Longstreet Cancer Center

Study Evaluates Incidence of Lymphedema Resulting from Cancer Treatment 08/08/2010
A systematic review of 47 studies evaluating treatment for melanoma, head and neck cancer, genitourinary cancers, gynecologic cancers, and sarcoma indicates that lymphedema is a common side effect of treatment for these diseases. These findings were recently published in the journal Cancer.[1] Lymphedema is the buildup of lymph fluid in ...

Study Evaluates Melanoma Trends in High-risk Region of United States 07/26/2010
Melanoma incidence in Hispanic men and African-American women residing in Florida may be higher than in other regions of the United States. These findings were recently published in the journal Archives of Dermatology.[1] Many cases of melanoma are thought to be related to sun exposure. Preventative measures include avoidance of ...

Ipilimumab Improves Outcomes in Advanced Melanoma 06/07/2010
Among patients with previously treated, advanced melanoma, treatment with the investigational drug ipilimumab improved overall and progression-free survival. The results of this Phase III clinical trial were presented at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Melanoma is the most deadly type of skin cancer. Each year ...

More Evidence that Indoor Tanning Increases Risk of Melanoma 06/03/2010
Frequent indoor tanning increases the risk of developing melanoma, according to results recently published in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention.[1] Each year in the Unites States, an estimated 28 million people visit an indoor tanning facility, with a majority of visits made by women and teenage girls. In ...

How Much Follow-up Is Appropriate for Melanoma Survivors? 06/01/2010
Once survivors of Stage III melanoma reach a certain time period of recovery, the frequency and intensity of follow-up does not appear to be associated with discovery of resectable first relapses, according to the results of a study published early online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.[1] Survivors of Stage ...

Indoor Tanning May Be Addictive in Some Individuals 04/29/2010
Researchers report that some individuals may meet criteria for addiction to indoor tanning and are more likely to exhibit other addictive behaviors and affective disturbance. These results were recently published in the journal Archives of Dermatology.[1] Each year in the Unites States, an estimated 28 million people ...

Delcath PHP System Effective Against Liver Metastases 04/22/2010
Among patients with melanoma that has metastasized (spread) to the liver, the Delcath PHP System™ appears to provide effective treatment to the liver. Full results from a Phase III clinical trial will be presented at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. The ...

More Evidence of Prevalence of Youth Tanning Bed Use 04/15/2010
Use of tanning beds by youths age 11-17 in the UK is widespread according to results recently published in the British Medical Journal.[1] Use of tanning beds has been linked with an increased risk of melanoma, the most deadly type of skin cancer. Each year in the ...

Metastatic Melanoma Patients Undergoing Treatment with Dacarbazine and Interferon May Benefit from the Addition of Thymosin ? 1 04/15/2010
The addition of thymosin Metastatic Melanoma Patients Undergoing Treatment with Dacarbazine and Interferon May Benefit from the Addition of Thymosin ? 1 (T?1) to dacarbazine and interferon improved overall survival and progression-free survival compared with dacarbazine and interferon alone in patients with metastatic melanoma. These results ...

Hispanics and African Americans Present with More Advanced Melanoma than Whites 12/30/2009
Researchers from Florida have reported that Hispanics and African Americans present with more advanced melanomas than their White counterparts. These results were published in the Archives of Dermatology. The three most common types of skin cancer are melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma. Melanoma is less common than basal ...

Some Patients with Previously Treated Melanoma Respond to Ipilimumab 12/22/2009
In a Phase II clinical trial, 11% of patients with previously treated, advanced melanoma experienced a complete or partial disappearance of detectable cancer following treatment with ipilimumab at a dose of 10 mg/kg. These results were published in Lancet Oncology. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the ...

Sterotactic Radiosurgery Alone Is Preferred Treatment for Newly Diagnosed Brain Metastases 12/09/2009
Patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases who undergo sterotactic radiosurgery plus whole-brain radiation therapy experience significant memory loss; therefore, stereotactic radiosurgery alone is the preferred method of treatment for these patients, according to the results of a study published in the Lancet Oncology.[1] For decades, whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) has ...

Dermatologists Detect Thinner Melanomas 10/05/2009
In a study conducted at a private dermatology practice, a majority of melanomas were identified as a result of a full-body skin exam and not as a result of a patient complaint. Furthermore, melanomas detected by the dermatologist tended to be thinner than melanomas detected by the patient. These results ...

Adjuvant Radiation Therapy May Improve Melanoma Outcomes 10/05/2009
Adjuvant radiation therapy improves local control of melanoma following therapeutic lymph node dissection for lymph node-metastatic disease and may improve disease-specific survival, according to the results of a study published in Cancer.[1] Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, with more than 1 million ...

Experimental Vaccine Improves Melanoma Outcomes 06/05/2009
Experimental Vaccine Improves Melanoma Outcomes Patients with advanced melanoma experienced higher response rates and longer survival without cancer progression when treated with an experimental anticancer vaccine in addition to standard therapy. These were the preliminary findings from a Phase III clinical trial presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the American ...

Nexavar® Fails to Improve Melanoma Survival 05/13/2009
Among patients with Stage III or Stage IV melanoma that cannot be surgically removed, treatment with a combination of Nexavar® (sorafenib) and chemotherapy did not result in better survival than treatment with chemotherapy alone. The results of this Phase III clinical trial were made available in a ...

Melanoma Overview 03/18/2009
Overview Malignant melanoma is predominantly a disease of the skin, but may in rare instances occur at other sites, including the mucous membranes (vulva, vagina, lip, throat, esophagus and perianal region), as well as in the eye (uvea and retina). Melanoma arises from melanocytes, which are cells located in the upper ...

