Skin Cancer | Tumor

Pre-Surgical Immunotherapy Identifies Potential Benefit, Risk of Recurrence in Melanoma

April 19th 2018

For patients with melanoma, administration of a PD-1 checkpoint blockade therapy in the neoadjuvant setting – meaning it was given before the main treatment – could result in improved outcomes and better insight to patient responses.

Tissue of Origin Test Results May Have Treatment Implications

April 16th 2018

Tests like these are growing increasingly important, as TOO results lead to treatment changes about 65 percent of the time and a site treatment change about 35 percent of the time, according to Cancer Genetics.

Cancer Was Not a Gift, But We Can Use it as an Opportunity

March 27th 2018

"I have grown as a person since becoming a cancer survivor," says breast cancer and melanoma survivor Barbara Tako.

Patient Education Key in Flexible Dosing Schedule for Opdivo

March 22nd 2018

After a recent FDA approval for an additional dosing schedule option for Opdivo, patients must be educated on the potential side effects that may occur between prolonged visits.

Unmet Needs After Uveal Melanoma Diagnosis Make Patients Yearn to Learn More

March 21st 2018

A recent study conducted at UCLA showed that nearly all patients with uveal melanoma reported having unmet psychologic and informational needs, especially in the few months following their diagnosis.

I Am Sorry for Being a Bad Cancer Role Model

March 6th 2018

Breast cancer survivors says that even though cancer is big, scary and demanding, it never justifies bad behavior as a person.

Patients Now Have the Option to Undergo Immunotherapy Less Frequently

March 6th 2018

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a supplemental biologics license application adding a four-week dosing schedule for Opdivo (nivolumab) across several of the PD-1 inhibitor’s indications.

Practicing Gratitude While Gritting My Teeth

February 17th 2018

Gratitude helps get this cancer survivor through her cancer days, fears and worries.

'Obesity Paradox' Offers Puzzling Survival Advantage in Men with Metastatic Melanoma

February 14th 2018

While obesity is a known risk factor for more than a dozen types of cancer – and poised to take over smoking as the leading preventable cause for the disease – it may actually play a beneficial role in men with metastatic melanoma, according to a recent study published in Lancet Oncology.

The Land of Make Believe: What Would Life Be Without Cancer

February 14th 2018

This breast cancer and melanoma survivor sometimes likes to pretend and ponder about what life would have been if she hadn't gotten cancer.

Visible Melanoma Lesions Affect Patients' Physical, Emotional Quality of Life

February 8th 2018

A recent study highlighted the additional psychological effects that patients with locally advanced cutaneous melanoma go through, particularly because their lesions are a visible part of their everyday life.

Body Mass Index Plays a Surprising Role in Immunotherapy's Effectiveness

February 6th 2018

“Obesity has been previously investigated for its role in cancer and promoting tumor growth, at least partially by inducing a chronic inflammatory state,” the authors wrote. “However, it’s unclear how this would play out in the era of immunotherapy, where inflammation has been linked to treatment response.”

Am I Vain After Cancer? I Will Cry If I Want To

February 5th 2018

Breast cancer survivor discusses her upcoming prophylactic double mastectomy with reconstruction.

Clinical Trial Scenarios Help to Appropriately Include Patients With Brain Metastases

January 23rd 2018

Clinical trials designed to evaluate the use of anti-cancer drugs for the treatment of cancer typically exclude patients whose disease has spread to the brain or CNS for a number of reasons, including the misperception that they are poor clinical trial candidates.

Immunotherapy Offers Surprising Benefit to Rare Melanoma Type

January 14th 2018

Traditionally, desmoplastic melanoma was difficult to treat because the tumor tissue is so dense. However, researchers just discovered that immunotherapy agents have potential in this space.

Common Skin Cream Helps Reduce Squamous Cell Carcinoma Risk

January 13th 2018

Using the generic skin cream fluorouacil 5 percent (5-FU) for two to four weeks may reduce the risk for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) for up to a year, according to a study published in JAMA Dermatology.

Choosing to Be Proactive, Not Reactive, After Cancer Wears You Down

January 7th 2018

Breast cancer and melanoma survivor reflects about being tired of her cancers and shares a way to respond to uncertainty.

Clear Your Mind And Home From Cancer and Clutter

January 2nd 2018

Breast cancer, melanoma survivor and clutter-clearing speaker/author clears her cancer and household clutter.

New Year's Resolutions From Cancerland

December 31st 2017

Five simple, doable resolutions for the New Year from a breast cancer and melanoma survivor.

Hairdressers Could be Key in Identifying Scalp and Neck Melanomas

December 27th 2017

A group of researchers are working to determine whether more of these melanomas would be detected, and diagnosed earlier, if hairdressers were taught to recognize them.

Identifying Safe Windows for Melanoma Surgery Improves Survival

December 27th 2017

A study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology evaluated the impact of time between melanoma diagnosis and surgery on the survival of people with stage 1 to stage 3 cutaneous melanoma.

The Season of Grief, Gratitude and Compassion

December 23rd 2017

Of course, there was sadness, but more than anything there was appreciation for my own life and the people close to me. I feel gratitude for still being here, having an excellent quality of life and for the warning cancer gives.

Tafinlar Plus Mekinist Combination Granted Priority Review for Melanoma Treatment

December 22nd 2017

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted a priority review to a supplemental new drug application (sNDA) for the use of Tafinlar (dabrafenib) combined with Mekinist (trametinib) as an adjuvant treatment for patients with BRAFV600E– or V600K–positive stage 3 melanoma following complete resection.

Another "C" Word Is Cope: Coping Strategies for the Holidays

December 21st 2017

Breast cancer and melanoma survivor shares coping strategies for the holidays.

FDA Approves Adjuvant Opdivo for Melanoma Treatment

December 21st 2017

The FDA has approved Opdivo (nivolumab) as an adjuvant treatment for patients with completely resected melanoma with lymph node involvement or metastatic disease, based on findings from the phase 3 CheckMate-238 trial.

A Smile Could Mean the World to Someone With Cancer

November 15th 2017

Jim Kelly, NFL Hall of Famer, discusses how much a smile or a kind word can mean to someone with cancer – and he knows from experience.

Genetic Counseling and Testing Can Be Tough to Revisit

November 14th 2017

It was a hard call to make. It felt like choosing to step into the mud—again. Revisit cancer? Seriously? Why?

In Memoriam: Jen Sotham

November 14th 2017

One of our valued community members, Jen Sotham, passed away on Nov. 9. Jen was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma in 2014, but that did not prevent her from living out her dreams and having her voice heard through film, blogging, a TED talk and contributing to CURE® — both in print and on the web.

Immunotherapy Combination Improves Melanoma Outcomes, But at a Cost

November 13th 2017

Treatment with Opdivo (nivolumab) plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) improved response rates in patients with melanoma, but not without some severe side effects.

Managing Advanced Lung Cancer in the Future

November 13th 2017