Melanoma

Question 1

What are risk factors for melanoma?

Answer 1

Sun exposure, sunburns, fair complexion, multiple cutaneous nevi, family history.

Question 2

For early melanoma lesions, how wide do the margins need to be?

Answer 2

1cm for lesion less than 1mm thick, otherwise 2cm is indicated.

Question 3

What are standard treatment options for metastatic melanoma?

Answer 3

Old chemotherapy regimens include dacarbazine, temozolomide (oral drug), or paclitaxel + carboplatin, with overall poor response rates. Immunotherapy agents that include ipilimumab (Yervoy), and others in clinical trial such as PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors. Other options include targeted therapy including BRAF inhibitors (vemurafenib, dabrafenib) and MEC inhibitors (trametinib).

Question 4

What is a unclear adjuvant treatment for patient with resected melanoma?

Answer 4

Interferon alfa, but it has questionable survival benefit.