Paraplatin®, Taxol®, and Avastin® Beneficial for Metastatic Melanoma 02/09/2009
The combination of Paraplatin® (carboplatin), Taxol® (paclitaxel), and Avastin® (bevacizumab) is well tolerated and provides clinical benefit in patients with metastatic melanoma, according to the results of a study published in Cancer.[1]Melanoma, which often begins in the form of a mole, is the ...

What Every Woman Should Know About Cancer Screening 02/06/2009
By Jennifer Maxon, RN Over the past several decades, long-term cancer survival rates have been on the rise.1 These improved outcomes are largely credited to screening measures for certain types of cancers. In general, cancer that can be detected and treated in its earliest stages, ...

Cancer Vaccines: Stimulating the Immune System to Attack Cancer 02/06/2009
As the age of personalized medicine approaches, the look and feel of cancer treatment may change dramatically. What if, rather than receiving one-size-fits all anticancer drugs, patients were treated with specially formulated treatments made to target their own cancer cells? What if patient’s own cancer and immune cells were ...

Understanding Your Melanoma Pathology Report 02/06/2009
If you’ve been diagnosed with malignant melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, your physician has made this diagnosis by removing (with a biopsy) the cancerous area on your skin and examining it under a microscope. Following this examination, you’ll receive a pathology report, which will describe your ...

How to Do a Skin Self-Exam 02/06/2009
From the National Cancer Institute publication “What You Need to Know™ About Skin Cancer” Your doctor or nurse may suggest that you do a regular skin self-exam to check for skin cancer, including melanoma. The best time to do this exam is after a shower or bath. You should check your skin ...

Mobile Phone Use Not Linked with Melanoma of the Eye 01/26/2009
According to the results of a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, mobile phone use does not increase the risk of uveal melanoma (melanoma of the eye).Although concerns have been raised about possible links between mobile phone use and cancers of the brain and other ...

Patient's Own Immune Cells Help Attack Melanoma 06/20/2008
Results from one patient involved in a clinical trial have demonstrated that a complete regression of advanced melanoma may occur with the use of a patient's own immune cells.Melanoma, which often begins in the form of a mole, is the most deadly type of skin cancer. Although highly curable ...

Gleevec® May Be Effective for Some Patients with Metastatic Melanoma 04/29/2008
The targeted agent Gleevec® (imatinib) may be a promising therapy for some patients with metastatic melanoma. These results were recently presented at the 2008 annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research.Metastatic melanoma refers to melanoma that has spread from its site of origin to distant sites in ...

Tanning Beds Pose Skin Cancer Risks 04/28/2008
Despite marketing efforts by the tanning bed industry that use of tanning beds can provide the healthful benefit of increasing vitamin D levels, researchers claim that “there is absolutely no justification for indoor tanning,” citing the associated risk of skin cancer and the availability of vitamin D from sources ...

Skin Examinations Remain Standard of Care for Early Diagnosis of Melanoma 04/28/2008
Regular skin examinations remain the standard of care for the early detection and prevention of melanoma. These results were recently presented at the 2008 annual American Academy of Dermatology meeting.Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that typically arises from a mole. If detected and treated early, prior to ...

Rates of Melanoma Continue to Increase 04/28/2008
The rate of melanoma in the United States continues to rise. These results were recently presented at the 2008 annual meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology.Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that often begins in the form of a mole. Melanoma is considered an aggressive type of ...

Patients with Endometriosis at Increased Risk for Melanoma 10/29/2007
According to an article recently published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, women who have endometriosis have a higher rate of melanoma than women without endometriosis.Endometriosis is a condition in which tissue that normally lines the uterus can be found in other parts of the body, most often within ...

Biologic Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked with Increased Risk of Skin Cancer 09/10/2007
According to the results of a study published in Arthritis and Rheumatism, treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with drugs such as Remicade® (infliximab) or Enbrel® (etanercept) may increase the risk of skin cancer but does not appear to increase the risk of other types of cancer.Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune ...

Antioxidant Supplements Linked to Increased Rates of Skin Cancer in Women 08/22/2007
According to an article published in the Journal of Nutrition, antioxidants consumed in supplement form appear to be associated with an increase in the rate of skin cancer among women but not men.Results from recent studies have clearly demonstrated a link between diet and risks of various types of ...

Addition of Gliadel® Wafer to Surgery and Radiation Effective for Brain Metastasis 06/22/2007
According to an article in Clinical Cancer Research, the addition of Gliadel® Wafer (carmustine polymer wafer) to surgery plus external beam radiotherapy for the treatment of a single brain metastasis is a safe and effective regimen for patients.Several different types of cancers spread, or metastasize, to the brain. This ...

Don't Rely Solely on Sunscreen to Protect Your Skin 05/09/2007
According to an article published in The Lancet, the best ways to protect your skin from the sun are to wear sun-protective clothing and hats and to minimize your time in the sun. Sunscreen can play a role in sun protection, but it must be used correctly and should ...

Dermatologists Detect Melanoma Earlier 04/24/2007
According to an article recently published in the Archives of Dermatology, when compared to other types of physicians, dermatologists tend to detect melanoma at an earlier stage. Earlier detection contributes to improved survival for patients diagnosed with this disease.Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. Melanoma typically begins in ...

Marathon Runners at Increased Risk of Melanoma 11/29/2006
According to the results of a study published in the Archives of Dermatology, marathon runners are more likely than the general population to have atypical moles, sun-induced skin damage, and skin changes suggestive of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Each of these changes indicates an increased risk of melanoma.Melanoma is a ...

