Immunotherapy in Melanoma | Specialty

The OncLive Immunotherapy in Melanoma condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and expert insights on available and investigational immunotherapies in melanoma and other skin cancers. This page features news articles, interviews in written and video format, and podcasts that focus on updates with checkpoint inhibitors and the ongoing research with this type of treatment.

FDA Approves Binimetinib/Encorafenib for BRAF+ Melanoma

June 27th 2018

The FDA has approved the combination of the BRAF inhibitor encorafenib (Braftovi) and the MEK inhibitor binimetinib (Mektovi) for the treatment of patients with BRAF-mutant unresectable or metastatic melanoma, as detected by an FDA-approved test.

FDA Accepts Application for Adjuvant Pembrolizumab for Stage III Melanoma

June 25th 2018

The FDA has accepted a supplemental biologics license application for the use of pembrolizumab as an adjuvant treatment for patients with resected, high-risk stage III melanoma.

Dr. Ascierto on the COLUMBUS Trial in Melanoma

June 21st 2018

Paolo A. Ascierto, MD, director of the Unit of Melanoma, Cancer Immunotherapy and Innovative Therapy at the National Tumor Institute Fondazione G. Pascale in Naples, discusses the COLUMBUS trial in melanoma.

Dr. Flaherty Discusses the COLUMBUS Trial in Melanoma

June 12th 2018

Keith T. Flaherty, MD, director, Termeer Center for Targeted Therapy, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School, discusses the COLUMBUS trial in patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma.

Dr. Rischin Discusses Cemiplimab in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

June 7th 2018

Danny Rischin, MD, director, Division of Cancer Medicine, head, Department of Medical Oncology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, discusses cemiplimab in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.

NKTR-214/Nivolumab Efficacy Sustained in Phase II Findings

June 5th 2018

Combining the CD122-biased cytokine NKTR-214 with the PD-1 inhibitor nivolumab (Opdivo) showed promising antitumor activity, particularly in PD-L1–negative patients.

Matched Targeted Therapy Extends Survival in Advanced Hard-to-Treat Cancers

June 2nd 2018

Personalized therapy based on tumor molecular profiling resulted in improved overall survival for patients with advanced, hard-to-treat cancers.

Novel Immunotherapy Shows Early Efficacy in Uveal Melanoma

May 22nd 2018

IMCgp100, a novel immune-based treatment, demonstrated a 1-year survival rate of 73% for patients with heavily pretreated, which is nearly double the historical expectations for patients with the disease.

NCCN Crafts First Guidelines for Uveal Melanoma

May 13th 2018

The unique biological characteristics of uveal melanoma have prompted the National Comprehensive Cancer Network to develop the first set of guidelines for the diagnosis and management of the rare cancer.

Dr. Tarhini Discusses Adjuvant Therapy for Melanoma

May 3rd 2018

Ahmad Tarhini, MD, PhD, director, Melanoma and Skin Cancer Program, Center for Immuno-Oncology Research, Cleveland Clinic, discusses adjuvant therapy for patients with melanoma.

Dr. Postow on FDA Approval of Adjuvant Dabrafenib Plus Trametinib in BRAF-Mutant Melanoma

May 1st 2018

Michael A. Postow, MD, medical oncologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the FDA approval of dabrafenib (Tafinlar) plus trametinib (Mekinist) as an adjuvant treatment for patients with BRAF V600E– or V600K–positive stage III melanoma following complete resection.

Dr. Weber on the FDA Approval of Adjuvant Dabrafenib/Trametinib in BRAF-Mutant Melanoma

May 1st 2018

Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Professor of Oncology, co-director of the Melanoma Research Program, deputy director of the Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Medical Center, and a 2016 Giant of Cancer Care® in Melanoma, discusses the FDA approval of dabrafenib (Tafinlar) plus trametinib (Mekinist) as an adjuvant treatment for patients with BRAF V600E– or V600K–positive stage III melanoma following complete resection.

FDA Approves Adjuvant Dabrafenib/Trametinib for BRAF+ Melanoma

May 1st 2018

The FDA has approved the combination of dabrafenib and trametinib for the adjuvant treatment of patients with BRAF V600E– or V600K–positive stage III melanoma following complete resection.

FDA Grants Priority Review to Cemiplimab in CSCC

April 30th 2018

The FDA has granted a priority review to a biologics license application for the PD-1 inhibitor cemiplimab for the treatment of patients with metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) or patients with locally advanced CSCC who are not eligible for surgery.

New Nivolumab Dosing Schedules Approved in Europe

April 26th 2018

The European Commission has approved 2 new dosing schedules for nivolumab across several tumor types.

Giant of Cancer Care Shares Insights on Adjuvant Therapy in Melanoma

April 18th 2018

Adjuvant treatment of patients with intermediate- and high-risk melanoma has changed drastically in the past decade, according to John M. Kirkwood, MD.

Dr. Eggermont on the Impact of Adjuvant Anti-PD-L1 Agents in Melanoma

April 18th 2018

Alexander M. M. Eggermont, MD, PhD, director general of Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus Grand Paris in Villejuif, France, discusses the impact of adjuvant anti–PD-L1 agents on the treatment landscape of melanoma.

TLR9 Agonist May Reverse Resistance to PD-1 Inhibition in Melanoma

April 17th 2018

Combination use of CMP-001, an intratumoral toll-like receptor 9 agonist, and pembrolizumab (Keytruda) showed clinical activity in reversing PD-1 checkpoint inhibition resistance in patients with metastatic melanoma.

Adjuvant Pembrolizumab Improves RFS in Stage III Melanoma

April 15th 2018

Adjuvant pembrolizumab (Keytruda) reduced the risk of recurrence or death by 43% in patients with resected, high-risk stage III melanoma, according to phase III results from the EORTC 1325-MG/KEYNOTE-054 trial.

Dr. Andtbacka Discusses Next Steps With T-VEC in Melanoma

April 14th 2018

Robert Andtbacka, MD, associate professor in the Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery at the University of Utah School of Medicine, discusses the future of talimogene laherparapvec (T-VEC; Imlygic) in the treatment of patients with melanoma.