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    Innovative Oncology Nurses Break Down Communication Barriers for Patients Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
    Special Populations
    Innovative Oncology Nurses Break Down Communication Barriers for Patients Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
    March 10, 2023
    How I Practice Mindfulness as an Oncology Nurse
    Nurse well-being
    How I Practice Mindfulness as an Oncology Nurse
    March 03, 2023
    Clinical and Pharmaceutical Nurse Educators Collaborate to Bring Training to Nurses and Improve Patient Care
    Oncology nurse education
    Clinical and Pharmaceutical Nurse Educators Collaborate to Bring Training to Nurses and Improve Patient Care
    January 13, 2023
    Oncology Nurse Uses Retirement to Help Patients and Healthcare Professionals Understand Pancreatic Cancer Biomarker Testing Results
    Pancreatic cancer
    Oncology Nurse Uses Retirement to Help Patients and Healthcare Professionals Understand Pancreatic Cancer Biomarker Testing Results
    November 11, 2022
    The Life of Marie Curie and Her Contributions to Oncology
    Cancer treatments
    The Life of Marie Curie and Her Contributions to Oncology
    November 07, 2022
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    Melanoma

    Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Tebentafusp-Tebn When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved tebentafusp-tebn (Kimmtrak®) in January 2022 as an orphan drug for unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma (mUM) in adults, it became the first—and only, at the time of this reference sheet’s publication—drug approved for the indication.
    Drug Reference Sheet

    Oncology Drug Reference Sheet: Tebentafusp-Tebn

    When the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved tebentafusp-tebn (Kimmtrak®) in January 2022 as an orphan drug for unresectable or metastatic uveal melanoma in adults, it became the first—and only, at the time of this reference sheet’s publication—drug approved for the indication.

    November 22, 2022
    Androgen Receptor Signaling May Contribute to Melanoma Treatment Resistance
    Melanoma

    Androgen Receptor Signaling May Contribute to Melanoma Treatment Resistance

    Poorer outcomes among males receiving BRAF or MEK inhibitors for melanoma may be related to an increase in androgen receptors, researchers discovered in study findings published in Nature.

    October 26, 2022
    First-Line Combination Immunotherapy Prolongs Survival in BRAF Advanced Melanoma
    Cancer research

    First-Line Combination Immunotherapy Prolongs Survival in BRAF Advanced Melanoma

    Initial treatment with two monoclonal antibodies significantly improves survival for patients with BRAF V600-variant advanced melanoma compared to treatment with two targeted agents, researchers reported during the November 2021 ASCO Plenary Series meeting. The initial findings were so conclusive that the study’s data safety and monitoring board stopped the trial early.

    April 20, 2022
    Fiber—but Not Probiotics—Boosts Immunotherapy Response for Melanoma
    Immunotherapy

    Fiber—but Not Probiotics—Boosts Immunotherapy Response for Melanoma

    Patients with melanoma who consume a high-fiber diet during treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) or anti-PD-1 therapy experience longer progression-free survival than those who don’t, researchers reported in Science. And probiotic supplementation, often considered a healthy behavior, reduces immunotherapy response.

    March 23, 2022
    FDA Approves Nivolumab and Relatlimab-Rmbw for Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma
    U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

    FDA Approves Nivolumab and Relatlimab-Rmbw for Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma

    On March 18, 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved nivolumab and relatlimab-rmbw (Opdualag™) for adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years or older with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. Nivolumab and relatlimab-rmbw is a fixed-dose combination of the LAG-3–blocking antibody relatlimab and the programmed death receptor-1–blocking antibody nivolumab.

    March 21, 2022
    Immunotherapy After Surgery May Prevent Early-Stage Melanoma Recurrence
    Cancer research

    Immunotherapy After Surgery May Prevent Early-Stage Melanoma Recurrence

    Completing up to a year of pembrolizumab immunotherapy after surgical resection of stage IIB or IIC melanoma decreases patients’ risk for disease recurrence or death by 35%, according to study findings presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology 2021 annual meeting. The new findings led the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to expand its approval of pembrolizumab to use as adjuvant therapy in both adults and children aged 12 and older with early-stage melanoma.