Little Evidence that Statins or Fibrates Protect Against Melanoma 11/01/2006
According to a combined analysis of several studies, use of statins or fibrates (two types of cholesterol-lowering drugs) does not decrease the risk of melanoma. These results were published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Melanoma is a type of cancer that originates in cells of the skin. ...

Genasense® Improves Survival in Some Patients with Advanced Melanoma 10/09/2006
According to results recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the addition of Genasense® (oblimersen) to dacarbazine provides a significant survival benefit in patients with Stage III or IV melanoma. The benefit, however, was only present in patients with normal levels of the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). Melanoma is ...

Sentinel-node Biopsy Plays Important Role in Melanoma 09/28/2006
According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, sentinel-node biopsy provides prognostic information in patients with intermediate-thickness melanoma, and may lead to improved survival in patients who are found to have a positive sentinel node. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that often begins in ...

Parkinson's Treatment Unlikely to Be Linked with Melanoma 09/28/2006
A study conducted in Denmark and published in the journal Epidemiology contests the hypothesis that treatment of Parkinson disease increases the risk of melanoma. Melanoma is a type of cancer that originates in cells of the skin. Melanoma is considered very deadly once it has spread past the site of ...

Melanoma More Likely to Be Diagnosed at Advanced Stage in Non-White Patients 09/26/2006
A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine reports that although melanoma is less common in non-White individuals, it tends to be diagnosed at a later stage. Melanoma is a type of cancer that originates in cells of the skin. Melanoma is considered very deadly once it has spread ...

STA-4783 Improves Progression-free Survival in Advanced Melanoma 09/12/2006
Results published in a news release by Synta Pharmaceuticals indicates that the investigative agent STA-4783 in addition to Taxol® (paclitaxel) doubles progression-free survival compared with Taxol alone in the treatment of Stage IV melanoma. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that is considered very deadly once it has spread ...

Addition of TNF-α to Melphalan Does Not Improve Outcomes in Melanoma Patients Undergoing Isolated Limb Perfusion 09/11/2006
Among patients undergoing hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion for locally advanced melanoma, the addition of TNF-α to melphalan resulted in a higher complication rate without improving treatment response. These results were published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that typically begins in the form ...

Engineered Immune Cells May Help Fight Melanoma 09/01/2006
According to an early online publication in the journal Science, a patient's own genetically engineered immune cells may help to fight melanoma. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that is considered very deadly once it has spread past its site of origin. Standard treatment for advanced melanoma includes biologic ...

FDA Approves New Over-the-counter Sunscreen Product 07/25/2006
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Anthelios SX, a sunscreen from L'Oreal, to be sold over-the-counter (OTC) for the prevention of sunburn and for protection against ultraviolet B (UVB) and ultraviolet A (UVA) rays. It has a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15. UVB exposure is associated ...

Targeted Therapy with Volociximab and DTIC Well Tolerated in Metastatic Melanoma 06/07/2006
According to the results of a phase II clinical trial, volociximab (M200) in combination with DTIC (dacarbazine) is well tolerated in the treatment of metastatic melanoma. These results were presented at the 2006 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology held in Atlanta, Georgia, June 2-6, 2006. Melanoma ...

Chemotherapy plus Immunotherapy May Not Improve Survival over Chemotherapy Alone in Metastatic Melanoma 04/21/2006
According to an article recently published in the Annals of Oncology, the chemotherapy combination consisting of cisplatin, vindesine, and dacarbazine (CVD) produced similar delay of cancer progression and overall survival time as CVD plus the biologic agents interferon and interleukin. Melanoma is a type of aggressive skin cancer that typically ...

Melanoma Patients with Atypical Moles at High Risk of Additional Melanoma 04/18/2006
According to an article recently published in the Archives of Dermatology, patients diagnosed with melanoma who have other atypical moles have a significantly increased risk of developing a subsequent melanoma and should continue close follow-up with a dermatologist. Melanoma is a type of cancer that originates in cells of the ...

Immune Stimulating Vaccine Promising in Metastatic Melanoma 03/03/2006
According to a recent article published in the journal Cancer, surgical removal of cancer spread in the body followed by peptide vaccines appear to significantly improve survival in some patients with metastatic melanoma. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that often starts in the form of a mole. Although ...

Autoimmunity During Interferon Treatment for Melanoma Linked with Improved Survival 02/17/2006
Among patients receiving immunotherapy for melanoma, those who showed evidence of autoimmunity (an immune response against the body's own tissues) survived significantly longer than those who did not. These results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that typically begins in ...

Appearance of Congenital Nevi Improved with Laser Resurfacing 01/30/2006
In a study of ten children with congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN), treatment in the first weeks of life with erbium:YAG laser resurfacing produced good results with minimal side-effects. These results were published in the British Journal of Dermatology . Congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) are brown or black birthmarks. Roughly 1% ...

Combination of Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy Active Against Metastatic Melanoma 01/27/2006
Treatment of metastatic melanoma with the chemotherapy drugs temozolomide, cisplatin, and vinblastine, coupled with immunotherapy drugs interleukin-2 and interferon alfa, was well tolerated and produced a treatment response in some patients. These results were published in the journal Melanoma Research. Patients with metastatic (stage IV) melanoma have cancer that has ...

Paclitaxel plus Carboplatin Benefits Some Patients with Metastatic Melanoma 01/11/2006
According to a study published in the journal Cancer, second-line treatment (treatment given when initial treatment doesn't work) with the chemotherapy drugs paclitaxel and carboplatin resulted in a partial reduction of cancer or stable disease in 45% of patients with metastatic melanoma. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that ...

