Last Updated on April 20, 2026 by Sanjana Kahol
Skin cancer is one of the common cancers in the world but not all skin tumors are the same. Some skin tumors stay in one place. Can be treated easily while others become aggressive and spread to other parts of the body like the lungs. A new study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem found a defense that may help stop this from happening.
Researchers found that a protein called WWOX acts like a shield inside skin cells. The main job of WWOX is to help skin cells remember what they are so they keep behaving like skin tissue instead of turning into cancer cells. This is especially important in a type of skin cancer called squamous cell carcinoma, which is the second most common type of skin cancer.
This is similar to a person at work who keeps everything organized. If that person leaves everything becomes chaotic. In the body when WWOX is lost skin cells can lose control. Become more dangerous.
The Study Found Some Things About WWOX And p63
The researchers found that WWOX protects another important protein called p63. This protein is like a switch that keeps skin cells stable and working properly. When WWOX levels go down p63 levels also go down. That is when the risk of aggressive cancer goes up.
Without these proteins cancer cells can change and become more dangerous. They can stop acting like skin cells. Start behaving like cells that can move through tissues and blood vessels.
For example a skin lesion may seem small and harmless at first. Then it starts growing deeper, changing texture and spreading. This is like the change that the study found.
Why This Makes Skin Cancer More Dangerous
When WWOX is lost it does not just allow cancer to happen it can make it happen faster. The study showed that when WWOX and another protein called p53 were both missing, tumors appeared earlier and became more aggressive.
This means that some patients may go from having a treatable skin tumor to having an invasive disease much faster than expected. For example a person may ignore a scaly patch on their skin for months. Normally it may stay on the surface. If the protective shield is weakened the same lesion may invade deeper tissues and increase the risk of spreading to nearby lymph nodes or lungs.
This is why some skin cancers become life-threatening while others do not.
How This Can Help Doctors
One of the useful things about the study is that it can help doctors in real life. Researchers found the pattern of WWOX and p63 decline in human tissue samples as skin cancer advanced.
This means that doctors may be able to use these proteins to identify which tumors are at risk of becoming invasive. For example if a biopsy shows WWOX and low p63 doctors may monitor the patient more closely, order scans sooner or consider stronger treatments.
This can improve outcomes for patients.
Future Treatment Possibilities
The study also opens the door to treatments. Scientists think that restoring WWOX levels stabilizing p63 or encouraging skin-cell growth may slow down cancer spread.
This is promising because current treatments for squamous skin cancer can become difficult once the cancer has spread. A future treatment could be a medicine that restores the WWOX-p63 pathway helping to stop skin cancer cells from becoming invasive in the place.
Final Thoughts On This Discovery
This research gives us an understanding of why some common skin cancers become aggressive. WWOX acts like a built-in shield that protects skin-cell identity and prevents transformation.
The takeaway is simple: skin lesions that change quickly become thicker. Do not heal should never be ignored. Along with medical evaluation discoveries like this may help doctors predict risk earlier and personalize treatment.
Sometimes the difference between a skin tumor and an invasive cancer may come down to whether this tiny molecular shield is still working. Skin cancer is a disease and WWOX is an important protein that can help stop it. Skin cells need WWOX to stay healthy. When WWOX is lost skin cells can become more dangerous. WWOX is like a shield that protects skin cells. It is an important part of keeping skin healthy.