Current topics in melanoma

Jedd D. Wolchok, Yvonne M. Saenger

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: New approaches to melanoma are emerging. This review summarizes developments over the past 12 months. RECENT FINDINGS: Surgical, chemotherapeutic, immunologic and targeted therapies for melanoma are evolving. Sentinel lymph node sampling is now accepted as the standard of care for patients with intermediate thickness primary melanomas. Temozolomide continues to be widely used as part of combination therapy, and recent evidence suggests that a combination of temozolomide and interferon-α may be superior to temozolomide alone. Meanwhile, temozolomide and thalidomide carries unacceptable thrombosis risk. In the area of immunotherapy, anti-CTLA-4 continues to show promise, but special attention must be paid to gastrointestinal toxicity. Interferon-α, in addition, has shown efficacy in the neoadjuvant setting with inflammatory infiltrates demonstrated in tumors. A better understanding of the complex genetic regulation of melanoma cell growth is emerging and this is expected to lead to the development of novel targeted therapies. SUMMARY: Research is producing a more complete understanding of melanoma genetics and immune regulation. These are beginning to produce therapeutics that are impacting clinical practice.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)116-120
Number of pages5
JournalCurrent Opinion in Oncology
Volume19
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Chemotherapy
  • Immunotherapy
  • Melanoma
  • Targeted therapy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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