All articles tagged with #melanoma
The FDA has once more rejected Replimune’s engineered virus therapy for advanced melanoma, a decision that underscores the ongoing debate over tightening agency standards amid leadership changes; the treatment is designed to boost the immune system’s attack on skin cancer, but regulators say the data remain insufficient.
Dermatologists say the number-one sign of all common skin cancers—basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma—is a change in an existing spot or the appearance of new skin lesions; prompt evaluation is crucial, as early detection greatly improves outcomes, with melanoma survival over 99% when diagnosed before it spreads beyond the skin.
Dermatologists say the number-one sign of skin cancer—across all types—is a change in a spot on the skin, such as growth, bleeding, itching, tenderness, or a new lesion. Early detection is crucial: treating basal and squamous cell cancers is highly effective when found early, and melanoma has a survival rate over 99% when confined to the skin, highlighting the importance of monitoring skin changes and seeking evaluation promptly.
The FDA has withdrawn a proposed rule that would have banned tanning bed use for anyone under 18 and required parental waivers for adults, leaving regulation up to states; UV exposure from sunlamps raises skin-cancer and melanoma risk, and devices can emit up to 15 times more UV than sunlight. Warnings remain on devices, but experts debate whether warnings alone are enough without a federal ban while the agency pursues other sunlamp regulations in the future.
Teddi Mellencamp says a new medication triggered Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening skin reaction that led to hospitalization and treatment with steroids and antibiotics; she was discharged after a few days, just in time to celebrate her daughter Dove's sixth birthday. Mellencamp, a melanoma survivor, is being treated with ongoing immunotherapy.
Two Nature Medicine studies show that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) capsules can both reduce immunotherapy-related toxicity in kidney cancer and improve response rates in lung cancer and melanoma—80% of lung cancer patients and 75% of melanoma patients responded to immunotherapy after FMT (significantly higher than immunotherapy alone) in multicenter Phase II trials using LND101 capsules.
In the phase 2 FMT-LUMINate trial, healthy-donor fecal microbiota transplantation given before first-line anti-PD-1 therapy in NSCLC and anti-PD-1 plus anti-CTLA-4 in melanoma yielded high objective response rates (80% in NSCLC; 75% in melanoma) and was deemed safe overall, with no grade 3+ adverse events in NSCLC. Post-FMT microbiome shifts correlated with responses, including the loss of certain deleterious bacteria (e.g., Enterocloster and Clostridium species). Donor source did not predict efficacy, suggesting that remodeling the gut microbiome—specifically eliminating harmful taxa—drives the benefit. Preclinical mouse data supported this mechanism, showing that reintroducing the lost taxa abrogated the anti-tumor effects of immunotherapy. These findings support FMT as a strategy to overcome resistance to checkpoint inhibitors in NSCLC and melanoma.
Melanoma can occur inside the eye (ocular melanoma), including the uveal and conjunctival subtypes, and is not always tied to sun exposure. Early symptoms are often subtle (blurry vision, irritation, flashes or floaters), with risk factors like lighter eye color and certain eye conditions. Regular comprehensive eye exams are crucial for early detection, as doctors can catch precancerous changes before symptoms arise. Treatments such as laser therapy or plaque brachytherapy can treat tumors, though cures are not guaranteed and outcomes improve with early diagnosis. About 2,000 new ocular melanoma cases are diagnosed annually in the US, with conjunctival melanoma being far rarer.
Moderna and Merck report promising results for a patient-tailored mRNA cancer vaccine paired with Keytruda in high-risk melanoma. The vaccine, designed from a patient’s tumor mutations (neoantigens), reduced recurrence or death by 49% versus immunotherapy alone and demonstrated durable immune memory over five years, signaling a potential breakthrough for personalized cancer vaccines and future skin-cancer prevention.
Moderna shares rose about 10% after Phase 2 data showed its cancer vaccine, when combined with Keytruda, reduced relapse or death risk in melanoma, signaling potential for its oncology pipeline as Covid-era vaccine sales fade and cash stockpiles dwindle. Evercore ISI called the asset a key value driver, while the stock remains rated a Hold by analysts with notable downside risk baked into targets.
In a Phase 2 trial of 157 high‑risk stage 3/4 melanoma patients, Moderna and Merck’s personalized mRNA vaccine (mRNA-4157) plus Keytruda reduced recurrence or death at five years by about 49% versus Keytruda alone. Earlier two- and three-year data showed similar risk reductions (44% and 49%). Safety was similar between groups, with fatigue, injection-site pain, and chills most common. Full data aren’t yet published; a Phase 3 trial is underway and more data from this program are expected.
An experimental, tumor-genome–targeted mRNA therapy developed by Moderna and Merck, when combined with Keytruda, reduced the risk of melanoma recurrence or death in an ongoing clinical trial, signaling a potential new precision approach for aggressive skin cancer.
A study shows that tanning beds significantly increase the risk of melanoma and cause more skin mutations, especially in younger users, challenging the myth that tanning beds are safe.
A Tel Aviv University study reveals that melanoma cells release extracellular vesicles that disable immune cells, providing new insights that could lead to improved treatments for skin cancer.
A new study finds that tanning beds cause DNA damage across nearly the entire skin surface, significantly increasing melanoma risk, with users showing almost twice as many mutations as non-users, prompting calls for stricter regulations and warnings.