In a nutshell This study wanted to see how long patients with melanoma would take to relapse (stop responding) when treated with dabrafenib (Tafinlar) plus tramentinib (Mekinst) after surgery. The study found that after four-years, the relapse rate was 59% compared to 40% in those who did not use the medications after surgery. Some background A...
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Retreatment with a second BRAF inhibitor in patients with advanced melanoma
In a nutshell This study wanted to see if using a different BRAF inhibitor was effective in the treatment of patients with melanoma. The study found that retreating with a slightly different BRAF inhibitor worked well. Some background Around 50% of patients with melanoma that has spread have a mutation in one of their genes. This gene is...
Read MoreWhich treatment works best, nivolumab plus ipilimumab or nivolumab alone versus ipilimumab alone for advanced melanoma
In a nutshell This study wanted to find out which medications are better for treating advanced melanoma; nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy), nivolumab alone, or ipilimumab alone. The study found that using the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab was more effective than using nivolumab alone, with the least...
Read MoreTreatment for advanced melanoma with abnormal genes
In a nutshell This study wanted to find out which treatment for melanoma cancer worked better, encorafenib (Braftovi) + binimetinib (Mektovi), encorafenib alone, or vemurafenib (Zelboraf) alone. The study found that encorafenib + binimetinib worked well and was safe, compared to vemurafenib and encorafenib. Some background In about 50% of patients...
Read MoreComparing newer drug treatments for late-stage melanoma
In a nutshell This study was looking at which combination of medication is better at treating late-stage melanoma, ziv-aflibercept (Zaltrap) combined with high-dose interleukin-2 (Proleukin) or high-dose interleukin-2 by itself. The study found that using ziv-aflibercept combined with high-dose interleukin-2 was better than using high-dose interleukin-2...
Read MoreTVEC as a treatment for advanced melanoma
In a nutshell This study analysed a treatment for late-stage melanoma called talimogene laherparepvec (TVEC). It found that treating late-stage melanoma with TVEC was effective, and had only minor side effects. Some background Talimogene laherparepvec (TVEC) (Imlygic) is a treatment used for late-stage melanoma which is unable to be operated on. TVEC...
Read MorePembrolizumab to treat advanced mucosal melanoma
In a nutshell This study wanted to find out if the drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda) is effective in treating mucosal melanoma. The study found that pembrolizumab had some effect on mucosal melanoma, and the overall survival of patients was 11 months. Some background Mucosal melanoma is a very aggressive type of cancer, with no specific treatment. Recent...
Read MoreSurgical treatment options for anal melanoma
In a nutshell This study compared the afety and effectiveness of two surgical treatments for anal melanoma. The study found that patients who had a local excision and patients who had an abdominoperineal resection had the same level of overall survival. Some background Anal melanoma is a very rare cancer. Two surgical options for treatment are...
Read MoreFactors influencing survival in patients with stage IV metastatic melanoma
In a nutshell This study looked at factors that were associated with better survival in patients who had surgery for advanced melanoma. The study found that having clear surgical margins, where the cancer has not spread to surrounding tissues, and having a low white blood cell ratio were associated with longer survival. Some background Melanoma...
Read MoreThe effect of FDG-PET imaging on patients with melanoma treated with immunotherapy.
In a nutshell The study looked at the use of FDG-PET imaging to assess long-term outcomes of treatment in patients with melanoma. Researchers found that FDG-PET imaging may be useful in predicting long-term outcomes of treatment in these patients. Some background Treatment for melanoma has vastly improved in recent years. Immunotherapies have improved...
Read MoreEffect of cancer medications nivolumab and ipilimumab on melanoma which has spread to the brain
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...
Read MoreSD-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...
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