    February 16, 2022
    Cancer Cells’ Aneuploidy May Be Why They Resist Treatment
    Cancer research

    Cancer Cells’ Aneuploidy May Be Why They Resist Treatment

    The extra or missing chromosomes—also called aneuploidy—in 90% of cancer cells may be a factor in treatment resistance, a new study shows. Researchers reported the findings in Developmental Cell.

    January 19, 2022
    Clinical Full-Body Skin Examination Identifies Twice the Number of Cancers
    Melanoma

    Clinical Full-Body Skin Examination Identifies Twice the Number of Cancers

    A dermatologist-performed total-body skin examination (TBSE) identifies more than two times the number of skin cancers than patients or other providers discovered, researchers reported in the International Journal of Women’s Dermatology. The cancers may otherwise have gone undiagnosed, leading to later-stage disease and poorer outcomes.

    November 03, 2021
    Combination Immunotherapy May Further Increase Melanoma Survival Length
    Melanoma

    Combination Immunotherapy May Further Increase Melanoma Survival Length

    Using two agents that target two different receptors more than doubles length of survival for advanced melanoma than a single agent alone, researchers reported at the 2021 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting.

    October 27, 2021
    Lung, Melanoma, and Overall Cancer Death Rates Decline, According to 2021 Report
    Lung Cancer

    Lung, Melanoma, and Overall Cancer Death Rates Decline, According to 2021 Report

    Cancer mortality for all racial and ethnic groups in the United States continues to decline, with death rates for lung cancer and melanoma decreasing faster than others, according to findings that the American Cancer Society (ACS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Cancer Institute, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) published in their July 2021 Annual Report to the Nation on the status of cancer.

    August 02, 2021
    Long-Term irAEs From Checkpoint Inhibitors Have Considerations for Survivorship
    Research

    Long-Term irAEs From Checkpoint Inhibitors Have Considerations for Survivorship

    More than 40% of patients with melanoma treated with nivolumab or pembrolizumab experience persistent long-term immune-related adverse events (irAEs) for at least 1.5 years, researchers reported in JAMA Oncology.

    July 14, 2021
    Nursing Considerations for Melanoma Survivorship Care
    Melanoma

    Nursing Considerations for Melanoma Survivorship Care

    Breast, prostate, colorectal, and melanoma are the most common primary cancer sites among 58% of survivors. Advancements in immunotherapy and targeted therapies have significantly increased treatment options for a disease that once had very limited treatment options, markedly improving overall five-year survival rates for patients with melanoma. Yet survival rates vary depending on extent of disease (local versus metastatic) and ethnic minority disparities. Although the overall (all stages combined) five-year survival rate for White patients with melanoma is 93%, the rate drops to 87% for Hispanics and to just 23% for those with distant melanoma. 

    May 13, 2021
    Gut Microbiome May Be a Factor With Immunotherapy Resistance in Advanced Melanoma
    Research

    Gut Microbiome May Be a Factor With Immunotherapy Resistance in Advanced Melanoma

    Altering a patient's gut microbiome through fecal transplant improved response to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in 40% of patients with advanced melanoma who initially did not respond to the immunotherapy in a small, single-arm clinical trial. Researchers reported the findings in Science.

    April 28, 2021
    FDA Approves Atezolizumab for BRAF V600 Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma
    U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

    FDA Approves Atezolizumab for BRAF V600 Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma

    On July 30, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) in combination with cobimetinib and vemurafenib for patients with BRAF V600 mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

    August 03, 2020
    Antihistamines May Improve Survival From Malignant Melanoma
    Melanoma

    Antihistamines May Improve Survival From Malignant Melanoma

    Users of two common antihistamines—desloratadine and loratadine—have lower mortality rates from cutaneous malignant melanoma than patients who use other antihistamines, researchers reported in Allergy.

