News and Events

Tool to calculate pretest probability of sentinel lymph node metastasis in primary cutaneous melanoma

6 March 2023

Individualized risk estimates for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) positivity are critical in facilitating thorough decision-making for healthcare providers and patients with melanoma. A tool to calculate pretest probability of sentinel lympph node metastasis in primary cutaneous melanoma (ELMO https://melanoma-sentinel.herokuapp.com) has been developed and validated and was found to have high accuracy compared with other published models and gene expression tests.

Changes in serum protein glycosylation associated with response to immune checkpoint inhibitors

23 February 2023

While changes in serum protein glycosylation have been previously implicated in a pro-metastatic melanoma behaviour, authors of this recent study show here that they are also associated with response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, opening new avenues for the stratification of patients and the design of adjunct therapies aiming at improving immune response.

Nivolumab and relatlimab: manageable safety profile, durable clinical activity in patients with heavily pretreated advanced melanoma with prior progression on anti–PD-(L)1-containing regimens

23 February 2023

According to results from the phase I/IIa RELATIVITY-020 trial, nivolumab and relatlimab had a manageable safety profile and demonstrated durable clinical activity in a proportion of patients with heavily pretreated advanced melanoma with prior progression on anti–PD-(L)1-containing regimens.

The mechanical phenotypic plasticity of melanoma cell: an emerging driver of therapy cross-resistance

21 February 2023

This article reviews recent studies that highlight mechanical phenotypic plasticity of melanoma cells as a hallmark of adaptive and non-genetic resistance to treatment and emerging driver in cross-resistance to targeted therapies and immune checkpoints blockade therapies. It also discusses how targeting BRAF-mutant dedifferentiated cells and extracellular matrix-based mechanotransduction pathways may overcome melanoma cross-resistance.

In situ administration of temperature-sensitive hydrogel composite loading paclitaxel microspheres and cisplatin a promising candidate for local treatment of melanoma

21 February 2023

According to this recent study, the injectable temperature-sensitive PPMSs/DDP@Gel is a promising candidate for the local treatment of melanoma. Anti-tumor studies have shown that the PPMSs/DDP@Gel significantly inhibited tumor growth, prolonged the survival of tumor-bearing mice, and had no obvious toxic side effects on major organs.

Immunosuppressive drug methotrexate linked to increased risk of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous malignant melanoma

20 February 2023

According to this recent study, the immunosuppressive drug methotrexate can be linked to an elevated risk of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous malignant melanoma. Patients receiving the drug include those with moderate to severe psoriasis; but in this particular patient group, a risk increase was only observed for basal cell carcinoma.