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How successful is combination therapy in malignant melanoma patients in the latter stages of the disease?
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What is the survival rate for stage Ia and I malignant melanoma patients?
Almost all patients survive stage Ia malignant melanoma, and the suvivorship for stage I overall is more than 90%.
What malignant melanoma patients may be candidates for treatment with aldesleukin?
Patients with metastatic melanoma who do not respond well to other therapies may be candidates for treatment with aldesleukin.
Which malignant melanoma patients are at high risk of recurrence?
Some patients, such as those with IIb or stage III melanoma, are at high risk for the development of recurrence after treatment.
Radiation may help malignant melanoma patients in what stage of the disease?
Radiation therapy is typically used for malignant melanoma patients in later stages of the disease (stage III or IV). It may be used to shrink tumors, relieve symptoms, or treat specific areas of metastasis.
How does a family history of malignant melanoma impact the predisposition for malignant melanoma?
A positive family history of one or two first-degree relatives having had melanoma substantially increases the risk on a genetic basis. A family tendency is observed in 8% to 12% of patients.
What role does sun exposure have in non-Caucasian patients who develop malignant melanoma?
Malignant melanoma also affects non-Caucasians--though sun exposure probably does not play a role--at a rate of 10% that of Caucasians.
What counseling may be appropriate for malignant melanoma patients?
For those with familial tendencies for malignant melanoma, genetic counseling may be appropriate. Psychological counseling may be appropriate for anyone having trouble coping with a potentially fatal disease.
What is key to successfully treating malignant melanoma?
The key to successful treatment is early diagnosis. Patients identified with localized, thin, small lesions (typified by superficial spreading subtype) nearly always survive.
A research study in 2003 found mutations in what genes of patients with malignant melanoma?
In 2003 a group of Swedish researchers reported that 63 out of a group of 71 melanoma patients, or 89% of the group, had mutations in either the NRAS or the BRAF gene.
What treatment is prescribed for patients with stage IV malignant melanoma?
For stage IV patients, or those that are treated and then develop recurrence at distant sites, chemotherapy or immunotherapy is planned.
How many patients have disabling edema following malignant melanoma surgery?
Though it does not occur in all patients (5% to 20%, depending on the extremity and extent of the dissection), it can be a disabling symptom.
What is the outcome in malignant melanomaw patients without treatment?
It is important to get treatment for malignant melanoma. Without treatment, the cancer will go deeper into the skin and spread throughout the body, eventually leading to death.