    July 29, 2020
    Spotlight on Melanoma
    Melanoma

    Melanoma Prevention, Screening, Treatment, and Survivorship Recommendations

    It is no coincidence that May is Melanoma Awareness Month. As Americans take to the great outdoors, they also must take caution to protect their skin and prevent melanoma.  

    May 18, 2020
    FDA Approves New Dosing Regimen for Pembrolizumab
    U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

    FDA Approves New Dosing Regimen for Pembrolizumab

    April 30, 2020
    Head and Neck Melanoma Increases 51% in Young People
    Research

    Head and Neck Melanoma Increases 51% in Young People

    Incidence of melanoma in the head and neck areas increased 51.1% from 1995 to 2014, according to findings from a study published in JAMA Otolaryngology.

    December 11, 2019
    Melanoma Death Rates Are Falling Fast, Thanks to Immunotherapy
    Immunotherapy

    Melanoma Death Rates Are Falling Fast, Thanks to Immunotherapy

    Two-year survival rates for patients with advanced melanoma increased quickly after the introduction of ipilimumab in 2011, according to an analysis published the journal Cancer.

    September 04, 2019
    Gut Microbiome Diversity May Improve Response to Melanoma Immunotherapy
    Research

    Gut Microbiome Diversity May Improve Response to Melanoma Immunotherapy

    A high-fiber diet leading to higher gut microbiome diversity may improve response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in patients with melanoma, according to the results of a new study presented at the 2019 American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA. 

    May 15, 2019
    FDA Approves Pembrolizumab for Adjuvant Treatment of Melanoma
    U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

    FDA Approves Pembrolizumab for Adjuvant Treatment of Melanoma

    On February 15, 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved pembrolizumab for the adjuvant treatment of patients with melanoma with involvement of lymph node(s) following complete resection. 

    February 19, 2019
    Older Patients Respond Better to Checkpoint Inhibitors for Melanoma
    Melanoma

    Older Patients Respond Better to Checkpoint Inhibitors for Melanoma

    Patients aged 62 and older are more likely to respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors for melanoma, such as pembrolizumab, according to findings from a study published in Clinical Cancer Research. A follow-up study showed that it may be because of age-related changes in the immune cells in melanoma tumors.

    September 19, 2018
    What Does the “E” Mean in the National Cancer Institute’s “ABCDE” Tool for Recognizing Melanoma?
    Melanoma

    What Does the “E” Mean in the National Cancer Institute’s “ABCDE” Tool for Recognizing Melanoma?

    What does the “E” mean in the National Cancer Institute’s “ABCDE” tool for recognizing melanoma?

    A. Extension

    B. Evolution

    C. Equal

    D. Expand

    August 31, 2018
    Skin Bacteria May Protect Against Melanoma
    Melanoma

    Skin Bacteria May Protect Against Melanoma

    A strain of Staphylococcus epidermis that’s common on healthy human skin may be protective against some types of skin cancer, according to findings from a study published in Science Advances.

    June 13, 2018
    Small Steps Toward Sun Safety Can Make a Big Difference
    Cancer prevention

    Small Steps Toward Sun Safety Can Make a Big Difference

    I haven’t always been convinced of the importance of sun safety. In my younger years, I got more sunburns than I’d like to admit in an attempt to develop a tan. In college, I spent afternoons studying outside on a sunny quad with nothing more than shorts and a tank top for sun protection.

    May 21, 2018
    Stay Current on Evolving Therapies in Melanoma
    Advanced Practice Nursing (APRN)

    Stay Current on Evolving Therapies in Melanoma

    After decades of no new treatment options for advanced melanoma, several drugs for unresectable stage III and IV disease and recurrent melanoma have been approved, including newer classes of drugs such as checkpoint inhibitors (anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 drugs) and signal transduction inhibitors (BRAF, MEK, and KIT inhibitors). Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) must be familiar with these newer agents and classes of drugs, especially the mutations that guide their use.

    May 10, 2018
    drug holidays improve therapy for melanoma
    Research

    Drug Holidays May Improve Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Melanoma

    Taking an intentional drug holiday may improve patients’ response to reintroduction of treatment in drug-resistant melanoma, according to the results of a study published in Cancer Discovery.

