Posts by: Ines Martins, PhD

Ines Martins, PhD

Inês Martins holds a BSc in Cell and Molecular Biology from Universidade Nova de Lisboa and is currently finishing her PhD in Biomedical Sciences at Universidade de Lisboa. Her work has been focused on blood vessels and their role in both hematopoiesis and cancer development.

May 11, 2017

Binimetinib Improves Progression-free Survival of Certain Melanoma Patients in Phase 3 Trial

News

Adding the small molecule MEK inhibitor binimetinib to the BRAF inhibitor encorafenib was safe and significantly prolonged the time to disease progression or death in patients with BRAF-mutant advanced, unresectable, or metastatic ... Read more

April 11, 2017

Bacteria-derived Therapy AdVCA0848 Improves Survival in Mice with Melanoma, Study Indicates

News

A new therapy that activates a protein pathway to stifle melanoma tumor growth has shown promise as a treatment for the disease, a study reports. A single injection of the ... Read more

April 4, 2017

Early-stage Eye Melanoma Trial Tests Less-invasive Treatment Approach

News

Patients with ocular melanoma, a type of melanoma that develops in the eye, have a potentially new and groundbreaking treatment option being assessed in a Phase 1 clinical trial. The ... Read more

March 16, 2017March 16, 2017

Not Enough Melanoma Survivors Limit Exposure to Sun or Protect Skin

News

While most melanoma survivors are more likely to limit their exposure to the sun and protect their skin than people who never had the disease, a considerable number still report getting ... Read more

March 14, 2017

Mutations in DNA Damage Repair Protein Suppress Immune System in Melanoma

News

Mutations in a protein involved in DNA damage repair may be key for melanomas to remain undetected by the immune system. Such mutations lead to the recruitment of pro-tumoral macrophages and ... Read more

March 7, 2017

Melanoma Gene Study May Help Predict Who Will Benefit from Immunotherapy

News

While high mutation load in metastatic melanoma is often associated with better responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors, researchers have found that loss of certain genomic regions in metastatic melanoma can bring ... Read more

March 2, 2017

Novel Microscopy Technique May Help Diagnose Elusive Melanomas Early

News

Mapping the distribution and quantity of melanin pigments in the skin can help doctors diagnose melanoma early, but pheomelanin — the pigment responsible for both the orange-reddishness in hair and a higher ... Read more

February 14, 2017

NIH Researchers Reveal How Lack of Oxygen Helps Spread Melanoma

News

Researchers have gained further insight into how the lack of oxygen, or hypoxia, contributes to the progression of melanoma, identifying hypoxia-regulated genes that could direct melanoma diagnosis and treatment. Their findings ... Read more

January 24, 2017

Cholesterol Therapies Could Slow Tumor Growth in Melanoma Patients with BRAF V600E Mutation

News

Cancer cells usually rely on blood sugar to grow, but melanomas with the BRAF V600E mutation prefer burning fat to get their energy, even when glucose is abundant. Although this ... Read more

January 17, 2017

Immune Cells Delivered Drugs Specifically to Tumors in Lab Study

News

Using immune cells as carriers for nanoparticle-containing anti-cancer drugs may be a promising strategy to develop targeted therapies that affect tumor cells without damaging healthy cells. Indeed, loading immune cells ... Read more

January 3, 2017

X Chromosome Study Explores Why Melanoma is More Deadly for Men

News

Men who develop melanoma are twice as likely to die from the disease as women, but the molecular mechanisms involved in such disparity remain largely unknown. Now, researchers have pinpointed ... Read more

December 2, 2016

Melanoma’s Signature, Disease Development Controlled by CPEB4 Protein, Study Finds

News

Researchers have identified a protein called CPEB4 that seems to be crucial in establishing melanoma’s intrinsic signature and in driving the development of these aggressive tumors. The study, “Lineage-specific roles ... Read more

November 17, 2016November 19, 2016

Risk Factors for Melanoma May Influence When and Where Disease Strikes

News

A person’s risk factors for melanoma could be used to tailor surveillance programs and skin self-examinations for those at particular risk, according to a recent study published in JAMA Dermatology. The study, “Clinical Features ... Read more

November 10, 2016November 10, 2016

Therapy Combination Looks Promising to Treat BRAF-mutant Melanoma Patients

News

Combining the investigational drugs encorafenib and binimetinib to treat advanced melanoma patients provides better progression-free survival and overall response rates than Zelboraf (vemurafenib) monotherapy, according to recent data. The information was presented ... Read more

November 8, 2016November 10, 2016

Immunotherapy Seen as Optimal First-Line Treatment for Advanced Melanoma

News

Patients diagnosed in the late stages of melanoma who have BRAF mutations should be given immunotherapy as a first-line treatment, according to a systematic review published in JAMA Oncology. The study, “Systemic ... Read more

November 3, 2016

Specialized Melanoma Surveillance Provides Better Outcomes, Lower Costs than Standard of Care, Study Finds

News

Clinical guidelines recommend that people at high risk for melanoma receive regular surveillance to improve survival through early cancer detection. In a recent Australian study, researchers have shown that monitoring ... Read more

October 27, 2016

Nearly One-Third of Metastatic Melanoma Patients in Europe Can’t Access Best Therapies for Survival, Survey Shows

News

Despite the advances in innovative targeted therapies and immunotherapies that largely increase melanoma survival rates, nearly one-third of metastatic melanoma patients in Europe are denied access to those new medicines. ... Read more

October 20, 2016May 29, 2017

Keytruda and Yervoy Combo Shows Strong Activity in Advanced Melanoma Study

News

Combining two immunotherapies that block distinct immune checkpoints may be a promising approach for patients with advanced melanoma. According to data from a Phase 1/2 study, the Keytruda (pembrolizumab) plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) combination ... Read more

October 11, 2016October 11, 2016

High Risk Melanoma Patients Given Yervoy After Surgery Improved Overall Survival

News

Patients with high risk melanoma who undergo surgery to remove their tumors may markedly benefit from Yervoy (ipilimumab) following surgery, according to the results of a Phase 3 trial. The ... Read more

October 6, 2016

Studies Focus on Side Effects of Combining Melanoma Immunotherapies

News

Combining immunotherapy with other cancer treatments in patients with malignant melanoma can improve outcomes, but is associated with increased side effects. Now, researchers at Vienna General Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center are ... Read more