Diagnosis & Tests for Melanoma
In order to diagnose a melanoma, a physician will remove the primary cancer and a pathologist will examine the sample under a microscope. Once melanoma is diagnosed, there are three critical factors that need to be determined: the thickness of the melanoma the genomic profile of the melanoma whether or not the melanoma has spread…
Treatment & Management of Melanoma
Most patients with melanoma that is localized to the skin can be cured with surgery. Patients with spread of melanoma to local lymph nodes or to other organs have historically been difficult to treat and often considered to be incurable. Recent advances in immune-oncology and precision cancer medicine however have vastly improved patient outcomes and…
Mesothelioma
Overview Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an uncommon type of cancer that begins in the mesothelial cells of the pleura. The pleura is a thin membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the chest cavity. The pleura consists of a visceral surface, which covers the lungs and a parietal surface, which lines the walls of the…
Stage I-III Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Overview Patients with stage I-III malignant pleural mesothelioma have cancer limited to one side of the chest. In these cases, it may be possible to remove the cancer surgically. However, in stage III disease there can be extensive local spread, which means spread to other tissues or organs near where the cancer originated. This spread…
Stage IV/Recurrent Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Overview Patients with stage IV malignant pleural mesothelioma have cancer that is considered inoperable and has spread to the opposite side of the chest or to distant sites. Patients with recurrent or refractory malignant pleural mesothelioma have cancer that has failed primary treatment or recurred after an initial response. The primary treatment for patients with…