History of Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Increases Risk of Melanoma 12/23/2005
According to a study published in the journal Cancer, postmenopausal women with a history of non-melanoma skin cancer have a roughly 70% greater risk of developing melanoma than women without such a history. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer. It is generally divided into two categories: melanoma ...

No Benefit for Stage II Melanoma with Addition of Isotretinoin 11/29/2005
According to a recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the addition of isotretinoin to interferon alfa provides no benefit over interferon alfa alone in the treatment of stages IIA-IIB melanoma. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that is considered to be very aggressive. Melanoma is easily ...

Vaccine to Stimulate Immune System Appears Promising for Advanced Melanoma 11/15/2005
According to a recent article published in Clinical Cancer Research, a vaccine used to stimulate a patient's immune system appears to produce some anticancer activity in patients with advanced melanoma. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that often starts in the form of a mole. Although melanoma is very ...

Addition of Genasense® to Dacarbazine Improves Outcomes in Subset of Metastatic Melanoma Patients 11/14/2005
Results from a phase III clinical trial indicate that the addition of Genasense® (oblimersen) to dacarbazine provides a significant survival benefit in patients with stage III or IV melanoma. The benefit, however, was only present in patients with normal levels of the enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). These results ...

Abraxane™ Evaluated for Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma 11/07/2005
According to study results presented at the 23rd annual Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium, Abraxane™ (albumin-bound paclitaxel) produced an anticancer effect in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma, particularly in those who had not previously received chemotherapy. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. ...

Arginine Deprivation Slows Metastatic Melanoma 10/24/2005
Treatment to reduce plasma levels of arginine, an amino acid that contributes to the growth of melanoma, may be a safe and effective approach to controlling metastatic melanoma, according to the results of phase I and II studies published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology . Melanoma is a cancer ...

Oncophage® Improves Survival in Metastatic Melanoma 10/11/2005
According to results from a recent phase III clinical trial, the vaccine Oncophage® (vitespen, formerly HSPCC-96) improves survival by over 50% in some patients with metastatic melanoma. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. The cancer can grow deep into the ...

History of Melanoma Increases Risk of Second Melanoma 10/05/2005
According to a recent article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, patients who have been diagnosed with melanoma have an increased risk of developing sites of second or third melanomas. These patients should continue to undergo frequent dermatologic monitoring. Melanoma is a very aggressive cancer that often ...

Controlling CNS Progression in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma 10/04/2005
Patients with metastatic melanoma had a lower-than-expected rate of progression to the central nervous system (CNS) after a treatment regimen that included a drug with activity against CNS tumors, according to the results of a phase II clinical trial published in the American Journal of Clinical Oncology . Patients with ...

Intermediate Doses of Interferon Do Not Reduce Recurrences in Early Melanoma 09/30/2005
According to a recent article published in The Lancet, intermediate doses of interferon administered over a short interval do not appear to improve survival over no treatment in patients with stages IIB or III melanoma. However, longer durations of therapy with interferon do appear to improve outcomes. Melanoma is a ...

High-Dose Interleukin-II May Not Improve Outcomes of Patients with Metastatic Melanoma 09/28/2005
According to an article recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) does not appear to improve outcomes in patients with metastatic melanoma treated with combination therapy. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that typically begins in the form of a mole. It is considered an ...

Desmoplastic Melanoma Less Likely to Recur than Thought 09/26/2005
For patients with desmoplastic melanoma, an uncommon type of melanoma, local recurrence is rare and treatment with wide excision alone may be sufficient, according to a study published in the journal Cancer . Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that can be quite deadly once it has spread beyond ...

Noninvasive Technique Identifies Melanoma 09/26/2005
Electrical impedance scanning offers a noninvasive method of identifying melanomas on the body and limbs, according to a study published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. The technique is particularly useful in identifying thinner melanomas. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that can be quite deadly once it has spread ...

Positive Sentinel Lymph Node Increases Risk of Recurrence in Melanoma 08/25/2005
According to a recent article published in the Archives of Dermatology, patients diagnosed with melanoma whose cancer has spread to their sentinel lymph node have a significantly increased risk of experiencing a cancer recurrence compared to those whose cancer has not spread to the sentinel node. Patients with a ...

Melanoma Rates Increase in Children 08/16/2005
According to a recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, melanoma rates have increased sharply in children since the 1970s. Melanoma is a type of cancer that originates in cells of the skin and is considered very deadly once it has spread past the site of origin. However, ...

Therapy Involving Patient's Immune Cells Effective for Refractory, Advanced Melanoma 04/07/2005
According to results recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, therapy involving a patient's own immune cells appears promising in the treatment of advanced melanoma that has stopped responding to standard therapies. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that often starts in the form of a mole. Although ...

Vaccine Promising in Metastatic Melanoma 03/10/2005
According to results presented at the 59th annual Cancer Symposium of the Society of Surgical Oncology, the vaccine MDX-010 in addition to interleukin-2 provides anti-cancer responses in patients with metastatic melanoma. MDX-010 is now in the last phase of clinical trials prior to FDA review. Malignant melanoma is a type ...

Changes in Moles Add to Criteria of Early Detection of Melanoma 12/10/2004
According to a recent article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, patients should be aware of moles that change over time in size, shape, symptoms, surface, and/or color, as these changes may be a sign of melanoma. Melanoma is a type of cancer that originates in cells ...

Sentinel Lymph Node Spread in Early Melanoma 11/02/2004
According to a recent article published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology, even patients with early melanomas (less than 1.0 mm thick) have a risk of cancer spread to local lymph nodes and should consider testing of the sentinel node. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that often begins ...

