Models for Skin Cancer

The document discussed the three most common types of skin cancer: malignant melanoma, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Malignant melanoma, originating from melanocytes, was noted as the most lethal. BCC, the most common cancer, was debated to potentially arise from hair follicle keratinocytes and was associated with mutations in the sonic hedgehog (SHH) pathway, suggesting a link to failed organogenesis. SCC, also arising from keratinocytes, was described as more aggressive than BCC, with the potential to form lethal metastases, unlike BCC, which rarely metastasizes. The document also covered the use of in vivo and in vitro models for studying these skin cancers.