Melanoma & Skin Cancer

At this year's annual NCCN conference, the organization presented updates in 13 areas, including specific disease states and general screening methods.

Ipilimumab generates antitumor activity in some patients with advanced melanoma whose disease has metastasized to the brain without resulting in unexpected toxicities.

Within a given county in the United States, the presence of a dermatologist is associated with a lower melanoma mortality rate compared with counties where there is no dermatologist.

Dr. Michael Rotkowitz, from Cancer Treatment Centers of America, on the Dabrafenib Plus Trametinib Combination for Melanoma

A combination of the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib and the MEK inhibitor trametinib has shown promising activity in patients with advanced melanoma.

Dr. Paul Chapman, from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, on Combining BRAF and MEK Inhibitors for Advanced Melanoma

After a long fight with melanoma, the Roman Catholic parish priest Father Arthur Humphrey was able to receive the immunotherapeutic agent Yervoy, which greatly improved his prognosis.

Vemurafenib continues to demonstrate clinical response and overall survival benefits for patients with metastatic melanoma.

Krista Rubin, MS, RN, FNP-BC, from Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, on Managing Ipilimumab-related Dermatitis.

Cutaneous melanoma is becoming increasingly common in young adults, with an 8-fold increase among young adult females and a 4-fold increase among young adult males.

As an immunotherapy, Yervoy presents a unique set of side effects and it was approved along with a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy to address these events.

Vemurafenib nearly doubles the median OS in more than 50% of patients with BRAF V600-mutated metastatic melanoma.

Melanoma is one of the most frequent cancers; more than 2 million Americans are treated for skin cancer annually.

Two novel treatments for advanced melanoma, ipilimumab (Yervoy) and vemurafenib (Zelboraf), were among the top breakthroughs in cancer research in 2011.

The FDA has approved vismodegib for the treatment of patients with basal cell carcinoma.

The molecular basis behind the relatively high incidence of secondary skin cancers after patients received vemurafenib has been discovered.

Dr. Deirdre Cohen, NYU Medical Oncology Associates, Discusses Hedgehog Pathway Inhibition

Patients with a primary cutaneous melanoma thicker than 2 mm can be safely treated with a 2-cm resection margin.

NICE has issued a draft recommendation against Yervoy approval, stating it does not show benefits to justify its costs.

Some cosmetologists and barbers inspect their customers' scalps, necks, and faces for the presence of skin lesions that they think may be cancerous.

Dr. Gordon Mills from MD Anderson Cancer Center Gives Examples of Unexpected Therapy Responses

Dr. Andre Goy from John Theurer Cancer Center Highlights Recent Advances in Oncology

Patients with liver metastases from uveal melanoma had improved survival after treatment with percutaneous hepatic perfusion (PHP).

Personal perspectives from oncology nurses of abstracts presented at ASCO on research with the potential to change practice, important studies that failed to meet expectations, and topics particularly relevant to oncology nurses.

The following is a roundup of TPS abstracts that feature trials open to patients aged >17 years with a broad range of cancer types.