Skin Cancer

Recent research, conducted at NYU Langone Health and presented at the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Annual Congress, sought to find out how patients with melanoma perceived skin health education, and their willingness be involved in their own surveillance or a loved one’s.

One melanoma survivor offers advice for Skin Cancer Awareness Month.

I think being an athlete is what saved my life.

If I ever got sick or injured I would go to the children’s hospital, but that was nothing like a real hospital where people are fighting for their life day-in and day-out. I absolutely hated it, and still do. I was in Emory Hospital visiting my dad two to three times a week for about six months, and every time I walked in that place, it just gave me the heebie-jeebies.

Mike Schmidt developed stage 3 melanoma after years of playing professional baseball for the Philadelphia Phillies.

After radiation, as the skin heals, a compassionate dermatologist can help us to monitor any lingering side-effects.

The combination therapy of Tafinlar (dabrafenib) and Mekinist (trametinib) was granted Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the treatment of patients with BRAF V600E– or V600K–positive stage 3 melanoma following complete resection.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted a priority review to a biologics license application (BLA) for an immunotherapy agent – cemiplimab – to be used to treat metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (a type of skin cancer; CSCC) or patients with locally advanced CSCC who are not eligible for surgery.

May is skin cancer awareness month, and a good reminder to schedule an appointment with your dermatologist.

Age should not limit which patients with metastatic melanoma receive immunotherapy.