Researchers say they found ways to stop melanoma

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Researchers say a combination of new treatments can stop melanoma, the world's deadliest form of skin cancer, and also prevent it from spreading to other organs.

Results from two international drug trials conducted by the Sydney-based Melanoma Institute Australia have proved successful in preventing the disease from spreading in stage three patients whose tumors had been surgically removed. Until now, there was a high risk - between 40 to 70 percent - of the disease becoming advanced and fatal in these patients.

"Results from these clinical trials suggest we can stop the disease in its tracks - effectively preventing it from spreading and saving lives," the institute's medical director Georgina Long said in research published in the New England Journal of Medicine Monday.

Melanoma is typically treated by removing the lymph nodes from the affected area. /EgyptToday Photo

"Our ultimate goal of making melanoma a chronic rather than a terminal illness is now so much closer to being achieved."

One in every three cancers diagnosed is a skin cancer, according to the World Health Organisation, with Australia having among the highest incidences of melanoma in the world. One Australian dies from it every five hours.

While 90 percent of people can be cured by having the primary cancer removed through surgery, it spreads in the other ten percent because it is detected too late.

"These results will change the way we treat melanoma patients as well as their quality of life," added Long.

"Until now, Stage three melanoma patients who have had their tumors surgically removed have simply had to play the waiting game, to see if their melanoma would metastasize or spread."

The researchers conducted two 12-month trials, one immunotherapy based and the other with targeted therapies. Both proved successful in preventing the disease spreading.

Australian researchers believe they've found a way to stop melanoma from spreading. /Yahoo News Photo

In one of them, targeted therapies (dabrafenib and trametinib) blocked the action of a particular gene, BRAF, which is a driver for melanoma.

It not only stopped stage three melanoma from recurring in those with tumours removed, but increased overall survival, the research showed.

The other trial treated patients with the immunotherapy nivolumab or ipilimumab, both designed to reboot the immune system to attack melanoma cells. Results showed nivolumab decreased the chance of relapse.

"These clinical trials show we now have ammunition to prevent melanoma spreading and progressing, which until now was a critical area of disease behavior where we had no control," said Long.

"This will change how melanoma is treated around the world, as we no longer have to passively wait to see if the melanoma spreads."

Source(s): AFP