Skin Cancer

Martin Dietrich, MD, PhD, of Florida Cancer Specialists spoke with The American Journal of Managed Care® (AJMC®) on risk factors in melanoma, as well as the need for genomic testing and rapid action for a cancer that can progress very quickly.

Inflammatory microenvironments appear to enhance melanoma cells’ ability to control T-cell responses.

Patients with reduced DNA mismatch repair protein expression were more likely to respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), although this study had a small sample size.

Investigators said these differences might help explain why some patients have better outcomes than others with combination immune checkpoint blockades.

It is not yet clear what impact proactive screening might have on health care costs and survival outcomes.

A recent study aimed to fill research gaps regarding skin cancer rates and risk factors in older adults.

The 5-year survival rate over the time period was just 33.8%, the study found.

A new report shows better than 80% concordance between liquid biopsy and tissue biopsy.

Existing research appears to suggest these patients can be treated similarly to patients with other genetic subtypes of cutaneous melanomas.

Autologous tumor lysate particle-loaded dendritic cell (TLPLDC) vaccination is well-tolerated in combination with other immunotherapies, but further research is needed to confirm its efficacy.

New retrospective research found that basal and squamous cell cancers increased by 30% over 15 years.

A large cohort study aimed to find out whether tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, an important biomarker in melanoma, could be an independent prognostic factor for overall survival.

A retrospective study on the combination of a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor inhibitor plus programmed cell death-1 blockade added to evidence of efficacy in early trials.

In patients with BRAF-mutated melanoma, achieving a complete response and circulating tumor DNA negativity are promising prognostic markers.

Combination CDK4/6 and MEK inhibitor treatment reduced tumor growth in mouse models of melanoma with acquired resistance to BRAF and MEK inhibition.

The largest known prospective study of patients treated with trametinib plus dabrafenib for unresectable advanced melanoma with BRAF-V600 mutation confirmed the combination’s clinical activity.

A study of patients given first-line metastatic melanoma treatment showed that utilization rates were highest in patients using ipilimumab-containing therapies.

This new analysis of combination treatment with ipilimumab and nivolumab identified factors likely to lead to therapeutic success with the combination.

Patients with BRAF-V600 mutated metastatic melanoma have new treatment options to consider, but scientists are still waiting on additional data to help choose which first-line treatments are best for which patients.

Patients over the age of 65 had similar rates of serious adverse events, and nearly identical progression-free survival, when compared with younger patients.

Results of a multicenter study showed 43% of patients with advanced melanoma treated with anti–programmed cell death 1 therapy experienced chronic complications.

Autophagy inhibition could help patients who develop resistance to BRAF inhibitors, but a new review shows important questions remain.

Researchers outline factors that may inhibit immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy in patients with melanoma.

New strategies are currently being investigated to find out how to avoid resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors and BRAF/MEK inhibitors.

Researchers compared billing codes from electronic health records to accurately quantify how many skin cancers patients had.

We can safely delay excising in situ and early-stage melanomas while managing our patients’ care, noted Todd Schlesinger, MD, FAAD, director, Dermatology and Laser Center of Charleston and Clinical Research Center of the Carolinas.

Collaborating with colleagues outside of dermatology helps to maximize the chances of skin cancer not coming back, especially in rare cases of noncontiguous tumors, noted Rajiv Nijhawan, MD, director of the UTSW High Risk Skin Cancer Transplant Clinic, in Dallas, Texas.

A report reviews the case of a patient with stage IV melanoma who, while having several issues with treatment toxicity, was later free of disease following treatment with BRAF and MEK inhibitors.

Outside of breast cancer, cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors have not been as successful as tumors develop resistance. New research shows that a murine double minute (MDM2) antagonist can help CDK4/6 inhibitors overcome resistance, offering a potential second-line treatment option in melanoma.