Multiferon® Plus Dacarbazine Improves Survival in Stages II-III Melanoma 10/27/2004
According to results from a recent clinical trial, the addition of the biologic agent Multiferon® (interferon) plus the chemotherapy agent dacarbazine following surgery improves survival compared to surgery alone in stages II-III melanoma. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. Patients ...

Expanded Access Program Initiated for Genasense®/Dacarbazine for Patients with Advanced Melanoma 05/07/2004
Patients with advanced melanoma may be eligible for treatment with Genasense® plus dacarbazine at certain clinical sites in the U.S. through an Expanded Access Program (EAP). Melanoma is a type of aggressive skin cancer that begins in the form of a mole. Over the past 30 years, the incidence of ...

Wider Margins Reduce Local Recurrences in Melanoma 03/01/2004
According to an article recently published in The New England Journal of Medicine, the surgical removal of melanoma that includes a larger area of normal tissue reduces the incidence of cancer recurrences near the site of the original melanoma (local recurrences); however, it does not appear to significantly ...

Low-Dose Interferon May Not Be Effective in Some Stages of Melanoma 12/29/2003
According to a recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, treatment with low-dose interferon for an extended period of time does not appear to improve survival in patients with stages IIB and III melanoma. However, these results are not necessarily consistent with results from other trials, ...

Proleukin® Injected Directly into Cancer Effective in Advanced Melanoma 11/17/2003
According to an article recently published in the British Journal of Cancer, Proleukin® (interleukin-2, aldesleukin) delivered directly into the site of cancer produces high anti-cancer response rates in patients with metastatic melanoma. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that is considered very aggressive. Melanoma typically begins ...

Specific Factors Increase Risk of Melanoma in Women 10/17/2003
According to a recent publication in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, women with specific factors are at an increased risk for developing melanoma. Individuals with these risk factors should remain extremely cautious of protecting themselves from the sun, as well as partake in regular screening measures, ...

Genasense™ may Improve Survival in Metastatic Melanoma 09/25/2003
According to recent results from a large multi-institutional clinical trial, the addition of Genasense™ (oblimersen sodium) to standard chemotherapy may improve survival for patients with metastatic melanoma. Malignant melanoma is a type of skin cancer that often begins in the form of a mole. Malignant melanoma is considered a ...

Vaccine may Improve Survival in Metastatic Melanoma 09/10/2003
According to a recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, injections of irradiated autologous melanoma cells appear to improve anti-cancer responses and may improve survival in some patients with metastatic melanoma. Melanoma is an aggressive type of cancer that originates in the skin. It typically begins in ...

Outpatient Chemoimmunotherapy for Metastatic Melanoma 04/27/2003
According to a recent article published in the BritishJournal of Cancer, the treatment combination consisting of Temodar®, granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), low-dose Proleukin® and interferon alfa provides anti-cancer responses and can be administered in an outpatient setting for patients with metastatic melanoma. Melanoma is ...

Radiation Therapy Helps Prevent Local Recurrences in Melanoma 04/16/2003
According to a recent article published in the journal Cancer, adjuvant radiation therapy appears to prevent local recurrences in patients with spread of melanoma to cervical (neck) lymph nodes. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that typically begins in the form of a mole. Melanoma is considered ...

Immunotherapy may Benefit some Advanced Melanoma 04/16/2003
According to a recent article published in the Journal of Immunology, the use of adjuvant immunotherapy involving tumor infiltrating immune cells plus Proleukin® may be of benefit to patients with surgically removed advanced melanoma. Melanoma is an aggressive type of cancer that originates in the skin. It ...

Survivin Gene in Lymph Nodes Predicts Survival in Early-Stage Melanoma 02/17/2003
According to a recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, expression of the gene survivin in sentinel lymph nodes appears to help predict survival outcomes in patients with early-stage melanoma. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. ...

Vaccine May Improve Survival in Patients with Advanced Melanoma 12/13/2002
According to a recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, the vaccine Canvaxin may improve survival in patients with surgically removed, advanced melanoma. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that typically begins in the form of mole. Melanoma is considered an aggressive type of cancer ...

Extended Biotherapy with Proleukin® Improves Survival in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma 10/29/2002
According to a recent article published in Clinical Cancer Research, extended or maintenance therapy involving Proleukin® and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) improves survival in patients with metastatic melanoma who demonstrate an initial response to biochemotherapy. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that typically begins ...

Novel Immune Approach Helps Fight Metastatic Melanoma 09/23/2002
According to a recent article published in the journal Science and a recent publication issued by the National Cancer Institute, a novel immune therapy approach referred to as “adoptive transfer” appears to be beneficial and may improve survival in patients with metastatic melanoma who have stopped responding to ...

Review of Cancer Incidence in Airline Pilots over Five Decades 09/17/2002
According to a recent article published in the British Medical Journal, results from a clinical study indicate that the incidence of skin cancers and prostate cancer may be increased in airline pilots. However, the researchers could not directly attribute the development of these cancers to cosmic radiation. Concern ...

Low Levels of HLA-DR Predict for Worse Prognosis in Early Melanoma 08/30/2002
According to a recent article in the International Journal of Cancer, low levels of the soluble form of human leukocyte antigen (sHLA)-DR in the blood predict for an increased risk of disease progression in patients with early-stage melanoma. Patients with low levels of sHLA-DR may wish to seek ...

FDA Grants Orphan Drug Status to Oncophage® Vaccine for Metastatic Melanoma 08/05/2002
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted Oncophage® orphan drug status for metastatic melanoma. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. The cancer can grow deep into the skin and spread to different parts of the body through ...

