Dr. Luke on Current and Emerging Treatment Approaches in Metastatic Melanoma

Jason J. Luke, MD, FACP, associate professor of medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, and director of the Cancer Immunotherapeutics Center within the Immunology and Immunotherapy Program, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center, discusses current and emerging treatment approaches in metastatic melanoma.

Five-year analyses with treatment regimens such as dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and trametinib (Mekinist), pembrolizumab (Keytruda), and nivolumab (Opdivo) and ipilimumab (Yervoy) are showing survival rates ranging from 40% to 55%, says Luke.

These data have further solidified the use of these agents in the metastatic setting and have provided a rationale for which to evaluate additional combinations that may possess the potential to augment responses. For example, in an ongoing phase III study, investigators are evaluating the addition of the oncolytic virus, talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC; Imlygic), to pembrolizumab. Additionally, several studies are evaluating PD-1-based combination therapies, concludes Luke.