598 | id == 598
598 | category_id == 63
598 | category_order == 28
598 | category_name == Skin Health
598 | category_color == #C47AC0
598 | slug == CASP8-melanoma
598 | title == The Conflicting Roles of a Cell Death Mediator in Melanoma (CASP8)
598 | meta_description == CASP8 promotes cell death. Variants of CASP8 have been associated with melanoma. Read more here.
598 | summary == <p style="text-align:justify"><strong>The <em>CASP8</em> gene is involved in cell death. How might cell death offer both protective and detrimental&nbsp;roles in cancer, and how might variants of <em>CASP8</em> increase the risk of a type of skin cancer called melanoma? Read more to find out.</strong></p>
598 | overall_score_text == Your Melanoma Score (based on CASP8 gene)
598 | image == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/background/CASP8-Melanoma.jpg
598 | author_id == 14
598 | author_name == Shany Lahan
598 | author_title == MS (Neuroscience)
598 | author_order == 5
598 | author_photo == https://sd-selfdecode-assets-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/blog/author-photo/Shany.webp
598 | author_intro == <p>Shany received her MSc in Neuroscience from Western University.</p>    <p>Prior to joining SelfDecode, Shany conducted research related to Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease, and taught science to undergraduate students. She believes that research should be accessible to everyone, regardless of scientific background. Shany joined SelfDecode&nbsp;with a mission to help others optimize their health and wellbeing &ndash; as well as help them understand the science behind it all.</p>
598 | reviewer == None
598 | medical_reviewer_id == 11
598 | medical_reviewer_name == Puya Yazdi
598 | medical_reviewer_title == MD
598 | publish_date == 2021
598 | publish_date == 1
598 | publish_date == 12
598 | avg_rating == 5.0
598 | tags_id == 216
598 | tags_name == Apoptosis
598 | tags_id == 164
598 | tags_name == Cancer
598 | tags_id == 1127
598 | tags_name == CASP8 Gene
598 | tags_id == 1128
598 | tags_name == Caspase-8
598 | tags_id == 768
598 | tags_name == Cell Death
598 | tags_id == 24
598 | tags_name == Inflammation
598 | tags_id == 1100
598 | tags_name == Melanoma
598 | tags_id == 369
598 | tags_name == NF-κB
598 | tags_id == 1101
598 | tags_name == Skin Cancer
598 | permissions_favorite == False
598 | permissions_rate == False
598 | content_article == <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Summary</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">CASP8</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> encodes caspase-8, a protein that may promote the death of both cancerous cells and protective immune cells. A variant of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">CASP8 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">may play a role in melanoma by dysregulating caspase-8 production. Lifestyle and diet modifications may counteract the effects of this variant by balancing or limiting the production of caspase-8.</span></span></p> <h2 style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>CASP8</em></strong><strong> and Melanoma</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><a href="https://selfdecode.com/gene/casp8/"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">CASP8</span></em></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">gene codes for caspase-8, a player in one of the programmed cell death (</span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">apoptosis</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">) pathways of cells [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/841"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Apoptosis is a regulated process that results in cell shrinkage and breakdown. This process is essential for the immune cell-mediated removal of infected, damaged, or cancerous cells. In cancer, cells are often able to evade apoptosis and continue dividing uncontrollably [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3197541/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19111387/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">While this may imply that caspase-8 levels are low in cancer patients, studies have suggested that low apoptotic activity may actually be beneficial in immune cells that function to clear cancerous cells [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2937220/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In addition, caspase-8 has been shown to increase the activity of the protein </span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/nuclear-factor-kappa-b/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">NF-kB</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, which may promote tumor development by elevating levels of pro-inflammatory immune proteins (cytokines) [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4155602/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Ultimately, caspase-8 levels are likely required to remain balanced in order to avoid unwanted effects.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">A variant of </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">CASP8 </span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">has been associated with melanoma, a form of skin cancer. This variant may alter the production of caspase-8, leading to dysregulated apoptosis in melanoma cells and immune cells</span> <span style="font-weight: 400;">[</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5392271/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://europepmc.org/article/med/21983787"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3049203/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <h2 style="text-align: left;"><strong>Your </strong><strong><em>CASP8</em></strong><strong> Results for Melanoma</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">*8351220987144858*</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Primary SNP:</strong></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><strong><em>CASP8 </em></strong><a href="https://selfdecode.com/snp/rs13016963/"><strong>rs13016963</strong></a> <span style="font-weight: 400;">[</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5392271/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://europepmc.org/article/med/21983787"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">]</span></p> <ul style="text-align: justify;"> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;A&rsquo; = Higher odds of melanoma, relative