Temodar® Plus Thalidomide Appears Promising for Advanced Melanoma 06/06/2002
According to results from three recent clinical trials, the combination of Temodar® (temozolomide) and thalidomide appears promising for the treatment of advanced melanoma. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. The cancer can grow deep into the skin and ...

Biochemotherapy Appears Promising for Stage III Melanoma Patients 05/17/2002
According to a recent study published in the journal Cancer, evidence suggests that patients with stage III melanoma may benefit from neoadjuvant biochemotherapy. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that usually begins in the form of a mole that has changed shape and/or color. Once it has spread ...

Biochemotherapy Appears to Improve Responses in Patients with Advanced Melanoma 05/08/2002
According to a recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, evidence suggests that biochemotherapy may improve anti-cancer activity compared to chemotherapy alone, but adds significant side effects for patients with advanced melanoma. Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that usually begins in the form of a ...

Oncophage® Produces Immune Responses in Metastatic Melanoma 04/11/2002
According to results presented at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research, the cancer vaccine Oncophage® appears to produce significant immune responses in patients with metastatic melanoma. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently granted fast track status to Oncophage® for the treatment of metastatic ...

Five-Year Follow-Up Suggests that Vaccine is Effective in Preventing Recurrence of Melanoma Following Surgical Resection 03/01/2002
Vaccines have been evaluated for many years in patients with melanoma with few long-term reports. Doctors at the University of Oklahoma recently reported results of a vaccine trial with at least 5 years follow-up. One hundred twenty-nine patients with stage I and II melanoma were treated after surgical ...

Combination Therapy Encouraging for Metastatic Melanoma 02/15/2002
The treatment combination consisting of interferon-alpha, thymosin-alpha 1 and dacarbazine provides encouraging anti-cancer responses for metastatic melanoma, according to a recent article in the publication Melanoma Research. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. The cancer can grow deep into ...

G3139: A Promising New Treatment for Patients with Advanced Melanoma? 02/15/2002
A novel type of therapy offers a new approach to the treatment of resistant melanoma by sensitizing cancer cells to the effects of chemotherapy, according to a recent study published in The Lancet. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. ...

High Dose Alpha Interferon Decreases the Risk of Cancer Recurrence in Selected Patients with Malignant Melanoma 02/14/2002
High dose alpha interferon used as adjuvant therapy has shown some benefit against relapse (return of cancer) in persons with stage III melanoma, according to a multi-institutional study. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. The cancer can grow ...

New Antisense Product, G3139, May Help Improve Effectiveness of Chemotherapy for Advanced Melanoma 02/14/2002
Metastatic malignant melanoma, a type of skin cancer that has spread to other parts of the body often is resistant to the chemotherapy drugs used for its treatment. Now, researchers from Austria report that combining chemotherapy with a new agent, called an antisense product G3139, may help overcome ...

Biologic Therapy, GM-CSF, May Be Effective Treatment after Surgery for Metastatic Melanoma 02/14/2002
The treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma, a type of skin cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, often requires surgery, followed by additional therapy to help prevent or delay the cancer from returning. Now, researchers report that a biologic therapy, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), may ...

Lymph Node Dissection of Sentinel Node Predicts Outcome for Patients with Localized Melanoma 02/14/2002
Patients with a melanoma that involves the lymph nodes have a worse outcome with treatment than patients without lymph node involvement. Complete removal of lymph nodes is associated with significant local complications such as swelling from blockage of lymph flow. One technique being evaluated to decrease the need ...

Active specific immunotherapy with a polyvalent melanoma cell vaccine produces response in patients with in-transit melanoma metastasis. 02/14/2002
Investigators at the John Wayne Cancer Center evaluated a polyvalent melanoma cell vaccine (PMCV) for patients with in-transit melanoma metastasis (cutaneous metastasis between primary melanoma and local lymph nodes). They evaluated 54 patients treated with the vaccine and observed a 13% complete response rate lasting an average of ...

Vaccine May Prolong Time to Progression and Survival in Patients with Stage III Melanoma 02/14/2002
Patients with stage III melanoma have cancer that is larger than 4 millimeters and/or invades the subcutaneous tissue. The cancer may also invade regional lymph nodes. Cancer-free survival at 5 years following surgery alone is 33%. The majority of patients experience cancer recurrence and doctors are evaluating new adjuvant ...

A 15-Year Follow-Up of Patients Receiving a Vaccine as Adjuvant Therapy of Melanoma with Lymph Node Involvement Shows Expanded T-Cell Populations in Surviving Patients 02/14/2002
The development of effective adjuvant therapies for the treatment of high-risk melanoma patients is critical for the prevention of metastatic disease and improvement in patient survival. Active specific immunotherapy has been tested as an adjuvant treatment in numerous clinical trials with limited, but occasionally promising, success rates. Newcastle ...

Isolated Limb Perfusion with Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alfa and Melphalan in Patients who had Failed Isolated Limb Perfusion with Chemotherapy Alone Results in a High Complete Remission Rate 02/14/2002
A retrospective study, performed at the National Cancer Institute, evaluated the benefit of isolated limb perfusion with tumor necrosis factor alfa in patients previously failing this procedure with chemotherapy alone. Seventeen patients with extremity melanoma, who underwent prior isolated limb perfusion with melphalan or other chemotherapy, and who ...

Autologous Hapten-Modified Melanoma Vaccine Appears to Affect Survival after Resection of Lymph Node Metastasis 02/14/2002
Only 10-25% of patients with malignant melanoma and regional metastasis to more than one lymph node experience long-term survival following standard surgical treatment. The majority of patients succumb to recurrent disease. Doctors at the Thomas Jefferson University treated 98 patients with a vaccine prepared from their own melanoma cells ...

