A melanoma therapeutic vaccine is a type of personalized cancer vaccine that is intended to train the immune system to fight cancer cells in a way that lasts many years. These novel vaccines are personally tailored to recognize the mutations present in an individual’s tumor cells. They are different from vaccines for infectious diseases, which … Read more
In early March of 2018, at age 58, Roger Miller went to a local doctor’s office in Maine for outpatient surgery. He’d been putting off getting what he’d thought was a cyst removed from the back of his head. During the procedure, he overheard the surgeon say, “Oh, this doesn’t look good.” Miller, who at … Read more
Like a fugitive from justice, cancer cells stake their survival on their ability to remain inconspicuous. In many cases, however, they are decked out in molecules – called tumor-associated antigens and neoantigens – that shout “cancer!” to the immune system and prompt a potent antitumor response. But tumor cells have other means of dodging an … Read more
This post was adapted from a Broad Institute post by Allessandra DiCorato. Over the last two decades, researchers have discovered thousands of genetic mutations in cancer. But understanding how they affect the growth and spread of tumors in the body remains challenging because each patient’s tumor can have many different mutations. Now, scientists have used … Read more
While skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the United States, melanoma is the least common type of skin cancer, accounting for less than 1 percent of skin cancer. Unlike most melanomas appearing on visible areas on the skin, mucosal melanoma occurs on the mucus membranes, or moist surfaces, of … Read more
By the time Barry O’Brien learned he had stage IV melanoma, in April 2020, the skin cancer that had been halted once before had advanced far from its original spot on his shoulder. He was in need of immediate neurosurgery to remove a pair of tumors in his brain, and with the COVID-19 pandemic surging … Read more
Favoritism or impartiality? Do the four genomic subtypes of melanoma have a bias toward certain mutated genes and gene pathways, or do they welcome all mutations equally? Answering that question has been especially difficult because of cutaneous melanoma’s high mutation rate — the profusion of misspelled, severed, out-of-place, missing-in-action, or overabundant genes found in melanoma … Read more
Eileen Walther, 66, is not your typical pet owner. While most people may seek the company of a furry, four-legged friend Walther cares for an entirely different type of animal: bees. For someone who has had to face two separate cancer diagnoses, Walther says her bees provide a great escape — and have helped her … Read more
Eye cancer is caused by uncontrollable cell growth in the eye. While an eye cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, there are treatment options. An oncologist can discuss these options with you and work with you to determine your best care plan. According to the American Cancer Society, eye cancer can form in the three major … Read more
Melanoma is not a different disease from skin cancer. It is, rather, a form of skin cancer. Of the three major forms of skin cancer, melanoma is the rarest but also the most aggressive. It is diagnosed in more than 96,000 people in the United States each year, and patients generally have a good prognosis … Read more
It’s easy to spot Richard “Dick” Welchons’s car in the parking lot: the 90-year old drives a 2016 bright yellow Camaro, his third version of the high-powered muscle car. He has no plan to give it up any time soon — especially after doctors spotted something suspicious on his left foot in 2014, momentarily forcing … Read more
Medically reviewed by F. Stephen Hodi, MD Melanoma is a rare but aggressive form of skin cancer that originates in melanocytes, the cells that create pigment (melanin) to protect us from ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Melanoma is categorized into one of three subtypes, depending on its location: Cutaneous melanoma: Melanoma of the skin. Common affected areas … Read more
Jen Mancuso’s analytical mind has served her well during her career as a biochemist and information technology expert. Thinking like a diagnostician has also allowed her to remain upbeat while facing the greatest challenge of her life: stage IV melanoma. A wife and mother of two pre-teen daughters, Mancusco, 41, says she appreciates the intricacies … Read more
Of the many ways scientists are trying to harness the body’s immune system to fight cancer, here is one of the most innovative: an approach that involves implanting small, biodegradable, sponge-like disks under the skin to attract key immune cells in the bloodstream—and “train” them to dispatch front-line defender cells (T cells) on a cancer … Read more
Scientists at Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center (DF/BWCC) have identified biomarkers in melanoma that could help tailor immunotherapy treatments to maximize the benefits for patients while reducing the likelihood of severe side effects.
Prolonged exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight, along with sunburns, can increase the risk of skin cancer and melanoma.
For nearly 50 years, Jay Schwab wondered whether the melanoma he survived as a young man would return in a more serious form. When it did, in 2016, Dana-Farber was ready with a revolutionary response. A retired pediatric dentist, Schwab is one of a growing number of Dana-Farber patients thriving in treatment due to breakthroughs … Read more
When it comes to skin growths that can lead to melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – Dana-Farber oncologist Elizabeth Buchbinder, MD, stresses the importance of both surveillance and a sense of history. “Moles are formed when skin cells known as melanocytes grow in clusters, and most never cause any trouble,” Buchbinder explains. … Read more
Melanoma is a rare form of skin cancer that typically begins in a mole. It can occur anywhere on the body, and although it is the least common type of skin cancer, it is more likely to spread to other parts of the body and, ultimately, cause death. Within the United States, Utah has the … Read more
As one of the hottest topics in cancer research today, immunotherapy took center stage at the 2016 American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in Chicago. Harold J. Burstein, MD, PhD, a breast oncologist in the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, recently sat down with other oncologists to break down … Read more