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.

Peering Deeper Into the Black Box

November 28th 2012

Over the past decade, there has been an explosion of knowledge regarding the fundamental drivers of the malignant phenotype.

Nab-Paclitaxel Extends PFS Versus Standard Chemotherapy in Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

November 26th 2012

A phase III trial that compared nab-paclitaxel (nab-P; Abraxane) with dacarbazine (DTIC) in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma (MMM) found that nab-P nearly doubled the median time to progression-free survival (PFS).

Dr. Sekulic on Vismodegib for Basal-Cell Nevus Syndrome

November 6th 2012

Aleksandar Sekulic, MD, PhD, from the Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, discusses the administration of vismodegib for the treatment and prevention of basal-cell carcinoma in patients with basal-cell nevus syndrome.

Dr. Rotkowitz on Ipilimumab Plus Dacarbazine for Melanoma

October 26th 2012

Michael Rotkowitz, MD, from Cancer Treatment Centers of America, discusses a phase III trial that examined ipilimumab plus dacarbazine for patients with metastatic melanoma.

Five MEK-Related Questions for Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD

October 12th 2012

Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, specializes in cancer immunotherapy and has been involved in numerous trials of clinical drug development, vaccines, and studies on autoimmunity and melanoma.

Rajni Kannan on the Side Effects of Yervoy and Zelboraf

October 12th 2012

Rajni Kannan discusses the importance patient education or managing the side effects associated ipilimumab and vemurafenib in metastatic melanoma.

The MEK Junction: Protein Presents a Ripe Target for Inhibitors

October 11th 2012

Though located far downstream of the extracellular trigger that initiates its signaling pathway, the MEK protein is no less significant a player in the cascade of events that promotes key cellular processes.

Dr. Ribas on Combining Vemurafenib and Ipilimumab

October 9th 2012

Antoni Ribas, MD, from the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses a phase I/II trial combining vemurafenib and ipilimumab for metastatic melanoma.

New Metastatic Melanoma Therapies Create Hope for Patients, Key Role for Oncology Nurses

October 8th 2012

The incidence of melanoma, the deadliest of all skin cancers, is quickly rising, and the disease is responsible for more than 8000 deaths each year.

Long-Term Data Show Significant Improvement in Survival With Ipilimumab in Melanoma

October 3rd 2012

Nearly twice as many patients with metastatic melanoma who received a combination of ipilimumab and dacarbazine were alive after four years, suggesting that ipilimumab has long-term survival benefits.

BRAF Inhibitor Plus MEK Inhibitor Encouraging in Metastatic Melanoma

September 29th 2012

Combining the new drugs dabrafenib and trametinib provided a clinically meaningful improvement in patients with melanoma that had BRAF V600 mutations.

Dual Mutations No Obstacle to Targeted Melanoma Therapy

September 28th 2012

Concurrent mutations in MEK1 and BRAF genes do not confer resistance to BRAF inhibitors in advanced melanoma, contrary to what investigators had expected.

Vismodegib Effective Against Skin Cancer in Patients With Basal-Cell Nevus Syndrome

August 31st 2012

The oral hedgehog pathway inhibitor vismodegib is effective for both the prevention and treatment of basal-cell carcinoma in patients with the rare disorder known as basal-cell nevus syndrome.

Dr. Sekulic on the Hedgehog Pathway Inhibitor Vismodegib

August 30th 2012

Dr. Aleksandar Sekulic, from the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, on the Hedgehog Pathway Inhibitor Vismodegib for Basal Cell Carcinoma.

Targeted PD-1 Therapy Offers Opportunity to Sequence Agents

August 30th 2012

Drugs that target the programmed death-1 pathway hold considerable promise for the treatment of patients with melanoma, particularly in integrating the agents into the sequence of therapy.

Dr. Ribas on MAPK Inhibition With Dabrafenib and Trametinib

August 23rd 2012

Dr. Antoni Ribas, from UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, on the Benefits of MAPK Inhibition With Dabrafenib and Trametinib

NDAs Filed for Two Melanoma Drugs

August 7th 2012

GlaxoSmithKline is seeking the FDA's approval for single-agent use of dabrafenib and trametinib, two targeted therapies for the treatment of patients with metastatic melanoma who harbor BRAF V600 gene mutations.

ï»¿Combining Novel Therapeutics: Strategies Emerge for Employing Both New Options in Melanoma

July 26th 2012

It is difficult to overstate the excitement surrounding the development of two new effective therapeutic strategies in the management of metastatic melanoma.

Ingenol Mebutate Gel Is Effective and Safe for Actinic Keratosis

July 12th 2012

Field-directed treatment with the investigational topical agent ingenol mebutate has been shown to be effective for actinic keratoses on the head and body.

Dr. Kris on the Combination of Targeted Therapies

July 6th 2012

Dr. Mark Kris, from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, on the Combination of Molecularly Targeted Therapies.