Top 5 Most-Read Skin Cancer Articles of 2022

BRAF mutations were addressed in depth this year on AJMC.com’s skin cancer page, having been mentioned in 3 of this year’s top 5 articles. Also discussed were a first-in-its-class combination treatment approval and potential indicators of increased skin cancer risk.

Here are the top 5 most-read skin cancer articles of 2022.

5. Dr Sigrun Hallmeyer Highlights Clinical Achievements and Barriers in Melanoma

In this interview with Sigrun Hallmeyer, MD, medical director of Advocate Lutheran General Hospital’s Cancer Service Line and codirector of medical research at Advocate Aurora Health, in Illinois, she addresses several important topics regarding melanoma. Chief among them are top goals for treating patients with advanced disease, the impact of social determinants of health on patient outcomes, and the effects of payer decisions regarding coverage, diagnosis, and treatment. Treatment resistance and cancer survivorship are also discussed.

Read the entire article.

4. Dabrafenib Plus Trametinib Approved as First Tumor-Agnostic Therapy for BRAF V600E–Mutated Solid Tumors

Adult and pediatric patients who have solid tumors with a BRAF V600E mutation received good news in June with the FDA’s approval of the combination treatment, the first therapy to be approved by the agency for a tumor-agnostic indication in these patient populations. Accounting for up to 90% of BRAF-mutant cancers, the indication for BRAF V600E came after dabrafenib plus trametinib demonstrated safety and efficacy in 3 clinical trials: for adults, the phase 2 Rare Oncology Agnostic Research and the NCI-MATCH Subprotocol H studies, and for children, Study X2101.

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3. Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Linked to Greater Skin Cancer Risk

Risks for basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), keratinocyte carcinoma (KC), and melanoma were higher among a cohort of patients who lacked neurofibromin, a tumor suppressor gene. Not having this gene can lead to the development of benign skin, eye, and nervous system tumors and a potentially higher risk of nervous system or other solid organ cancers. The risk for BCC was 30% higher; SCC, 32%; KC, 31%; and melanoma, 127%. A subanalysis of outcomes among patients of various ethnicities found that Hispanic patients and Black patients had the highest risks of KC vs comparable risk among White patients and Asian patients.

Read the entire article.

2. Dr Martin Dietrich Describes Need to Move Quickly With “Aggressive, Unpredictable” Melanoma

In this interview, Martin Dietrich, MD, PhD, of Florida Cancer Specialists, discusses melanoma risk factors, genomic testing, and the importance of prompt action—because melanoma is known for rapidly advancing. Dietrich also addresses the impact that the BRAF V600E mutation can have in the space, as well as non-V600 mutations, and goes into detail about potential longer-term benefits from sequencing targeted therapy then immunotherapy instead of immunotherapy and then targeted treatment. He closes with an in-depth discussion on melanoma disease management considerations, noting that immunotherapy comes with certain long-term consequences but is often the default treatment because “of the simplicity” and more discussions need to be held around how to manage patients with locally advanced metastatic melanoma.

Read the entire article.

1. ctDNA Accurately Detects BRAF Mutations in Advanced Melanoma, Study Finds

With advantages that include minimal invasiveness, low cost, reproducibility, and shortened wait times for results, liquid biopsy via analysis of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) was shown in this March piece to “be a viable option for determining the presence of BRAF mutations in patients with advanced melanoma.” With tissue samples often difficult to obtain when wanting to assess BRAF mutation status, the study authors highlighted that liquid biopsy is considered a simpler option, even though a majority of its use takes place in clinical trials and research settings—so that wider use remains very limited.

Read the entire article.