This recent study investigated the association of macrophage infiltration with overall survival prognosis in advanced melanoma, funding that while melanomas contain distinct macrophage populations with diverse phenotypes, they have no observable prognostic role.
According to this position paper developed by EADO, EADV and Task Forces, EDF, IDS, EBDV–UEMS and EORTC Cutaneous Lymphoma Task Force, dermato-oncology should be considered a specific subspecialty of dermatology in relation to the diagnosis and treatment of skin cancers.
This recent study used real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry to compare the SOX10 gene expression in melanoma tumors and benign melanocyte lesions as a possible biological indicator in the diagnosis and prognosis. It found the expression of the SOX10 protein was significantly higher in melanoma samples compared to the healthy and nevus groups.
Key recommendations from the United Kingdom head and neck mucosal melanoma guideline development group are:
PHARMAC have announced that they will not reinstate the maximum dose restriction for pembrolizumab and nivolumab to continue to allow flexibility of administration. The requirement for radiological response as part of renewal applications for these treatments will be reinstated.
This recent study reports promising results for a new type of immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma. Four severely ill patients with metastatic melanoma were given treatment with a combination of tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte cells and dendritic cell tumour vaccine. Three have responded with complete or near complete remission of the cancer in spite of the fact that the group no longer responds to other types of cancer treatment.
This recent literature review assessed the efficacy and the role of imiquimod in local metastatic melanoma disease, concluding that the use of topical imiquimod for the treatment of melanoma cutaneous metastases should be considered in selected cases and in palliative settings.
SOX10 is a highly specific marker for melanoma metastasis in lymph nodes, comparable with pS100. According to this recent study, SOX10 has the same level of recommendation as pS100 for the detection of melanoma metastasis in sentinel lymph node protocols. The interpretation of SOX10 staining is highly reproducible among different centres and different pathologists because of the absence of staining of immune cells.
Sentinel node biopsy status in high risk stage IIB and IIC melanoma patients remains the most important prognostic information when determining likelihood of recurrence and mortality, according to this recent retrospective analysis.
This recent review analysed the performance of commercially available gene expression profile tests in predicting cutaneous melanoma outcomes in patients with stage I or stage II melanoma. In patients with clinically localized melanoma there was variation in gene expression profile test performance by disease stage, suggesting limited potential for clinical utility for patients with stage I melanoma.