to &lsquo;G&rsquo;</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">&lsquo;G&rsquo; = Lower odds of melanoma, relative to &lsquo;A&rsquo;</span></li> </ul> <p style="text-align: justify;">*2535938021735291*</p> <h2 style="text-align: left;"><strong>Recommendations for Preventing Melanoma</strong></h2> <p style="text-align: justify;">*4151540765377297*</p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Lifestyle</strong></h3> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Reducing UV Exposure</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/avoiding-sun-will-kill-14-proven-science-based-health-benefits-sun/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">UV</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> radiation may stimulate excessive apoptosis via activation of caspase-8, suggesting that reducing UV exposure may help balance caspase-8 [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24127565/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11803373/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16755000/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Excessive, unprotected exposure to UV radiation is by far the main risk factor for the development of melanoma. UV from both the sun and artificial sources (tanning beds and sun lamps) damages the DNA of pigment-producing cells (melanocytes), potentially causing mutations that turn these cells into melanomas [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25398793/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29936410/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24629998/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">People with low levels of the pigment melanin, who typically have fair skin, blond or red hair, and light-colored eyes, are at higher risk of melanoma than those with dark skin [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31002590"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alternatively, every single mole has a small probability of turning into cancer. Having a high number of moles, especially if they are large or have atypical features, also increases the risk of this skin cancer type [</span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2545764/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26934430"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Reducing exposure to UV by limiting sun exposure (especially during the middle of the day), wearing protective clothing and sunscreen, and being aware of skin-sensitizing medications can greatly reduce the risk of melanoma.</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Reducing UV exposure may help prevent melanoma by balancing caspase-8 activity.&nbsp;</span></p> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Reducing Alcohol Intake</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Alcohol may exacerbate the production and activity of caspase-8, in turn promoting excessive cell death [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26562048/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27338546/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Meta-analyses of 20 studies have associated moderate alcohol consumption with a slight increase (7-18%) in the overall incidence of melanoma. A study of 1374 cases found that alcohol specifically increased the risk of melanoma in sites with low exposure to sunlight (such as the trunk) [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24495200/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29327230/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5137801/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Reducing alcohol intake may help prevent melanoma by limiting caspase-8 production and activity.</span></p> <h3 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Diet</strong></h3> <h4 style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Reducing Glycemic Load</strong></h4> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Caspase-8 may promote the death of tumor cells when these cells are deprived of sugar, suggesting that consuming a limited or moderate amount of sugar may help balance caspase-8 activation [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20972457/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">glycemic load</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is a measure of how much a food increases blood sugar (</span><a href="https://selfhacked.com/blog/glucose/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">glucose</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">) levels without taking into account the rate at which it increases them (as the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">glycemic index</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> does).</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Two studies on an Italian population of over 1000 people associated the intake of high-glycemic-load foods, such as refined flours, sweets, candy bars, and chocolate, with an increased incidence of melanoma in women. Conversely, soluble fiber had a protective effect in a small study [</span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28196548/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6769978/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16372927/"><span style="font-weight: 400;">R</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">].</span></p> <p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: #e8ebfc; border-left: 2px solid #4569fa; display: block; padding: 20px;">Reducing glycemic load may help prevent melanoma by balancing the activity of caspase-8.</span></p>
598 | content_snp_table_8351220987144858_key == 8351220987144858
598 | content_snp_table_8351220987144858_blur == True
598 | content_snp_table_8351220987144858_hidden == False
598 | content_learn_more_2535938021735291_key == 2535938021735291
598 | content_learn_more_2535938021735291_blur == True
598 | content_learn_more_2535938021735291_hidden == False
598 | content_learn_more_2535938021735291_text == Based on the variants we looked at, your CASP8 gene is associated with somewhat lower odds of melanoma, relative to other variants. However, other genes and health factors may still contribute to your risk.
598 | content_recommendation_4151540765377297_key == 4151540765377297
598 | content_recommendation_4151540765377297_blur == True
598 | content_recommendation_4151540765377297_hidden == False
rsIDs = rs13016963
rsStatus = rs13016963,FLACC1,chr2,201298088,A,C,G,T,25,0,Normal
