Therapy for metastatic melanoma: the past, present, and future
Cet article passe en revue les avantages et les limites du vemurafenib et de l'ipilimumab pour le traitement d'un mélanome métastatique, puis identifie des essais cliniques susceptibles de surmonter les limites actuelles de ces traitements
Metastatic melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer with a median overall survival of less than one year. Advancements in our understanding of how melanoma evades the immune system as well as recognition that melanoma is a molecularly heterogeneous disease have led to major improvements in the treatment of patients with metastatic melanoma. In 2011, the FDA approved two novel therapies for advanced melanoma: a BRAF inhibitor, vemurafenib, and an immune stimulatory agent, ipilimumab. The success of these agents has injected excitement and hope into patients and clinicians, and while these therapies have their limitations; they will likely provide excellent building blocks for the next generation of therapies. In this review we will discuss the advantages and limitations of the two new approved agents, current clinical trials designed to overcome these limitations, and future clinical trials that we feel hold the most promise.