Melanoma Rates Increasing in Young Women(7/15/2008) Researchers from the National Cancer Institute have reported that rates of melanoma continue to increase among young women in the United States. These results appeared in an early online publication in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology on July 10, 2008.
Tanning Beds Pose Skin Cancer Risks(4/30/2008) Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York have reported that “there is absolutely no justification for indoor tanning,” citing the associated risk of skin cancer and the availability of vitamin D from sources other than UV exposure. These results were presented at the 2008 annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.
Patients with Endometriosis and Fibroma at Increased Risk for Melanoma(11/6/2007) Researchers from France have reported that women who have a history of endometriosis or uterine fibromas have a higher rate of melanoma than women without such history. The details of this study were published in the October 22, 2006 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Antioxidant Supplements Linked to Increased Rates of Skin Cancer in Women(8/27/2007) Researchers from France have reported that antioxidants consumed in supplement form appear to be associated with an increase in the rate of skin cancer among women but not men. The details of this study appeared in the August, 2007 issue of the Journal of Nutrition.
Gleevec® May Be Effective for KIT-Mutated Melanoma(4/29/2008) Researchers from the Dana Farber Cancer Center have reported that Gleevec® (imatinib) may be a promising therapy for patients with KIT-mutated melanoma. The results of treatment with one patient were published in the April 20, 2008 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Sentinel-Node Biopsy Indicated in Malignant Melanoma(9/28/2006) Researchers affiliated with the Multicenter Selective Lymphadenectomy Trial (MSLT) have reported that staging with sentinel-node biopsy and immediate lymphadenectomy for those with a positive biopsy improves survival of patients with intermediate thickness malignant melanoma.
Genetically Engineered Lymphocytes May Have Activity in Melanoma(9/5/2006) Researchers from the National Cancer Institute have reported the successful transfer of genetically engineered lymphocytes with responses in 2 of 17 patients with advanced melanoma.
Melanoma Vaccine, Melacine®, Unlikely to be Approved by FDA Without Further Studies(5/2/2003) In conference titled
Development of Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines, Dr. Martin A Cheever, of the Corixa corporation announced that although their melanoma vaccine Melacine® appears to have significant activity in patients with melanoma who have HLA types A2 and/or C3, the FDA will require a new study which will take 8-10 years to complete before they approve the commercial use of Melacine® in the US. Melacine® is already approved in Canada. Corixa has not yet decided whether or not to perform this study.
Adjuvant Pegylated Interferon Improves Disease-free Survival in Patients with Stage III Melanoma(7/14/2008) Researchers affiliated with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) have reported that adjuvant pegylated interferon alfa-2b increases recurrence-free survival in patients with Stage III melanoma. The details of this report appeared in the July 12, 2008 issue of The Lancet.
Gleevec® May Be Effective for KIT-Mutated Melanoma(4/29/2008) Researchers from the Dana Farber Cancer Center have reported that Gleevec® (imatinib) may be a promising therapy for patients with KIT-mutated melanoma. The results of treatment with one patient were published in the April 20, 2008 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Addition of Genasense® to DTIC-Dome® Improves Outcomes in Metastatic Melanoma Patients With Normal LDH(10/10/2006) Results from a multi-national phase III trial indicate that addition of the Genasense® (oblimersen) to DTIC-Dome (dacarbazine) provides a significant survival benefit in patients with metastatic stage III or IV melanoma compared to DTIC alone. However, this benefit was only demonstrated in patients with normal LDH levels.
Genetically Engineered Lymphocytes May Have Activity in Melanoma(9/5/2006) Researchers from the National Cancer Institute have reported the successful transfer of genetically engineered lymphocytes with responses in 2 of 17 patients with advanced melanoma.
Temodar® and Peg-Intron® Active in Metastatic Melanoma(7/27/2006) Researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have reported that the combination of Temodar (temozolomide) and Peg-Intron (pegylated interferon-alfa 2b) has significant anti-tumor effects and is well tolerated in patients with metastatic melanoma.
Radiofrequency Ablation Effective for Lung Tumors(7/22/2008) Researchers involved in a multicenter international trial have reported that the use of radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of lung cancer or pulmonary metastases provides an effective and safe therapeutic option for selected patients. These results were recently published in the July 7, 2008 issue of Lancet Oncology.
Primed Autologous CD4+ T Cells Produces Complete Remission in a Patient with Metastatic Melanoma(6/23/2008) Researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have reported that a patient with metastatic melanoma responded completely to infusion of autologous CD4+ T cells with specificity for the melanoma-associated antigen NY-ESO-1. The details of this case report were published in the June 19, 2008 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Nexavar® May Have Significant Activity in Advanced Melanoma(5/7/2008) Researchers associated with a multicenter U.S. Phase II clinical trial have reported that the addition of Nexavar® (sorafenib) improves progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with advanced melanoma receiving dacarbazine. The details of this study appeared in the May 1, 2008 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Elesclomol Granted Orphan Drug Status(3/4/2008) Elesclomol (formerly STA-4783), an investigative agent being jointly developed by Glaxo-Smith Kline and Synta Pharmaceuticals, Corp., has been granted orphan drug status by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of metastatic melanoma.
Addition of Genasense® to DTIC-Dome® Improves Outcomes in Metastatic Melanoma Patients With Normal LDH(10/10/2006) Results from a multi-national phase III trial indicate that addition of the Genasense® (oblimersen) to DTIC-Dome (dacarbazine) provides a significant survival benefit in patients with metastatic stage III or IV melanoma compared to DTIC alone. However, this benefit was only demonstrated in patients with normal LDH levels.
Radiofrequency Ablation Effective for Lung Tumors(7/22/2008) Researchers involved in a multicenter international trial have reported that the use of radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of lung cancer or pulmonary metastases provides an effective and safe therapeutic option for selected patients. These results were recently published in the July 7, 2008 issue of Lancet Oncology.
Platinol®, Gemzar® and Theosulfan is Palliative for Relapsed Melanoma(11/5/2007) Researchers from Germany have reported that the combination of Platinol (cisplatin), Gemzar (gemcitabine) and theosulfan (dihydroxybusulfan) has significant palliative effects in patients with stage IV melanoma who have failed 1-3 lines of therapy. The details of this study appeared in an early on-line advanced publication in the British Journal of Cancer on October 30, 2007.
ALS-357 Granted Orphan Drug Status for Metastatic Melanoma(9/20/2007) The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Advanced Life Sciences Holdings, Inc. orphan drug designation for their agent ALS-351 in the treatment of metastatic melanoma.
Addition of Gliadel® Wafer to Surgery and Radiation Effective for Brain Metastasis(6/27/2007) Researchers involved in a multicenter trial have reported that the addition of Gliadel® Wafer (carmustine polymer wafer) to surgery plus external beam radiotherapy is a safe and effective regimen for patients with single brain metastasis. The details of this study appeared in the June 15, 2007 issue of Clinical Cancer Research.
Metastatic Melanoma Responds to Taxol® and Paraplatin®(2/16/2006) Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have reported that 45% of patients with metastatic melanoma that has failed first line chemotherapy appear to benefit from the combination of Taxol (paclitaxel) and Paraplatin (cisplatin).
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