Metastatic Melanoma Therapeutics Is Advancing With Increasing Technological Development and Growing Research and Development Activities
Metastatic Melanoma Therapeutics |
Metastatic melanoma is a type of skin cancer that has spread
beyond the original site of the disease. Initially, melanoma starts in cells
that produce pigment for the skin. Sometimes, the disease is present at the
time of primary diagnosis, while in other cases, it may appear only after a
surgery has removed a portion of the skin. However, with proper prevention, it
is possible to reduce the risk of developing metastatic melanoma by using sun
protection measures and undergoing regular skin checks.
Combining immunotherapy and targeted therapy can improve
survival rates in metastatic melanoma. However, these treatments should not be
used with a melanoma with BRAF mutation. They may lead to a greater growth in
the cancer. Earlier attempts to combine immunotherapy with targeted therapy
failed due to a high risk of side effects. Recently, studies showed that this
combination significantly improved survival. Moreover, response rates were
higher compared to those of immunotherapy alone. The response rates in these
trials varied, however, were approximately 75% for targeted therapy and 33% to
40% for immunotherapy.
The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) established a
Melanoma Task Force to make recommendations on treatments for the disease. The
Task Force members met in person and communicated by email to consider major
issues related to treatment selection, sequencing, and toxicity. The Task Force
developed the first consensus statement in 2013 and updated it in 2016 based on
peer-reviewed literature and clinical experience of the Task Force.
Furthermore, the rise of awareness of metastatic melanoma is
transforming the field of Metastatic
Melanoma Therapeutics. Along with incremental healthcare
spending, the increased awareness of this disease will help drug manufacturers
penetrate a larger market. Currently, companies and academics are assessing the
challenges and opportunities associated with developing new treatments for this
disease. One new treatment approach is molecularly targeted therapy. While
early melanomas may be treated surgically, later stages are associated with
reduced survival and a reduced prognosis.
Besides anti-angiogenic agents, the development of metastatic
melanoma therapeutics based on targeted drugs has also benefited from the
discovery of several new molecules targeting major cell death programs. For
example, anti-angiogenic agents targeting FOXH1 and FOXL1 have been shown to
have an effect on metastatic melanoma. Likewise, melanoma inhibitors targeting
ATF2 inhibit metastasis. Recently in March 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) granted approval to nivoluman and relatlimab-rmbw
(Opdualag) developed by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company for treatments of adults
and pediatric patients under 12 years of age with metastatic or unresectable
melanoma.
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