Multidisciplinary Approach to Patient with Malignant Melanoma

Title:Multidisciplinary Approach to Patient with Malignant Melanoma

Volume: 13 Issue: 6

Author(s): Giuseppina Della Vittoria Scarpati, Celeste Fusciello, Francesco Sabbatino, Soldano Ferrone, Francesco Caponigro, Francesco Perri, Chiara Carlomagno and Stefano Pepe

Affiliation:

Keywords: Melanoma, immunotherapy, B-RAF inibithors, chemotherapy.

Abstract: The incidence of melanoma is rapidly increasing worldwide and the prognosis of patients with metastatic disease is still poor, with a median survival of 8–9 months and a 3-year overall survival (OS) rate less than 15% [1,2].

A complete surgical excision is the main treatment for primary cutaneous melanoma [3], but controversies about the extension of excision margins still remain [4].

Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) provides important prognostic and staging data by the identification of regional node-negative patients who would not benefit from a complete nodal dissection. However, there is no consensus in the definition of melanoma thickness to enforce the execution of the SLNB [5].

To date, Interferon-α (IFN-α)is the only approved adjuvant treatment after surgical excision of high-risk melanoma, but its indication remains still controversial [2,6].

Cite this article as:

Scarpati Della Vittoria Giuseppina, Fusciello Celeste, Sabbatino Francesco, Ferrone Soldano, Caponigro Francesco, Perri Francesco, Carlomagno Chiara and Pepe Stefano, Multidisciplinary Approach to Patient with Malignant Melanoma, Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry 2013; 13 (6) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/18715206113139990079