Melanoma Treatment

There are several treatment options for melanoma, all of which are dependent on your stage of diagnosis. Your doctor should discuss all treatment options with you so that you can determine your best course of action.

A special thanks to Dr. Dorothee Herlyn for writing the Highlights of Novel Melanoma Therapies presented at the 8th International Congress of the Society for Melanoma Research (SMR) in Tampa, FL on Nov. 9-11, 2011.  The nature of this report is very scientific.

Types of Melanoma Treatment

Clinical Trials

Clinical trials are research studies to test promising new or experimental cancer treatments; new ways to detect melanoma; or new ways to monitor melanoma.

The Melanoma Research Foundation Clinical Trial Finder will help you understand which emerging melanoma treatments may be an option for you. Clinical trials offer melanoma patients the opportunity to receive care that is not yet the standard. 

MRF Melanoma Clinical Trial Finder

Note: This will take you to the EmergingMed website page that fully describes this free service. 

Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy is a type of therapy in which drugs (or other substances) specifically “target” the abnormal aspects of tumor cells without harming normal cells. Several targeted therapies have been approved for use in treating various cancers. This approach is currently being evaluated in melanoma.

Targeted Therapy Finder - Melanoma

Note: This will take you to the CollabRx website page that fully describes the Targeted Therapy Finder.

Another tool you may find useful is My Cancer Genome to learn more about the different mutations in melanoma.  My Cancer Genome will provide you with up-to-date information on what mutations can make cancers grow, as well as related therapeutic implications. 

Surgery

Surgery is the mainstay of therapy for early stage melanoma and for resection of an isolated metastatic melanoma site.

• Simple Excision
• Mohs Surgery
• Wide Local Excision
• Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a type of systemic therapy useful in the treatment of melanoma at high risk for recurrence and for metastatic disease.

• Yervoy (ipilimumab or ipi)
• Interferon alpha 2b
• Interleukin-2 (Il-2)

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is a type of therapy in which a medication is given to treat melanoma. The goal of chemotherapy is to destroy melanoma cells throughout the body.

• DTIC
• Temozolomide

Radiation Therapy

Radiation Therapy is used to prevent a local recurrence of the melanoma.

Regional Perfusion (Isolated Limb Perfusion)

Regional perfusion is a procedure used to treat one limb of the body that has multiple areas of metastasis from melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery alone.

OTHER MELANOMA DRUGS:

• Interleukin (IL)-2
• Interferon (IFN)-alpha
• Rituximab
• Vemurafenib (PLX4032)

We invite you to listen to the June 2011 ASCO Teleconference to learn more about the latest advances in the treatment of metastatic melanoma.

You may also want to read the June 2010 ASCO Update to learn more about these medications. Some of these have been FDA approved, some are in clinical trials, and some are awaiting FDA approval.

Patient Videos

The Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania, along with Dr. Lynn Schuchter, developed four videos to assist melanoma patients better understand a melanoma diagnosis, treatment options and follow-up care.

View Melanoma Treatment: A Patient Video Guide 

Prognostic Markers for Melanoma

A major challenge in melanoma is determining the potential for the development of metastatic disease. This has prompted the search for prognostic markers that may guide therapeutic decisions and greatly enhance the success rate of melanoma treatments in these patients.

Please read the June 2010 ASCO Update to learn more about melanoma prognostic markers.

Side Effects of Melanoma Treatment

It helps to learn about the side effects of your treatment before you begin. Just as each person’s treatment plan is individualized, the side effects that one person experiences might be very different from those of someone else. When you know more, you can work with your melanoma treatment team to manage your quality of life during and after treatment.