Sapna Patel, BA, MD

Sapna Patel, MD, is a professor in the Division of Medical Oncology, the leader of the Cutaneous Oncology Program, and the William Robinson Endowed Chair in Cancer Research at the University of Colorado Cancer Center.

Articles

Factors Influencing Treatment Decision-Making In Patients With BRAF-Mutated Metastatic Melanoma

November 30th 2023

Beyond symptoms, doctors consider the psychosocial factors impacting treatment access and adherence, like insurance coverage, cost, family support, and preexisting conditions, when deciding between immunotherapy and targeted therapy for patients with BRAF-mutated metastatic melanoma.

Treatment Options for Patients With Metastatic Melanoma With a BRAF Mutation

November 21st 2023

For patients with BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma, doctors assess symptoms and disease status to determine if they should start treatment with combination immunotherapy, or 8-12 weeks of BRAF/MEK targeted therapy before switching to immunotherapy, which offers the possibility of durable responses or cure.

Differences Between Community and Academic Settings Regarding Biomarker Testing Practices in Metastatic Melanoma

November 21st 2023

The panelists emphasize the importance of obtaining tissue for BRAF-mutation testing and dedicated tissue tracking in patients with metastatic melanoma, with immunohistochemistry followed by confirmatory next-generation sequencing, and discuss the promise of liquid biopsies like ctDNA as a future biomarker tracking modality.

Best Practices for Biomarker Testing in Metastatic Melanoma

November 14th 2023

When a patient with metastatic melanoma patient tests negative for the BRAF V600E mutation, doctors recommend sending the sample for next-generation sequencing testing which can take 2-3 weeks, during which time they may start immunotherapy if the patient has aggressive disease, but ideally should wait for results to guide treatment.

The Role of Biomarker Testing in the Management of Metastatic Melanoma

November 14th 2023

Expert panelists stress the importance of biomarker testing for BRAF mutations to guide treatment options when a patient is diagnosed with metastatic melanoma.

Dr. Patel on the Background of the SWOG S1801 Trial in Melanoma

March 20th 2023

Sapna Patel, BA, MD, discusses the rationale for evaluating the use of pembrolizumab before and after surgery for patients with advanced melanoma.

Dr. Patel on the Sequencing of Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy in BRAF-Mutant Melanoma

January 9th 2023

Sapna Patel, BA, MD, discusses the sequencing of immunotherapy and targeted therapy in BRAF-mutant melanoma.

Dr. Patel on Adjuvant Nivolumab Plus Ipilimumab Regimens in Stage IV Melanoma

December 6th 2022

Sapna Patel, MD, discusses the evaluation of adjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab in stage IV metastatic melanoma with no evidence of disease.

Dr. Patel on the Neoadjuvant Administration of Pembrolizumab in Advanced Melanoma

September 11th 2022

Sapna Patel, BA, MD, discusses the neoadjuvant administration of pembrolizumab in advanced melanoma.