Vaccination with Irradiated Autologous Tumor Cells May Improve Outcomes for Patients with Regional Lymph Node Involvement with Melanoma 02/14/2002
Only 10-25% of patients with malignant melanoma and regional metastasis to more than one lymph node experience long-term survival following standard treatment. The majority of patients succumb to recurrent cancer. Physicians at the University of Maryland treated 22 patients following surgical removal of melanoma with a vaccine made ...

Patients with surgically removed stage III malignant melanoma have improved survival if treated with interferon. 02/14/2002
Interferons are small protein molecules naturally produced by the body’s immune cells for the purpose of destroying substances foreign to the body such as virally infected cells or cancer cells. Interferons are known to play a role in the body’s fight against cancer cells. Many types of cancer ...

Histamine Plus Interleukin-2 Produces Responses in Advanced Melanoma 02/14/2002
According to a recent article published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, a histamine agent (dihydrochloride) added to interleukin-2 may improve survival time for some patients with metastatic melanoma. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. The cancer can grow ...

Novel Treatment Strategies Needed for Advanced Melanoma 02/14/2002
The treatment combination consisting of cisplatin, dacarbazine, fotemustine and interferon appears to produce significant anti-cancer activity for patients with advanced melanoma. However, this treatment regimen does not produce a significant advantage over currently available treatments, according to a recent article published in the journal Cancer. Melanoma is a cancer ...

Maintenance Biotherapy Improves Survival for Patients with Advanced Melanoma 02/14/2002
Maintenance therapy consisting of interleukin2 (IL-2) and granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) appears to significantly improve survival for patients with advanced melanoma who respond to initial biochemotherapy, according to results recently presented at the Chemotherapy Foundation Symposium XVIII. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins ...

Skin Test May Help Determine Effectiveness of Vaccine Treatment for Melanoma Patients 02/14/2002
Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. The cancer typically grows deep into the skin and then spreads to different parts of the body through blood or lymph vessels. It usually spreads first to lymph nodes that are near ...

Interleukin-2 and Dacarbazine Combo Produces Responses in Metastatic Melanoma that Has Spread to the Lung 02/14/2002
The treatment of metastatic malignant melanoma that has spread to the lung often requires surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy to enhance the quality of life and prolong the survival time of persons with this disease. Now, researchers report that a chemotherapy drug combined with a biologic therapy called ...

Vinorelbine Plus Tamoxifen Produces Prolonged Responses in Persons with Metastatic Malignant Melanoma 02/14/2002
Persons who have metastatic malignant melanoma—skin cancer that has spread to other parts of the body—may be treated with chemotherapy drugs such as dacarbazine alone or a combination of dacarbazine, carmustine, cisplatin, and tamoxifen (an anti-estrogen drug). However, not all individuals will respond to this initial therapy, and ...

Oral Temozolomide for Metastatic Melanoma: A New Alternative to the Standard Intravenous Chemotherapy? 02/14/2002
A new chemotherapy drug, temozolomide, may be as effective or more effective than the standard chemotherapy agent, dacarbazine, in improving survival time and quality of life for patients with metastatic melanoma—a type of skin cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. This finding is important ...

Combination of Paclitaxel and Tamoxifen Shows Activity Against Metastatic Melanoma 02/14/2002
Persons who have metastatic melanoma, skin cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, may be treated with chemotherapy drugs such as dacarbazine alone or a combination of dacarbazine, carmustine, cisplatin, and tamoxifen (an anti-estrogen drug). However, many individuals who receive this initial chemotherapy still eventually ...

New Vaccine for Malignant Melanoma: Preliminary Results Show TriGem Vaccine May Help Prevent Disease Progression 02/14/2002
A new vaccine may produce antibodies that help prevent the progression of malignant melanoma and prolong survival, say researchers in a report in the January 2000 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. This vaccine, called an anti-idiotype antibody (TriGem), will be studied further in clinical trials that ...

Temozolomide Is More Effective than Intravenous Dacarbazine against Metastatic Malignant Melanoma 02/14/2002
A new chemotherapy drug, temozolomide, appears to be more effective than the standard chemotherapy agent, dacarbazine, in prolonging survival and improving quality of life for patients with metastatic malignant melanoma—a type of skin cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. This new finding, from researchers ...

Decreasing the Dose of Interleukin-2 Administered with Concurrent Chemotherapy and Neupogen™ Support Appears to Reduce the Toxicity of Treatment without Compromised Results in Patients with Met 02/14/2002
The biologic agent interleukin-2 has been shown to help stimulate the immune system and destroy malignant melanoma cancer cells. Interleukin-2 given in high doses, alone or in combination with other anti-cancer agents, is an effective therapy for selected patients with metastatic malignant melanoma. Unfortunately, the administration of high ...

Aggressive combination chemotherapy found to be no better than single-agent chemotherapy for metastatic melanoma. 02/14/2002
Combination chemotherapy with dacarbazine, cisplatin, carmustine, and tamoxifen was compared to dacarbazine alone in 240 patients with metastatic melanoma. The average survival was 7 months for the dacarbazine arm and 6.3 months for the combination chemotherapy arm. There were no complete responses in this study while 17% in ...

Active Specific Immunotherapy with an Autologous Tumor Vaccine Plus Granulocyte Macrophage-Colony Stimulating Factor With or Without Interferon Produces Regression in Patients with Metastatic Malignan 02/14/2002
Biologic therapy with interleukin-2 and interferon is known to be effective in some patients with metastatic malignant melanoma but very few (5%) have prolonged cancer-free survival. Other forms of treatment are being investigated including vaccination as a form of immunotherapy. Physicians at the University of California at San ...

