Genetics and epigenetics of melanoma
Authors: Pei-Ying Zhang
Xiao-Ying Zhang
Journal: Oncology Letters (2016)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: epigenetics; genetics; melanoma.
Affiliations: Information Technology Institute, Nanjing, Jiangsu 221009, P.R. China., Department of Cardiology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, The Affiliated Xuzhou Hospital of Medical College of Southeast University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221009, P.R. China.

Abstract:  Cancer affects multiple organs in the body Malignant melanoma involves the invasion of skin and occasionally mucosal membrane or eye choroidal tissues. The incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma is on the increase worldwide and is a major concern in current research. The increase is associated with UV irradiation-induced genetic aberrations that stimulate skin melanocytes to develop unlimited growth. This eventually leads to cell immortality, which in turn causes metastases. The present review examines the genetics and epigenetics of this pathological state together with recent perspectives of the therapeutic management of disease. 

Retracted: Yes

PubPeer comments:
 The Royal Society of Chemistry hereby wholly retracts this RSC Advances article due to concerns with the reliability of the data. The images in the article, and the raw data provided by the authors, were screened by an image integrity expert. There are duplicating features among the u2018blueu2019 cells in the vector panel in Fig. 2D and the Linc00472 panel in Fig. 2E. The raw data provided by the authors for Fig. 2E showed clear evidence of manipulation. The western blots in the article do not look genuine, and the raw data provided showed no background, which would not be expected if it was authentic raw data. Therefore, the raw data cannot be used to validate the published data. Given the significance of the concerns about the validity of both the data in the article and the raw data provided by the authors, the findings presented in this paper are not reliable. Yuanting Gu opposes the retraction. The other authors have been informed but have not responded to any correspondence regarding the retraction. Signed: Laura Fisher, Executive Editor, RSC Advances Date: 19th January 2021 , 
 Fig 3C has a hand-stippled appearance, that is unlikely to arise from cellular populations. Note the occasional red pixels which somehow overlay the quadrant-separating vertical and horizontal axes. ![file] , 
  Breast cancer tissues specimens (n = 40) and adjacent normal tissues were obtained from the breast cancer patients suffering surgical resection or biopsy between **2014 and 2016** at our hospital. Fig 1E.  Kaplanu2013Meier curve was employed to assess the overall survival outcome in breast cancer patients with high-level linc00472 expression (n = 17) and low-level linc00472 expression (n = 15). ![file] So when the paper was submitted to the journal on 11 Jan 2018, the authors had followed the patients survival for five years, i.e. up to a date range of **2019 to 2021**. , 
  pLenti-puro was a gift from Ie-Ming Shih (Addgene, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA). The [documentation for pLenti-puro] provides instructions for how to cite it: ----------------------------------------------------- For your **Materials Methods** section: pLenti-puro was a gift from Ie-Ming Shih (Addgene plasmid # 39481 ; http: n2t.net addgene:39481 ; RRID:Addgene_39481) For your **References** section: **ARID1A, a factor that promotes formation of SWI SNF-mediated chromatin remodeling, is a tumor suppressor in gynecologic cancers**. Guan B, Wang TL, Shih IeM. Cancer Res. 2011 Nov 1;71(21):6718-27. Epub 2011 Sep 7. 10.1158 0008-5472.CAN-11-1562 PubMed 21900401 ----------------------------------------------------- In the absence of appropriate references, it is easy to suspect that the claim to have used  pLenti-puro as a vehicle was copy-pasted from elsewhere. ,