Age-related Fibroblast Changes Drive Melanoma in Males, Study Says

Age-related changes in fibroblasts contribute to development of aggressive, treatment-resistant melanoma in males, according to a Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center study published in Cell.

The authors of the study, Dr. Ashani Weeraratna and colleagues, had previously shown in studies that age-related changes in fibroblasts promote the spread of melanoma tumor cells and lead to worse outcomes. Now, they say the new data in mice confirm fibroblasts age differently in men and women, and that the age-related changes occurring in male fibroblasts contribute to more aggressive, hard-to-treat melanomas.

When the researchers transplanted melanoma tumor cells into aged mice, they found more DNA damage accumulated in cells transplanted in the male mice, regardless of whether the transplanted tumor cells came from male or female mice. 

"It's not the male or female tumor cell itself," Dr. Weeraratna said in a press release. "Age-related changes in male fibroblasts that make up the tumor microenvironment account for differences in DNA damage."

Weeraratna added that studying cancer in older mice and aging human cells will be essential for future research.

"We also need to understand whether men and women respond differently to therapies, and better tailor their therapy to both sex- and age-related differences," she said.