Society.