CLEVELAND, OH (CLEVELAND CLINIC) - Melanoma is considered the deadliest of all skin cancers, but a new FDA-approved immunotherapy could help extend lives for some.
Oncologists say the single-dose immunotherapy is currently approved for those with advanced stage 4 melanoma, who have not had success with other treatments. The process works by surgically removing a piece of the patient's tumor and then identifying specific cancer-fighting immune cells from it. From there, the cells are multiplied and re-infused through an IV. By doing this, the patient's own immune cells can go on to identify and fight the cancer.
The treatments are a very effective way to fight melanoma. In fact, data from older immune treatments show that 80% of people who respond to initial treatment continue to do well off medication.
"Today, we know that if you get a response, you know on treatment, we'll see that relatively early in the first few months, you know that you have a very great chance of being one of those 80 percent at eight years, think about that. And in just a short while, the survival from melanoma since the advent of immunotherapy, you know, it's now at 5 years, more than half of people remain alive with stage 4 disease," commented Dr. Thach-Giao Truong, Cleveland Clinic.
Cleveland Clinic is one of 23 facilities across the United States to offer this kind of immunotherapy for advanced stage 4 melanoma.
