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.

Dr. Schaider Discusses Drug Resistance for Melanoma

October 25th 2017

Helmut Schaider, MD, associate professor, Dermatology Research Centre, the University of Queensland, discusses adaptive drug resistance for patients with melanoma.

Dr. Lebbe Discusses Efficacy of Avelumab in Merkel Cell Carcinoma

October 23rd 2017

Celeste Lebbe, MD, PhD, Hopital Saint Louis in Paris, discusses the efficacy of avelumab (Bavencio) in patients with stage IV Merkel cell carcinoma.

FDA Grants Adjuvant Dabrafenib/Trametinib Breakthrough Designation for BRAF+ Melanoma

October 23rd 2017

The FDA has awarded the combination of dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and trametinib (Mekinist) a breakthrough therapy designation for the adjuvant treatment of patients with stage III melanoma with a BRAF V600 mutation following complete resection.

Adjuvant Nivolumab/Ipilimumab Sustains RFS Benefit in Melanoma at 3 Years

October 22nd 2017

The combination of adjuvant nivolumab and ipilimumab led to a 3-year relapse-free survival rate of 71% in patients with high-risk resected stage IIIC/IV melanoma.

Adjuvant Dabrafenib/Trametinib RFS Benefit Persists Across Melanoma Subgroups

October 21st 2017

A doubling in 3-year relapse-free survival rates remained consistent across patient subgroups treated with dabrafenib and trametinib, when compared with placebo, for patients with BRAF-mutant stage III melanoma.

Dr. Amaria on Genetically Modified TILs in Melanoma

October 21st 2017

Rodabe N. Amaria, MD, department of Melanoma Oncology, division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses using genetically modified tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in patients with advanced melanoma.

Dr. Schadendorf on the Efficacy of Targeted Therapy Plus Checkpoint Inhibitors

October 21st 2017

Dirk Schadendorf, MD, head of department for Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Germany, discusses the efficacy of combining targeted therapy with checkpoint inhibitors for patients with melanoma.

Nivolumab/Ipilimumab Combo Active for Melanoma Brain Mets

October 21st 2017

The combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab showed an intracranial response rate of 46% for asymptomatic patients with melanoma brain metastases who had not received prior local therapy to the brain.

Immune-Stimulator Boosts Pembrolizumab in Melanoma Patients With "Cold" Tumors

October 21st 2017

Adding the immune stimulator ImmunoPulse IL-12 to pembrolizumab (Keytruda) produced promising activity among patients with melanoma identified as unlikely responders to anti–PD-1 therapies.

Triplet Therapy on Horizon for BRAF+ Melanoma

October 20th 2017

The combination of anti–PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy with BRAF plus MEK inhibitors is advancing rapidly following early promising phase results for patients with BRAF-mutant advanced melanoma.

Novel Combinations Mark Next Step for Melanoma

October 20th 2017

Immunotherapy has led a transformation for melanoma care but combinations of anti–PD-1 and CTLA-4 agents are toxic and biomarkers are not available to help personalized treatment, calling for further research into less toxic and more effective options.

Dr. Postow on BRAF and MEK Inhibitor Combination Studies in Melanoma

October 20th 2017

Michael A. Postow, MD, medical oncologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses BRAF and MEK inhibitor combinations studies in melanoma.

Dr. Atkinson Discusses the COLUMBUS Trial for Melanoma

October 20th 2017

Victoria Atkinson, MD, medical oncologist, Princess Alexandra Hospital, University of Queensland, discusses the Columbus trial for patients with melanoma.

Dr. Weber on Nivolumab in the Adjuvant Setting for Melanoma

October 20th 2017

Jeffrey S. Weber, MD, PhD, deputy director and co-director of the Melanoma Program at the Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone Medical Center, discusses the use of nivolumab (Opdivo) in the adjuvant setting for the treatment of patients with melanoma.

Early Study Shows Promise for Genetically Modified TILs in Advanced Melanoma

October 20th 2017

Treatment with genetically engineered tumor infiltrating lymphocytes showed some signs of activity and very little added toxicity for patients with metastatic melanoma.

Immunotherapy Infuses New Hope Into Merkel Cell Carcinoma Care

October 20th 2017

While chemotherapy has historically been used to treat patients with Merkel cell carcinoma, immunotherapy advances have infused new hope into the treatment landscape.

Dr. Luke Discusses PD-1 Plus IDO Inhibitors in Melanoma

October 19th 2017

Jason Luke, MD, assistant professor of medicine, University of Chicago Medicine, discusses the combination approach of a PD-1 antibody plus an IDO inhibitor for patients with melanoma.

Expert Discusses Mutations in Melanoma

October 19th 2017

Alan Shain, PhD, postdoctoral scholar, UCSF School of Medicine, discusses the role of genetics in melanoma.

Dr. Daud on Challenges Facing the Treatment Landscape for Melanoma

October 19th 2017

Adil Daud, MD, clinical professor, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses challenges facing the treatment landscape of melanoma.

FDA Grants Priority Review to Adjuvant Nivolumab in Melanoma

October 18th 2017

The FDA has granted a priority review to a supplemental biologics license application for nivolumab (Opdivo) to treat patients with melanoma who are at high risk of disease recurrence following complete surgical resection.