Melanoma News
Following Lifestyle Recommendations Reduces Risk of Cancer Death (May 15, 2013)People who follow the diet and lifestyle recommendations laid out by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) have a 34 percent reduced risk of dying from several diseases and specifically, a 20 percent... Continue Reading
Lymphoseek Approved for Detecting Lymph Nodes in Breast Cancer and Melanoma (April 10, 2013)The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Lymphoseek® (technetium Tc 99m tilmanocept) Injection, a radioactive diagnostic imaging agent that helps doctors locate lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer or melanoma who are undergoing... Continue Reading
Aspirin Reduces Risk of Melanoma in Women (March 20, 2013)Women who regularly take aspirin have a reduced risk of developing melanoma, according to the results of a study published in Cancer.[1] What’s more—the longer they take the aspirin, the lower the risk. Of the more than one million new diagnoses of... Continue Reading
Cancer Deaths on the Decline (February 11, 2013)Overall cancer death rates continue to decline in both men and women and across major ethnic and racial groups, according to the annual Status of Cancer report published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. What’s more—cancer incidence... Continue Reading
Combined Targeted Therapy Safe and Effective in Metastatic Melanoma (October 24, 2012)Treatment with a combination of two targeted agents—dabrafenib, which targets BRAF, and trametinib, which targets MEK—in patients with metastatic melanoma and BRAF V600 mutations was safe and improved progression-free survival, according to the results... Continue Reading
Lymphoma Patients and Transplant Recipients at Higher Risk of Melanoma (October 11, 2012)Individuals with lymphoma or those who have undergone organ transplants are far more likely than the average person to develop—and die from—melanoma, according to the results of a review published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Melanoma is a potentially... Continue Reading
Adjuvant Radiotherapy for the Management of High-Risk Malignant Melanoma (September 24, 2012)Adjuvant radiotherapy significantly improved regional lymphatic control for high-risk patients after therapeutic lymphadenectomy for metastatic melanoma, according to the results of a study published in the Lancet Oncology. Of the more than one million... Continue Reading
Number of Cancer Survivors Will Grow to 18 Million by 2022 (June 25, 2012)There will be nearly 18 million cancer survivors in the United States by 2022, according to a report by the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute: Cancer Treatment & Survivorship Facts & Figures[1] and an accompanying journal... Continue Reading
New Targeted Therapies Show Promise in Advanced Melanoma (June 18, 2012)Two new targeted therapies—trametinib and dabrafenib—show promise in the treatment of advanced melanoma, either improving survival or delaying disease progression, according to the results of two studies presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the... Continue Reading
PD-1 Targeted Immune Therapy Shows Promising Activity (June 11, 2012)The investigational drug BMS-936558 caused tumor shrinkage in nearly 25 percent of patients with advanced melanoma, kidney cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to the results of a phase I study presented at the 2012 annual meeting... Continue Reading
Latest Melanoma News By Stage
Recurrent Melanoma
Combined Targeted Therapy Safe and Effective in Metastatic Melanoma (October 24, 2012)
Treatment with a combination of two targeted agents—dabrafenib, which targets BRAF, and trametinib, which targets MEK—in patients with metastatic melanoma and BRAF V600 mutations was safe and improved progression-free survival, according to the results... Continue Reading
Adjuvant Radiotherapy for the Management of High-Risk Malignant Melanoma (September 24, 2012)Adjuvant radiotherapy significantly improved regional lymphatic control for high-risk patients after therapeutic lymphadenectomy for metastatic melanoma, according to the results of a study published in the Lancet Oncology. Of the more than one million... Continue Reading
PD-1 Targeted Immune Therapy Shows Promising Activity (June 11, 2012)The investigational drug BMS-936558 caused tumor shrinkage in nearly 25 percent of patients with advanced melanoma, kidney cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to the results of a phase I study presented at the 2012 annual meeting... Continue Reading
Zelboraf Improves Melanoma Survival (March 16, 2012)Among patients with previously treated metastatic melanoma that carries a certain gene mutation, the targeted drug Zelboraf® (vemurafenib) resulted in a median overall survival of 16 months. This is a substantial improvement over what has been seen in... Continue Reading
Cabozantinib Shows Promise against Bone Metastases (May 31, 2011)The investigational drug cabozantinib is showing promise against several types of advanced cancer, and may also reduce or eliminate bone metastases (cancer that has spread to the bone) in some patients. These results will be presented at the 2011 annual... Continue Reading
More Recurrent MelanomaScreening/Prevention Melanoma
Aspirin Reduces Risk of Melanoma in Women (March 20, 2013)
Women who regularly take aspirin have a reduced risk of developing melanoma, according to the results of a study published in Cancer.[1] What’s more—the longer they take the aspirin, the lower the risk. Of the more than one million new diagnoses of... Continue Reading
Lymphoma Patients and Transplant Recipients at Higher Risk of Melanoma (October 11, 2012)Individuals with lymphoma or those who have undergone organ transplants are far more likely than the average person to develop—and die from—melanoma, according to the results of a review published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. Melanoma is a potentially... Continue Reading
Number of Cancer Survivors Will Grow to 18 Million by 2022 (June 25, 2012)There will be nearly 18 million cancer survivors in the United States by 2022, according to a report by the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute: Cancer Treatment & Survivorship Facts & Figures[1] and an accompanying journal... Continue Reading
