• Highlights
• Introduction
• Other Skin Cancers
• Causes
• Risk Factors
• Prognosis
• Prevention
• Diagnosis
• Treatment for Melanoma
• Treatment for Other Skin Cancers
• Resources
• References

Melanoma and other skin cancers

Description

An in-depth report on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of melanoma.

Alternative Names

Skin cancer; Squamous cell cancer; Basal cell cancer; Actinic keratosis

Highlights

Drugs Research

Drugs used to treat a variety of other diseases show some promise against various forms of skin cancer. These include the oral retinoids used for severe acne, may reduce the risk of nonmelanoma skin cancers in certain types of patients. A wide range of drugs are being studied for melanoma prevention, including cholesterol-lowering statins and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), used for pain relief.

Chemotherapy

Researchers hope that new chemotherapy agents being tested in combination with other drugs (including biologic agents) can control advanced melanoma.

Surgery

Lymph node removal is proving to be effective for stopping melanoma when caught in its early stages

Immune Therapy

Boosting the patient’s immune system to fight off cancer remains an area with tremendous potential. In one trial of patients with very advanced melanoma, treatment with their own tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes caused tumors to disappear in 50% of the participants. Researchers are beginning to uncover the reasons why some patients respond to immune therapy while others don’t.

• Review Date: 6/7/2006
• Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, M.D., Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital

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