Melanoma (Issue 2)

Michael A. Postow, MD, attending physician, Melanoma and Immunotherapeutics Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses sequencing strategies in treating patients with melanoma.

More than 50% of melanoma involves mutation in the BRAF protein, which is part of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathway.

The first combination therapy for advanced melanoma received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) January 2014.

Jedd D. Wolchok, MD, PhD, chief, Melanoma and Immunotherapeutics Service, Lloyd J. Old Chair for Clinical Investigation, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, explains immune checkpoint blockade.

Melanoma experts and researchers have gained ground in the development of novel and effective immunotherapies as well as targeted agents for those patients with metastatic melanoma who harbor specific tumor mutations.

Keith T. Flaherty, MD, discusses the latest and forthcoming research regarding MEK/BRAF combination therapies.

Ryan J. Sullivan, MD, medical oncologist, Massachusetts General Hospital, gives an overview of new and emerging therapies for the treatment of metastatic melanoma.

The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 75,000 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed in 2014, and that nearly 10,000 people will die of melanoma this year.

Targeted therapy for patients with activating BRAF mutations has demonstrated the potential for personalized medicine in patients with metastatic melanoma. Initial study results were promising and dramatic.