Category: Science
Melanoma Research Alliance and the American Cancer Society Forge Research Partnership to Maximize Immunotherapy Benefit to Patients
By Pamela Goldsmith, MRA Director of Communications | 10 July 2017 In Allies & Partnerships, Science
The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) and the American Cancer Society (ACS) are partnering to fund much-needed research aimed at decreasing rare, but serious, side effects associated with checkpoint inhibitors in hopes of increasing further cancer immunotherapy benefit to patients.
The Genetics of Melanoma Goes Deep
By Kristen Mueller, PhD | 6 June 2017 In News, Science, Treatment
Due to the rapid advancements in DNA sequencing technologies, our understanding of the underlying genetic causes of cancer has increased substantially in the past decade. In the case of melanoma, researchers have now characterized in great detail the genetic changes that occur within tumor cells in melanoma of the skin, leading to the FDA approval of drugs targeting mutations in BRAF and MEK.
What Gut Bacteria Tell Us About Treating Melanoma and Other Cancers
By Pamela Goldsmith, MRA Director of Communications | 3 April 2017 In News, Science, Treatment
Despite success in the use of immunotherapy to treat cancer by harnessing the body’s immune system to fight it, a major difficulty continues to be the range of responses to treatment among patients. It’s why researchers are exploring why some cancer patients exhibit astounding results with little side effects while others receive no benefits to the treatment and/or experience severe side effects.
The Power of Combination Therapies: One Patient’s Road to Remission
28 February 2017 In Science, Treatment
Metastatic melanoma can be a devastating diagnosis to receive. Just hearing the word cancer for most is terrifying. While the fear is understandable, today new targeted therapies and immunotherapies are delivering new hope for many.
Parallels between Disease States
30 November 2016 In Science
Six months ago I was offered the opportunity to serve as President & CEO of MRA and in July, I officially began. For the past 24 years, I’ve worked in the HIV field and am struck by the many parallels that exist between my past work and melanoma.