Ahmad A. Tarhini, MD, PhD

Cancer Network spoke with Ahmad Tarhini, MD, PhD, about the results of the phase III United States Intergroup E1609 trial, presented at ASCO 2019.

Here we summarize the available genomic and genetic tests for melanoma, and the level of evidence supporting each of these. We also discuss the current impact of genomic sequencing on the management of melanoma, as well as roles it may play in the near future.

This peer-to-peer discussion reviews the current strategies for managing patients with melanoma, including screening and prognosis for high-risk patients and how to choose the best therapies to avoid toxicities and treatment resistance.

The unprecedented advances in melanoma immunotherapy are sure to pave the way for immunotherapy development in other tumors.

While the last several decades saw a lack of progress in treatment outcomes in this setting, the outlook has recently changed dramatically, driven by a deepening understanding of melanoma biology and host immunology.

Each year, nearly 60,000 new cases of melanoma are reported in the United States. The vast majority of these are cured by surgery. However, 8,000 of these patients are found to have metastatic melanoma beyond the scope of surgical cure-and this number closely approximates the annual number of deaths from this disease. This statistic illustrates the lack of progress that had been made in the treatment of advanced melanoma over the last several decades.

Annually, about 8,000 patients are found to have metastatic melanoma presenting as recurrence of an earlier primary melanoma, and this number closely approximates the annual number of deaths from the disease. This statistic illustrates the lack of progress that has been made in the treatment of stage IV melanoma over the past several decades.