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Aggressive Skin Cancer Fueled by Mitochondria, Study Finds

04 July 2025
Aggressive Skin Cancer Fueled by Mitochondria, Study Finds
Existing drugs may hold the key to stopping melanoma's deadliest form

A startling new study from Lund University in Sweden has revealed that certain cases of melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, are driven by mitochondrial activity, unlocking a potential new treatment path using drugs already on the market.

Melanoma kills over 50,000 people each year, and while treatments have improved, some forms remain stubbornly resistant. But researchers now report that in a subset of aggressive melanomas, energy production inside cells’ mitochondria is supercharged, helping tumors grow and evade therapies.

“It’s like these cancer cells are running on a high-octane fuel that we hadn’t properly recognized before,” said lead author Professor Maria Karlseder. “We’ve been targeting the engine, but not the fuel line.”

In laboratory experiments and animal models, the researchers demonstrated that inhibiting mitochondrial function significantly slowed tumor growth, and, in some cases, reversed it. Even more compelling, they found that existing drugs, originally developed for other diseases, could be repurposed to target these metabolic vulnerabilities.

One promising candidate is a mitochondria-targeting compound currently used in clinical trials for neurodegenerative disorders. When tested against the mitochondrial subtype of melanoma, it showed strong anticancer effects without harming healthy cells.

The findings offer a new paradigm in how we understand and treat cancer. Instead of only focusing on genetic mutations, researchers are now looking at the metabolic wiring of cancer cells, and how they generate energy.

While further testing and clinical trials are needed, the potential is enormous. If confirmed, doctors could soon use metabolic profiling to identify patients who would benefit from mitochondrial inhibitors, offering new hope for those with few remaining options.

“This is precision oncology at its most exciting,” Karlseder said. “We’re not just extending life, we may finally be able to outsmart some of the most lethal cancers.”

As the world searches for smarter, more targeted cancer treatments, this study shines a light on a hidden weakness, and a chance to strike it.


The full study is available on Lund University's website