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Abstract

A method of diagnosing melanoma and/or monitoring melanoma progression, in particular for determining whether the melanoma is likely to have metastatic capabilities, in a subject includes the steps of in a test sample determining the methylation status of FABP5 wherein methylation of the gene indicates a positive diagnosis of melanoma and/or increased methylation of the gene indicates the progression of melanoma. Methods of monitoring melanoma progression may also incorporate measuring the expression levels of FABP5, with low levels of expression indicating a positive diagnosis of melanoma and/or lower levels of expression being indicative of progression of melanoma. Methods of treating melanoma in a subject comprise administering a therapeutically effective amount of a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor or a histone deacetylase inhibitor to the subject such that expression of FABP5 is increased. Microarrays for use in these diagnostic methods and compound screening methods based around monitoring methylation and/or expression of FABP5 are also envisaged.

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