Lynn M. Schuchter, MD

Lynn M. Schuchter, MD, Chief, Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, describes two trials presented at the 2013 ASCO Meeting looking at nivolumab in patients with melanoma.

Updated phase I data showed a 31% response rate in patients with melanoma treated with nivolumab. These responses were sustained, Schuchter says, with almost half of the patients still alive at two years.

Even more exciting was the data on nivolumab in combination with ipilimumab. The combination of two targeted therapies both aimed at the CTLA-4 pathway showed a response rate as high as 70% with manageable toxicity.

Nivolumab demonstrated a 31% response rate in patients with advanced melanoma

In combination with ipilimumab, nivolumab showed a very high response rate with manageable toxicity

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Lynn M. Schuchter, MD, describes two trials presented at the 2013 ASCO Meeting looking at nivolumab in patients with melanoma.

Trials Show How Nivolumab works in Melanoma

Lynn M. Schuchter, MD, Chief, Hematology Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, gives an overview of the treatment of advanced melanoma at the 2013 ASCO Annual Meeting.

Physicians determine the BRAF status of every patient with advanced melanoma. Treating with BRAF targeted therapy or immunotherapy depends on the patient's status. If a patient is very sick and has a large disease burden, a physician would start with targeted therapy to achieve a fast response. If a patient is not in need of immediate treatment, immunotherapy would be considered: ipilumumab or enrollment in a clinical trial.

It is critical to determine the BRAF mutation status of every patient with advanced melanoma and move forward from there. It is truly remarkable, Schuchter says, that chemotherapy is no longer considered in the first or second line. Data presented at this year's ASCO meeting enhances the knowledge of the impact of new immunotherapies.

Treatment with BRAF targeted therapy or immunotherapy depends on the status of the patient

Targeted therapies are used when the patient has a large disease burden

If patients are not in need of immediate treatment, physicians would consider treating with immunotherapy

View all coverage from the 2013 ASCO Meeting

Lynn M. Schuchter, MD | Authors

Articles

Trials Show How Nivolumab works in Melanoma

An Overview of the Treatment of Melanoma