Treating metastatic melanoma with a triple threat that includes radiation therapy and two immunotherapies that target the CTLA4 and PD-1 pathways could elicit an optimal response in more patients. The response will boost the immune system’s attack on the disease, suggests a new study published in Nature (2015; doi:10.1038/nature14292).
MRV Research
Gene defects increase risk of melanoma by 50 times research finds
Queensland scientists have identified gene defects making people roughly 50 times more likely to suffer a cancer responsible for killing about 1500 Australians a year.
By comparison, having either fair skin, red hair or freckles on their own make people only twice as likely to develop melanoma, a potentially deadly skin cancer.
How Advanced Melanoma Treatments Can Improve Patient Survival
When melanoma is detected early, treatment can be highly successful. However, survival rates decrease significantly when cancer cells spread to the lymph nodes and other organs. In the last 5 years, targeted therapy and immunotherapy have emerged as very promising alternatives for patients with advanced melanoma. Even though these treatments offer a high potential, according to researchers, early detection is the best prognostic factor for an increased probability of survival.
Merck says melanoma drug meets goal; study halted
Merck & Co Inc said on Tuesday that it would stop a large study of its Keytruda melanoma treatment early because an independent monitoring committee determined the drug succeeded in its goal of prolonging survival in previously untreated patients at advanced stage of the disease.