News
Improving Communication With Your Melanoma Care Team
20 February 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Events, Melanoma Stories, Treatment
Good communication is always challenging but can be especially so when you are undergoing treatment for melanoma. That’s because navigating our modern healthcare system is often an exercise in decoding complex jargon and knowing the right questions to ask while managing stress and other strong emotions.
Melanoma Research Alliance Applauds FDA Approval of First Cellular Therapy in Melanoma
16 February 2024 In Events, News, Treatment
The Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA), the largest non-profit funder of melanoma research worldwide, welcomes the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decision to approve Iovance Biotherapeutics’ AMTAGVITM (lifileucel) for the treatment of patients with advanced melanoma in the second line treatment setting.
Melanoma Immunotherapies & Immune-related Adverse Events: A Conversation with Dr. Alexandra-Chloé Villani
By Tanisha Jackson, PhD - MRA Scientific Program Director | 5 February 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Events, Science, Treatment
Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) are side effects experienced by patients undergoing immunotherapy to treat their melanoma (or other cancer). In November, at the annual Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) meeting, we spoke with Dr. Alexandra-Chloé Villani, an MRA-funded investigator at Massachusetts General Hospital, to learn more about immune-related adverse events and the research she leads in this area.
100,000 Americans Estimated to be Diagnosed with Invasive Melanoma in 2024
By Joan Levy, PhD - MRA Chief Science Officer | 26 January 2024 In News, Prevention, Science, Treatment
Each January, the American Cancer Society (ACS) releases updated estimates about trends in new cancer cases and deaths in its annual report, Cancer Facts and Figures. This report highlights the estimated incidence (number of new cases), prevalence (number of people alive today with a history of cancer), and survival statistics for...
Where Innovation Meets Impact: MRA 2023 Annual Report
23 January 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Events, Melanoma Stories, News, Policy, Prevention, Science, Treatment
MRA is a world leader in advancing transformational science that has caused paradigm shifts in what it means to be diagnosed with and treated for melanoma. The innovative research we support isn’t just changing science — it’s giving patients more treatment options that translate to longer, fuller lives.
Overcoming Brain Mets & LMD: Sean Wachter’s Melanoma Journey
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Senior Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 22 January 2024 In Melanoma Stories, Science, Treatment
Ten years ago, Sean Wachter never expected to have a loving spouse, children, or a life that feels worth living. That’s because, by his own admission, he’s done more living in the past 7 years than he did in the prior 31 as he overcame stage 4 melanoma with leptomeningeal disease...
New Research Alert: Melanoma and Microbiota: Current Understanding and Future Directions
8 January 2024 In Allies & Partnerships, Events, News, Science, Treatment
A perspective article summarizing the field’s current knowledge on how the gut microbiota affects melanoma response to immunotherapy, and how this knowledge can be used to improve patient outcomes was recently published in the journal Cancer Cell.
Mindfulness During the Holidays: Tips for the Melanoma Community
By Stephanie Kauffman, MRA President & COO | 14 December 2023 In Allies & Partnerships, Events
While the holidays are a time to celebrate with family and friends, the season can quickly go from joyful to stressful for those living with a melanoma diagnosis. We have some suggestions on navigating the holidays
Clinical Trials to Watch: December 2023
By Joan Levy, PhD - MRA Chief Science Officer | 13 December 2023 In Allies & Partnerships, News, Science, Treatment
Treatment of advanced melanoma has dramatically improved over the past decade with 16 new therapies approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Even with these treatment advances, 50% of patients with advanced melanoma will either not respond to any of these treatments or their disease will progress creating a...
Shop for the Holidays and Give Back to MRA
By Laurel Farr, MRA Development Associate | 12 December 2023 In Allies & Partnerships, Events
The MRA community has given us so much throughout 2023 and we wanted to give back this holiday season with some tips, ideas, and discounts to help make your holiday gift-giving more meaningful and memorable. MRA’s incredible partners offer fantastic products that not only make thoughtful presents but also contribute to melanoma research. Here is our quick guide to meaningful and memorable gifts with special discounts for the MRA community.