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March 21, 2017March 21, 2017

Advanced Melanoma Patients with Initial BRAF Therapy Resistance Can Be Treated Again, Study Finds

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People with advanced and metastatic melanoma who had become resistant to BRAF-targeted therapy were successfully retreated with this therapy after a three-month pause, researchers in Belgium reported. A liquid biopsy tool, Idylla ... Read more

March 16, 2017March 16, 2017

Not Enough Melanoma Survivors Limit Exposure to Sun or Protect Skin

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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

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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 9, 2017

Parkinson’s and Melanoma Link May Be Explained by ‘Red-Hair Gene’ Variant

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Researchers have found that the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene is needed to protect neurons from damaging toxins and for the production of dopamine in the brain, two characteristics that ... Read more

March 7, 2017

Melanoma Gene Study May Help Predict Who Will Benefit from Immunotherapy

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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

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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 28, 2017

Gut Bacteria Composition May Determine Melanoma Patients’ Response to Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy

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The presence of a specific bacteria in the gut of patients with melanoma, as well as a greater diversity of gut bacteria, are associated with a better response to anti-PD-1 ... Read more

February 23, 2017

Study IDs Mechanism Underlying Metastatic Behavior in Melanoma Cells

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Researchers have identified a cellular pathway that regulates the ability of melanoma cells to migrate to other parts of the body. This newly discovered mechanism may lead to the development of new targeted ... Read more

February 21, 2017

Results of Mole Mapper Mobile-app-based Skin Cancer Study Are in

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The Mole Mapper Melanoma Study asked people to take photos of and measure their moles to determine their melanoma risk and advance skin cancer research. Now the results of the ... Read more

February 16, 2017

Melanoma Recurrence More Often Detected by Patients’ Self-checks Than Routine Imaging

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Patients more often detect the recurrence of early stage melanoma by self-checks than physicians do by routine imaging tests, research shows. The study, “Patient Symptoms Are the Most Frequent Indicators ... Read more

February 14, 2017

NIH Researchers Reveal How Lack of Oxygen Helps Spread Melanoma

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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

February 9, 2017February 9, 2017

Keytruda Benefits Patients with Rare Mucosal Melanoma, Trials Show

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Updates from clinical trials of Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for melanoma show that besides its known benefits for people with typical melanoma, the treatment is also effective against mucosal melanoma — a rare ... Read more

February 7, 2017

Melanoma Death Rates Will Fall by 2050, Study Says

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The percentage of people who die of malignant melanoma is expected to decrease by 2050, even though the total number of deaths will likely rise due to population aging, according ... Read more

February 2, 2017

Melanoma Cells’ Skin Neighbors Can Stoke Tumor Expansion, Study Shows

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A type of skin cell that is interspersed with the skin cells from which malignant melanoma arises can promote melanoma tumor expansion, a study says. Melanoma-related skin cells are called ... Read more

January 31, 2017

Castle’s Genetic Test, in Combo with AJCC’s Online Tool, Helped Identify High-Risk Melanomas

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Results from a study assessing risk prediction using DecisionDx-Melanoma have shown that the gene test can significantly improve the identification of Stage 1 and 2 melanoma in patients at high-risk ... Read more

January 26, 2017

Deep Learning Algorithm Might Change How Skin Cancer Is Diagnosed

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A team of Stanford scientists are developing an artificially intelligent (AI) diagnosis algorithm for skin cancer that might change the way medicine operates. The algorithm has so far been “trained” to ... Read more

January 24, 2017

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

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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 19, 2017

Banning Minors from Indoor Tanning Could Save Thousands of Lives, $343M in Treatment Costs

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Tanned skin may look appealing to some, but turning to tanning beds might not be a good idea — especially in teens or younger children. Recent findings from the Centers for Disease ... Read more

January 17, 2017

Immune Cells Delivered Drugs Specifically to Tumors in Lab Study

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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 12, 2017January 12, 2017

Northeast Seen to Have Greatest Drop in Melanoma Cases in US Between 2003-13

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Investigators looking at changes in melanoma cases and death rates, reported in U.S. states and regions between 2003 and 2013, found that these rates varied widely among states — while some saw their numbers decrease, others ... Read more