Dr. Lewis on Sequencing Strategies in Melanoma

Karl Lewis, MD, medical oncologist, associate professor, University of Colorado, discusses sequencing strategies for the treatment of melanoma.

The timing of immunotherapy and targeted therapy is unknown at this time. Lewis says it is important for a physician to know and understand the molecular profile of a patient’s tumor earlier rather than later, especially regarding defects to BRAF or NRAS.

If a patient has relatively early metastatic disease and is asymptomatic, a physician should try treatment with with immunotherapy because there is the possibility of long term durable benefit. Targeted therapies could then be used if the patient does not respond, though Lewis admits that there is no good clinical trial data to support this.