    January 17, 2018
    Adverse Events From Immunotherapy
    Immunotherapy

    Manage Adverse Events From Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy for Melanoma

    New targeted and immunotherapy drug approvals have offered improved survival and disease outcomes for patients with melanoma, but the new therapies are also associated with a range of adverse events (AEs) that differ from those associated with chemotherapy. Oncology nurses will need to shift their thinking to best manage those AEs.

    September 12, 2017
    Ultraviolet Safety and Skin Cancer Risk
    Safety

    Raise Awareness in July for Ultraviolet Safety and Skin Cancer Risk

    With summer in full swing, it’s the perfect time to head outdoors and enjoy the sunny weather. But are you protecting yourself from potential risks? The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has named July as Ultraviolet (UV) Safety Month. The goal is to spread the word about how important it is to protect everyone’s skin from the harmful effects of UV rays. This presents a teaching opportunity for oncology nurses and their patients—not just during July but all year long.

    July 06, 2017
    Combination therapies
    Melanoma

    Combination Treatment Improves Survival for Advanced Melanoma

    A combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab improved overall survival when compared to either drug alone, according to results from a recent study reported at the American Association for Cancer Research 2017 annual meeting.

    June 21, 2017
    Seborrheic Keratosis
    Melanoma

    Dermascopic Clues Help Identify Seborrheic Keratosis-Like Melanoma

    Melanomas that resemble seborrheic keratosis (SK) can be challenging to diagnose correctly. SKs are often removed without being evaluated dermascopically or sent for pathologic analysis, risking the possibility of missing a diagnosis of SK-like melanoma. A new study published in JAMA Dermatology outlined the key dermascopic clues that clinicians can use to identify SK-like melanomas to prevent treatment delays and achieve the best patient outcomes.

    May 18, 2017
    Melanoma Awareness
    Melanoma

    Encourage Malignant Melanoma Awareness in May

    As Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month, May is the perfect time to encourage people to examine their skin and seek medical assistance if they recognize signs of a melanoma. Early detection and prompt treatment is associated with a much higher survival rate for skin cancer diagnoses.

    May 12, 2017
    Melanoma Survivors
    Melanoma

    10% of Melanoma Survivors Report Intentional Tanning

    A study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, and Prevention looking at the ultraviolet radiation exposure and sun protection behaviors among melanoma survivors found that many survivors have room for improvement.

    May 10, 2017
    Early-Stage Melanoma
    Melanoma

    Disease Symptoms Most Likely to Predict Recurrence of Early-Stage Melanoma

    Patients and healthcare providers are most likely to detect recurrence of early-stage melanoma based on symptom reports rather than routine imaging tests, according to the results of a study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

    April 26, 2017
    Cancer treatments

    Pembrolizumab Associated With Long-Term Survival in Advanced Melanoma

    A new study has shown that 40% of patients with previously treated advanced melanoma were alive at three years’ follow-up after initiating treatment with pembrolizumab. The results were presented at the 2016 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting.
    August 09, 2016
    Immunotherapy

    What Nurses Need to Know About Talimogene Laherparepvec for Advanced Melanoma

    A number of different oncolytic immunotherapies are in development for advanced melanoma, one of which is talimogene laherparepvec, a genetically modified recombinant herpes simplex virus type 1.
    July 12, 2016
    Combination therapy

    FDA Approves Combination of Mekinist and Tafinlar for Advanced Melanoma

    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval to trametinib (Mekinist tablets, GlaxoSmithKline, LLC) and dabrafenib (Tafinlar capsules, GlaxoSmithKline, LLC) for use in combination in the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAF V600E or V600K mutation as detected by an FDA-approved test.
    January 10, 2014
    Melanoma

    FDA Approves Dabrafenib for Unresectable or Metastatic Melanoma

    On May 29, 2013, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved dabrafenib (Tafinlar™ capsule, GlaxoSmithKline), for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with BRAF V600E mutation as detected by an FDA-approved test.
    May 30, 2013
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