Recent developments in skin cancer treatment

Study findings that Mohs micrographic surgery may be a useful treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma or an alternative treatment for penile squamous cell carcinoma were among recent developments in skin cancer treatment reported on Healio.com/Dermatology.

Other developments included findings that combined BRAF and MEK inhibition improved survival in advanced and mutated melanoma:

Mohs micrographic surgery may be useful in treating Merkel cell carcinoma

Mohs micrographic surgery may be a useful treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma, according to recently published study results.

Brett Coldiron

“Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare yet aggressive cutaneous malignancy,” Laura Kline, MD, of Piedmont Plastic Surgery and Dermatology, Gastonia, North Carolina, and Brett Coldiron, MD, of the department of dermatology, University of Cincinnati, wrote. “Traditionally, wide local excision has been used for local control. However, the tissue-sparing capability of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) and the greater certainty of complete tumor removal offer a potential advantage over wide local excision if MMS offers acceptable cure rates.” Read more

Mohs micrographic surgery may be option to standard excision for penile SCC

Mohs micrographic surgery for penile squamous cell carcinoma provided a high cure rate with tissue conservation that may be an alternative to other excision techniques, according to recently published study data.

Researchers conducted a retrospective review of 42 Caucasian patients (mean age at surgery, 64.4 years) with 44 penile squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). Read more

FDA accepts new drug application for binimetinib for advanced NRAS-mutant melanoma

The FDA has accepted Array BioPharma’s new drug application for binimetinib for treating patients with NRAS-mutant melanoma, according to a press release from the company.

The new drug application (NDA) submission was completed by Array in June based on phase 3 NEMO study findings, according to the release. Read more

Combined BRAF, MEK inhibition improves survival in advanced, mutated melanoma

The addition of cobimetinib to vemurafenib improved survival outcomes among patients with advanced BRAF^V600–mutated melanoma, according to updated results from the phase 3 coBRIM trial.

This combination should be considered a standard first-line treatment for these patients, according to researchers. Read more

Tumor profiling may predict response to anti–PD-1 therapy for metastatic melanoma

Greater abundance of tumor-infiltrating CD8–positive T cells that expressed high levels of PD-1 and CTLA-4 increased the likelihood that a person with metastatic melanoma would respond to anti–PD-1 therapy, according to study results.

This information may help improve patient selection by identifying patients most likely to achieve clinical response to PD-1 pathway inhibition, researchers wrote. Read more