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Therapy for a Malignant Melanoma

Malignant melanoma is a skin cancer that begins in melanocytes, the skin cells that produce pigment. The cancer may be diagnosed from stage 0 to IV, depending on how deep the tumor has grown into the skin, and if the cancer has spread through the lymphatic system. There are four standard treatments as well as therapy being tested through clinical trials.

  1. Surgical Therapy

    • Removing the abnormal cells by surgery is the first course of action when dealing with malignant melanoma. The amount and locations removed depends on how far progressed the cancer has become. The section removed may just be the tumor and normal surrounding cells; this is called a local excision. A wide local excision may or may not include removing an involved lymph node in addition to the tumor and normal surrounding cells. A lymphadenectomy may be performed to examine if cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes from the melanoma. Often, later stages of melanoma may need a skin graft after surgery to cover the portion of the skin that was removed.

    Radiation Therapy

    • The goal of radiation therapy is to kill and slow down cancer using radiation, usually in the form of X-rays. Radiation may be administered outside of the body or within the body. Radiation has the advantage of being able to be directed right where the melanoma is located.

    Biological Therapy

    • Using measures to boost the immune system, so that the immune system better fights cancer, is called biological therapy (or biotherapy or immunotherapy). The immune system can be manipulated to fight the melanoma harder and more directly.

    Chemotherapy

    • The use of medication to fight cancer is called chemotherapy. With a malignant melanoma, there are several ways chemotherapy can be administered. If the melanoma is located on an arm or leg, a hyperthermic isolated limb perfusion may be used, according to the National Cancer Institute. The drugs are injected into the blood stream in the local area of the tumor, and a tourniquet is applied to keep the medication in the area as much as possible. Chemotherapy can also be given systemically (orally or intravenously).

      Chemotherapy may be used in conjunction with other therapies. It is generally used in later stages of malignant melanoma.

    Clinical Trials

    • Clinical trials study the effectiveness of new treatments compared to standard treatments. According to the National Cancer Institute, participants in clinical trials may receive standard treatment or new treatment and can being trials at any point during the treatment process, depending on the specific trial.

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