Aspirin Continues to Look Promising for Cancer Prevention (March 26, 2012)A combined analysis of 51 randomized trials found that daily aspirin use reduces the risk of new cancer diagnoses as well as the risk of cancer death. These results were published in The Lancet. A growing body of evidence suggests that aspirin may reduce... Continue Reading
Additional Evidence That Tanning Beds Increase Skin Cancer Risk (November 3, 2011)According to a study of more than 73,000 women, use of tanning beds increases the risk of three common types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. These results were presented at the 10th AACR International Conference... Continue Reading
More Screening/Prevention MelanomaStage III Melanoma
Adjuvant Radiotherapy for the Management of High-Risk Malignant Melanoma (September 24, 2012)
Adjuvant radiotherapy significantly improved regional lymphatic control for high-risk patients after therapeutic lymphadenectomy for metastatic melanoma, according to the results of a study published in the Lancet Oncology. Of the more than one million... Continue Reading
New Targeted Therapies Show Promise in Advanced Melanoma (June 18, 2012)Two new targeted therapies—trametinib and dabrafenib—show promise in the treatment of advanced melanoma, either improving survival or delaying disease progression, according to the results of two studies presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the... Continue Reading
Melanoma Drug Accelerates Secondary Skin Cancers In Some Patients (January 23, 2012)Zelboraf® (vemurafenib) improves outcomes among patients with advanced melanoma that harbors a BRAF gene mutation, but also accelerates the development of squamous cell carcinoma in some patients. A study that explores the reasons for these secondary... Continue Reading
Zelboraf (Vemurafenib) Approved for Melanoma (August 22, 2011)The targeted therapy Zelboraf™ (vemurafenib) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of melanomas that carry a common mutation in the BRAF gene. Of the more than one million new diagnoses of skin cancer each... Continue Reading
Sentinel Node Biopsy Safe and Effective for Melanomas on Head and Neck (August 10, 2011)Although the head and neck region is complex and delicate, sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanomas of the head or neck appears to be safe and effective. These results were published in Cancer. Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the... Continue Reading
More Stage III MelanomaStage IV Melanoma
Combined Targeted Therapy Safe and Effective in Metastatic Melanoma (October 24, 2012)
Treatment with a combination of two targeted agents—dabrafenib, which targets BRAF, and trametinib, which targets MEK—in patients with metastatic melanoma and BRAF V600 mutations was safe and improved progression-free survival, according to the results... Continue Reading
New Targeted Therapies Show Promise in Advanced Melanoma (June 18, 2012)Two new targeted therapies—trametinib and dabrafenib—show promise in the treatment of advanced melanoma, either improving survival or delaying disease progression, according to the results of two studies presented at the 2012 annual meeting of the... Continue Reading
PD-1 Targeted Immune Therapy Shows Promising Activity (June 11, 2012)The investigational drug BMS-936558 caused tumor shrinkage in nearly 25 percent of patients with advanced melanoma, kidney cancer and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to the results of a phase I study presented at the 2012 annual meeting... Continue Reading
Zelboraf Improves Melanoma Survival (March 16, 2012)Among patients with previously treated metastatic melanoma that carries a certain gene mutation, the targeted drug Zelboraf® (vemurafenib) resulted in a median overall survival of 16 months. This is a substantial improvement over what has been seen in... Continue Reading
Melanoma Drug Accelerates Secondary Skin Cancers In Some Patients (January 23, 2012)Zelboraf® (vemurafenib) improves outcomes among patients with advanced melanoma that harbors a BRAF gene mutation, but also accelerates the development of squamous cell carcinoma in some patients. A study that explores the reasons for these secondary... Continue Reading
More Stage IV MelanomaStages I-II Melanoma
Lymphoseek Approved for Detecting Lymph Nodes in Breast Cancer and Melanoma (April 10, 2013)
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Lymphoseek® (technetium Tc 99m tilmanocept) Injection, a radioactive diagnostic imaging agent that helps doctors locate lymph nodes in patients with breast cancer or melanoma who are undergoing... Continue Reading
Women More Likely to Survive Melanoma Than Men (May 16, 2012)Women are 30 percent more likely to survive melanoma than men, according to the results of a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.[1] Melanoma is a deadly type of skin cancer that arises from melanocytes, which are cells located in the... Continue Reading
Sentinel Node Biopsy Safe and Effective for Melanomas on Head and Neck (August 10, 2011)Although the head and neck region is complex and delicate, sentinel lymph node biopsy for melanomas of the head or neck appears to be safe and effective. These results were published in Cancer. Skin cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the... Continue Reading
Wealthy Women at Higher Risk of Melanoma (April 6, 2011)It appears that wealthier White women may be at a higher risk of melanoma than less affluent women. These findings were recently published in the Archives of Dermatology. Melanoma is the most deadly type of skin cancer. Each year in the United States,... Continue Reading
Study Evaluates Incidence of Lymphedema Resulting from Cancer Treatment (August 9, 2010)A systematic review of 47 studies evaluating treatment for melanoma, head and neck cancer, genitourinary cancers, gynecologic cancers, and sarcoma indicates that lymphedema is a common side effect of treatment for these diseases. These findings were recently... Continue Reading
More Stages I-II Melanoma