Outpatient Chemoimmunotherapy for the Treatment of Metastatic Melanoma 02/14/2002
The prognosis for most patients with metastatic melanoma is poor with an average survival of only 7-8 months from diagnosis. Some clinical trials of chemotherapy combined with immunotherapy have reported improved outcomes for small sub-groups of patients with metastatic melanoma. Most chemoimmunotherapy trials have used high doses of ...

Repeat Surgery May Benefit Some Patients with Recurrent Metastatic Melanoma 02/14/2002
Many patients who have malignant melanoma, a type of skin cancer, can be cured with surgery if the disease is detected at a very early stage. In patients with metastatic melanoma, skin cancer that has spread to other parts of the body, the goal of treatment at this ...

Careful Follow-Up Screening Improves Outcomes for Melanoma Patients 02/13/2002
Patients who have been diagnosed with melanoma should be routinely assessed and educated about their disease to facilitate early detection of a second melanoma, according to a recent study published in the journal Cancer. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a ...

Smoking Linked to Skin Cancer 02/13/2002
Cigarette and pipe smokers have an increased risk of developing cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, according to a study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Skin cancer is classified into three types: malignant melanoma, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and basal ...

Artificial Tanning Devices Appear to Increase Risk for Malignant Melanoma 02/13/2002
Previous studies have indicated that excessive exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sunlight, especially in childhood or adolescence, increases the risk of developing malignant melanoma later in life. However, whether the same risk applies to the ultraviolet rays from tanning beds has been controversial. Now, Swedish researchers ...

Children Are Not Adequately Protected from Excessive Sun Exposure, Increasing Risk for Melanoma Later 02/13/2002
Children are still not being adequately protected from excessive sun exposure, according to a new report by Tennessee researchers. Because excessive sun exposure in childhood and adolescence is believed to cause melanoma later in life, it is critically important that parents be aware of and implement the necessary ...

Company Will Seek FDA Approval of a New Vaccine to Treat Melanoma 02/13/2002
Promising study results with a new vaccine to treat melanoma, called Melacine®, have led its manufacturer to announce that it will file for approval with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by the end of the year 2000. Melanoma is a type of cancer of the skin that ...

Less Extensive Surgical Technique may Reduce Scarring from Melanoma Surgery 02/13/2002
Results from a recent article in the journal, Cancer indicate that patients with melanoma of the skin with a thickness of less than 2 millimeters (mm) can be successfully treated with narrow excision of their cancer. Standard treatment for the early melanoma that has not spread from its site ...

PET Scans Improve Accuracy of Staging of Patients with Melanoma and May Lead to More Appropriate Treatment Strategies 02/13/2002
Accurate staging (extent of cancer) of melanoma is important to determine the most effective treatment for the patient. The most commonly used method to detect areas of cancer in the body is a computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan. However, a recent study has shown that the use of ...

Surveillance Guidelines for Stage I-III Malignant Melanoma Published by American Joint Committee on Cancer 02/13/2002
All stages of malignant melanoma have a defined incidence of recurrence after primary treatment. Patients whose recurrent cancer can be detected promptly by surveillance probably have an increased chance of being cured with secondary treatment. However, there is controversy over the frequency of examinations necessary to detect early ...

Prophylactic Isolated Limb Perfusion for Treatment of Localized, High-Risk Limb Melanoma is not of Value for Preventing Recurrences 02/13/2002
Patients with localized cutaneous melanomas greater than 1.5 millimeters in thickness are at high risk of having recurrent melanoma. Several small clinical studies have suggested that patients treated with chemotherapy administered to the limb affected with melanoma by isolating the blood flow during treatment were benefited. Doctors in Europe ...

A Randomized Trial of Alfa Interferon Shows Effectiveness in Resected Primary Malignant Melanoma 02/13/2002
Doctors in France performed a clinical study evaluating a treatment regimen of low-dose alfa interferon in patients with cutaneous melanoma greater than 1.5 millimeters in depth. No patient had clinical involvement of lymph nodes in this study. There were 499 patients in this study and half the patients ...

Moderate-Dose Adjuvant Interferon Does Not Improve Survival in Stage III Melanoma 02/13/2002
According to a recent study published in The Lancet, results from a recent multi-center clinical trial confirm previous clinical trials indicating that moderate doses of adjuvant interferon 2-alpha do not reduce the chance of a cancer recurrence or improve survival for patients with melanoma that has spread to ...

Ganglioside Vaccines Found to be Inferior to High-Dose Interferon in Melanoma Patients 02/13/2002
Results from a recent clinical trial suggest that high-dose interferon is superior to ganglioside vaccines in patients with stage III melanoma, as reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. The cancer can grow ...

Antidepressants Allow Optimal Doses of Interferon 02/13/2002
Results from a recent clinical study suggest that the use of an antidepressant called paroxetine may enable patients to complete high-dose interferon treatment, as reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. ...

Herpes Injection May Help Achieve Anti-Cancer Responses in Melanoma Treatment 02/13/2002
Injection with a modified herpes virus may help melanoma patients achieve anti-cancer responses, according to a recent article published in The Lancet. Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that usually begins in the form of a mole. The cancer can grow deep into the skin and spread to ...

Dendritic Cell Vaccinations Show Promise in Breast Cancer and Melanoma Patients 02/13/2002
Biological therapy utilizing dendritic cells shows promise in producing anti-cancer responses in patients with melanoma and breast cancer, according to a recent article published in the journal Cancer. Biological therapy is a type of therapy that utilizes the patient’s own immune system to attack cancer cells. Immune cells distinguish ...