In a nutshell This study looked at two medications for treatment of melanoma, nivolumab (Opdivo) and ipilimumab (Yervoy), and analysed how well they worked in patients who have melanoma which has spread to the brain. The study found that the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab had significant clinical benefit in patients with melanoma with brain...
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SD-101 and pembrolizumab treatment in advanced melanoma
In a nutshell This study analysed a new medication to treat advanced melanoma called SD-101. The study found that patients responded very well to injection of the medication directly into the tumor alongside a common medication called pembrolizumab (Keytruda), although this worked best in patients who had never been treated with pembrolizumab...
Read More“Your Life Depends on Your Own Advocacy”
“Always trust your gut. Don’t leave your treatment in the hands of someone that you don’t trust or that does not seem like a team player. Yes, they are all smart—even brilliant—but read, read, read, and question them at every corner and challenge the standard of care. Exercise, healthy eating, learning the ropes of insurance, mediation/prayer...
Read MoreUsing cancer killing viruses as treatment for melanoma
In a nutshell This study wanted to analyse the current literature on using cancer killing viruses as a treatment for melanoma. The study found that there is only one virus that has been approved for use in treatment of melanoma, however there are others being developed, and current results are promising. Some background A new approach to treating...
Read MoreClinical Trials Today
Prior to the 20th century, most people lived about 47 years in the developed world because of infectious diseases. In 1940, the first use of penicillin to treat infectious diseases occurred and penicillin became available in 1945 to the general public. Science and research conducted throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, created more antibiotics so that life...
Read MorePembrolizumab or ipilimumab in treatment of advanced melanoma
In a nutshell This study looked at the safety and effectiveness of pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and ipilimumab (Yervoy), in the treatment of patients with advanced melanoma. The authors found that overall survival was higher in the group treated with pembrolizumab in all cases. Some background Cancer cells can have different receptors for certain...
Read MoreWhite blood cells and survival from melanoma
In a nutshell This study looked at numbers of white blood cells in patients with melanoma, and how this was related to survival. The authors found that there was an association between the numbers of certain white blood cells and survival from melanoma, specifically, low ratios of neutrophils and platelets to lymphocytes resulted in lower overall...
Read MoreCancer Vaccines
When I think of vaccines, I think of the MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella and varicella) vaccines which help our bodies establish immunity against diseases that used to kill. Now, there are vaccines being created for cancer. The rise of cancer vaccines According to Dr. Nora Disis, an oncologist and researcher in cancer vaccines at the University of...
Read MoreDo high-dose glucocorticoids affect survival in patients with melanoma?
In a nutshell This study investigated whether high-dose glucocorticoids (chemicals that stop inflammation) used for the treatment of ipilimumab (Yervoy)-induced hypophysitis (inflammation of a gland that controls hormones) had any effect on survival in patients with melanoma. This study found that high-dose glucocorticoids was associated with...
Read MoreCan S100B and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels be used to predict survival in patients with melanoma?
In a nutshell This study investigated whether levels of S100B and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in patients with melanoma treated with immunotherapy has any relationship to survival. The study found that increased levels of S100B and LDH were associated with reduced survival in patients with melanoma treated with certain immunotherapies. Some background...
Read MoreWhat factors can predict if melanoma patients respond to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy?
In a nutshell This study investigated whether there was a relationship between specific tumor characteristics (biomarkers) in melanoma patients and response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. This study found that patients with certain tumor characteristics had a better response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy and experienced increased survival. Some background...
Read MoreDoes inflammation replacing tumor cells predict survival in patients with melanoma?
In a nutshell This study investigated if histological regression (HR – replacement of cancer tumor cells by inflammation) can be used to predict the course of disease (prognosis) in patients with stage III (advanced) melanoma. The study found that histological regression was associated with a better prognosis in patients with stage III...
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