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.

Dabrafenib and Trametinib Combination Granted Priority Review Designation by FDA

September 16th 2013

The FDA has granted Priority Review designation to dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and trametinib (Mekinist) as a combination treatment for patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAFV600E/K mutation.

Investigational Vaccine Fails to Extend Disease-Free Survival in Certain Patients with Advanced Melanoma

September 5th 2013

The investigational MAGE-A3 immunotherapeutic did not significantly extend disease-free survival (DFS) in certain patients with postsurgical melanoma when compared with a placebo in a phase III study.

Novel Agents Revolutionize Melanoma Treatment

September 5th 2013

Until recently, the cornerstone of therapy for metastatic melanoma had been chemotherapy with dacarbazine (DTIC) and immunotherapy with high-dose interleukin-2 (HD IL-2) or interferon-Î± (IFN-Î±).

Dr. Sosman on Immunotherapy in Melanoma and Renal Cancer

August 28th 2013

Jeffrey A. Sosman, MD, Professor of Medicine, Director, Melanoma and Tumor Immunotherpay Program, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, discusses how immunotherapies work in patients with melanoma or renal cancer.

Study Shows Benefit of High-Dose IL-2 in Melanoma Brain Metastases

August 23rd 2013

High doses of interleukin-2 could be used to treat patients with melanoma whose disease has metastasized to the brain, potentially expanding options in a population facing a grim prognosis.

Dr. Schuchter Discusses Nivolumab in Melanoma

August 21st 2013

Lynn M. Schuchter, MD, from the University of Pennsylvania, describes two trials presented at the 2013 ASCO Meeting looking at nivolumab in patients with melanoma.

Nivolumab Benefits Durable in Three Tumor Types

August 19th 2013

Nivolumab, the most advanced agent in the rapidly developing field of PD-1-targeting cancer immunotherapy, delivered durable clinical benefits across multiple solid tumor types.

Study Details Adverse Events in Pivotal Ipilimumab Trial

August 16th 2013

Adverse events associated with ipilimumab for the treatment of metastatic melanoma are better understood after further analysis of clinical trial data that led to the FDA's 2011 approval of the drug.

Allovectin Falters in Late-Stage Melanoma Trial

August 13th 2013

Nearly two decades after clinical trials began, the investigational immunotherapy Allovectin failed to meet key endpoints in a phase III trial in patients with stage III/IV metastatic melanoma and will no longer be developed.

Lambrolizumab Demonstrates Significant Antitumor Activity in Melanoma

August 8th 2013

The investigational antibody lambrolizumab demonstrated significant antitumor activity and good response rates as well as a tolerable toxicity profile in patients with melanoma.

Dr. Saenger on the Need for Immunotherapy Biomarkers

August 7th 2013

Yvonne M. Saenger, MD, Assistant Professor in Medicine and Dermatology, Hematology and Medical Oncology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, discusses the need for biomarkers for immunotherapies.

Selumetinib Combination Significantly Improves PFS but Not OS in BRAF-Positive Melanoma

August 2nd 2013

Combination treatment with selumetinib and dacarbazine significantly improved progression-free survival in patients with BRAF-positive melanoma.

T-VEC Delivers Durable Responses in Unresectable Melanoma

July 31st 2013

T-VEC manifested significant gains in durable response rate and other key clinical indicators in patients with advanced melanoma in what researchers described as the first phase III trial demonstrating the efficacy of an oncolytic virus immunotherapy.

Dr. Ribas on the Efficacy of Ipilimumab in Melanoma

July 29th 2013

Antoni Ribas, MD, PhD, the director of the Tumor Immunology Program Area at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses the efficacy of ipilimumab for the treatment of melanoma.

Dr. Richard D. Carvajal on the Investigation of Selumetinib

July 25th 2013

Richard D. Carvajal, MD, medical oncologist, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the background of the investigation of selumetinib for advanced uveal melanoma.

Dr. Weber on Optimal Therapy Sequences in Melanoma

July 23rd 2013

Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, from the Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, discusses sequencing immunologic and targeted therapies in patients with advanced BRAF-mutated melanoma.

Dr. Swain Discusses Studies From the 2013 ASCO Meeting

July 15th 2013

Sandra Swain, MD, medical director of the Washington Cancer Institute at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, highlights information presented at the 2013 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Meeting.

Dr. Schuchter Discusses the Treatment of Melanoma

July 3rd 2013

Lynn M. Schuchter, MD, Chief, Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, discusses the treatment of advanced melanoma.

Intermittent Dosing May Overcome Resistance to Vemurafenib in Patients With Melanoma

June 24th 2013

Using an intermittent dosing strategy with vemurafenib, instead of continuous dosing, has the potential to overcome the development of resistance in patients with melanoma treated with the drug.

Dr. Weber Explores Nivolumab in Advanced Melanoma

June 21st 2013

Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, from the Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, describes a single institution phase I/II trial exploring the anti-PD-1 antibody nivolumab in combination with a peptide vaccine for patients with unresectable melanoma.