Advantages of Systemic Treatments in Advanced Melanoma Management
Explore how systemic therapies such as chemotherapy, targeted drugs, and immunotherapy are transforming the treatment landscape for advanced melanoma, improving survival rates and offering hope for patients where surgery is not effective.
Advanced melanoma frequently spreads to other body parts, making treatment more complex. Stage IV melanoma, or metastatic melanoma, occurs when cancer cells travel through lymphatic channels to distant organs. Symptoms vary based on affected areas and may start painless, progressing to swollen lymph nodes or skin nodules. While cure is often challenging, recent medical advances have significantly improved patient survival through systemic therapies.
Systemic therapy remains a cornerstone in treating metastatic melanoma, especially when surgery isn't viable. Treatment options depend on factors like patient age, overall health, disease progression, metastasis location, genetic mutations, and patient preferences. The primary systemic options include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy.
Cytotoxic chemotherapy has been used for over 30 years to combat metastatic melanoma by targeting rapidly dividing cancer cells. Immunotherapy has emerged as a highly effective option, boosting the immune system's ability to fight tumors. Approved immunotherapies for melanoma include drugs like Nivolumab (Opdivo), Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), Ipilimumab (Yervoy), and T-VEC among others. These treatments are especially promising given melanoma’s susceptibility to immune-based approaches, with ongoing research expected to yield new options soon.
