Melanoma & Skin Cancer | Specialty

The OncLive Melanoma & Skin Cancer condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and expert insights on various types of skin cancers, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and more. This section features news articles, interviews in written and video format, and podcasts that focus on unmet needs, treatment advances, and ongoing research in melanoma and other skin cancers.

FDA Grants Fast Track Status to Naporafenib Plus Trametinib for Advanced NRAS-Mutated Melanoma

December 15th 2023

The FDA has granted fast track designation to naporafenib plus trametinib for use as a potential therapeutic option in adult patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with an NRAS mutation who progressed on or are intolerant to a PD-1/PD-L1–based regimen.

RP1 Plus Cemiplimab Misses Response End Points in Locally Advanced or Metastatic CSCC

December 14th 2023

The combination of RP1 and cemiplimab provided a numerical, but not statistically significant, improvement in response rates vs cemiplimab alone in patients with locally advanced or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, missing the primary end points of the phase 2 CERPASS trial.

Efficacy and Safety of Rechallenge With BRAF/MEK Inhibitors in Patients With BRAF-Mutated Metastatic Melanoma

December 14th 2023

Panelists discuss the potential benefits of rechallenging patients with BRAF-mutated metastatic melanoma with BRAF/MEK inhibitors after a break from treatment, especially for those who initially responded well, and emphasizing the success of this approach in some cases, while highlighting the importance of monitoring and utilizing ctDNA tracking for more informed decision-making.

Encorafenib Plus Binimetinib for BRAF-Mutated Metastatic Melanoma: 7-Year Follow-Up Data From the COLUMBUS Trial

December 14th 2023

The 7-year follow-up data for encorafenib/binimetinib showing that around 21% of patients remained progression-free supports BRAF/MEK inhibition as a later treatment option after immunotherapy failure, but doctors are reluctant to stop BRAF/MEK inhibitors given lack of data, even in those patients doing well long-term on the medications with minimal toxicity.

Choosing Between Available Combination BRAF/MEK Inhibitor Options for Patients With BRAF-Mutated Metastatic Melanoma

December 7th 2023

The panel explains which BRAF/MEK inhibitor combination therapy they each tend to turn to when treating a patient with BRAF-mutated metastatic melanoma.

Common Adverse Effects Seen With BRAF/MEK Inhibitor Therapy in Patients With BRAF-Mutated Metastatic Melanoma

December 7th 2023

Key opinion leaders explain that clinicians should warn patients with BRAF-mutated metastatic melanoma starting BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy about short-term toxicities like fever, chills, and rash that can differ greatly from immunotherapy toxicities.

Frontline Treatment Options for Patients With BRAF-Mutated Metastatic Melanoma

November 30th 2023

Experts discuss a preference for ipilimumab/nivolumab as the frontline immunotherapy for patients with BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma given its proven long-term efficacy but acknowledge nivolumab/relatlimab as an option with less toxicity, especially adrenal insufficiency.

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.

FDA Grants Clearance for Phase 1/2 Trial of eTIL KSQ-001EX in Solid Tumors

November 30th 2023

The FDA has granted clearance for an investigational new drug application for a phase 1/2 safety lead-in trial investigating the engineered tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte KSQ-001EX in patients with melanoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and non–small cell lung cancer.

Dr Nathan on the Design of the IMCgp100-202 Trial in Uveal Melanoma

November 29th 2023

Paul D. Nathan, MBBS, PhD, FRCP, discusses the design of the phase 3 IMCgp100-202 trial of tebentafusp-tebn in patients with previously untreated, HLA-A*02:01–positive metastatic uveal melanoma, highlighting the key enrollment criteria of the randomized, open-label study.

Dr Nathan on the Rationale For Investigating Tebentafusp in Uveal Melanoma

November 29th 2023

Paul D. Nathan, MBBS, PhD, FRCP, discusses the rationale for launching the phase 3 IMCgp100-202 trial evaluating tebentafus in patients with previously untreated, HLA-A*02:01–positive metastatic uveal melanoma, as well as the mechanism of action of the agent.

Dr Weber on the Prognostic Utility of ctDNA Dynamics in Melanoma

November 28th 2023

Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, discusses the use of circulating-tumor DNA dynamics when guiding treatment decision-making in melanoma, according to data from the phase 2b mRNA-4157-P201/KEYNOTE-942 trial.

Dr Hamid on the Rationale For Investigating Fianlimab Plus Cemiplimab in Melanoma

November 23rd 2023

Omid Hamid, MD, director, Melanoma Program, The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, Cedars-Sinai, discusses the rationale for a phase 1 trial of fianlimab plus cemiplimab in patients with advanced melanoma who have received prior adjuvant PD-1 inhibitors.

Dr Buchbinder on Treatment With Nivolumab Maintenance Following irAEs in Melanoma

November 21st 2023

Elizabeth Buchbinder, MD, discusses the investigation of treatment with nivolumab maintenance therapy in patients with melanoma who experienced severe immune-related adverse effects associated with combination therapy with nivolumab and ipilimumab.

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.

Bemcentinib Plus SOC Is Well Tolerated, But Does Not Improve Efficacy in Metastatic Melanoma

November 20th 2023

The addition of bemcentinib to the standard-of-care therapies of pembrolizumab or dabrafenib plus trametinib was well tolerated in patients with metastatic melanoma; however, it did not lead to improvements in overall response rate, progression-free survival, or overall survival vs SOC alone.

Tebentafusp Sustains OS Benefit in Previously Untreated, Metastatic Uveal Melanoma

November 20th 2023

Paul Nathan, MBBS, PhD, MRCP, discusses the differences between cutaneous melanoma and uveal melanoma that have led to unique unmet needs for patients with the latter malignancy; updated findings from the IMCgp100-202 trial; and how these findings may influence future clinical practice.

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.