ROLE OF ANTI-HISTAMINE IN MELANOMA
A serious type of skin cancer melanoma also known as melanocytes releases melanin. It may also form rarely in our eyes as well as inside our body, for example, nose and throat. The exact cause of melanoma is unknown, but it may increase the risk of melanoma if the individual is exposed to UV sunlight or any lamp. It occurs mostly in people under the age of 40, mainly in women. The melanoma signs and symptoms such as a change in an existing mole or the development of any fresh pigmentation . In a research letter published in the journal allergy, Investigator reported that ordinary allergy medication loratadine and desloratadine can be linked with improved survival in patients with melanoma . Previously it was found that similar antihistamines have shown survival gains and increasing evidence of H1 antihistamines inhibiting malignant growth and encouraging cell death in several tumors. The same concerns were shown for malignant melanoma, hence researcher investigated six anti-histamines namely, cetirizine, loratadine, desloratadine, clemastine, fexofenadine and ebastine . From big registers i.e. cancer register, drug register, and causality register information were matched of Swedish patients who were diagnosed with melanoma in 2006-2014 (n= 24,462), among these 1,253 were antihistamine users. A total of 395 patients were taking desloratadine, 324 patients taking cetirizine, and loratadine patients taking 251 whereas other anti-histamine were given to a few individuals. The follow-up studies were finished in December 2018, after observation researchers found a link between improved survival for malignant melanoma patients taking desloratadine and loratadine between the age group of 65 and older patients not using antihistamine medication. These can also help in advanced stages of cancer as the verdicts are stimulating, moreover, the medication has no practical side effects. To understand the mechanism of action, suitable dose for humans, and optimum treatment period the investigator team is currently planning animal studies and randomized studies .