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Review
. 2021 Feb;35(1):1-27.
doi: 10.1016/j.hoc.2020.09.003. Epub 2020 Oct 26.

State of Melanoma: An Historic Overview of a Field in Transition

Lilit Karapetyan  1 , John M Kirkwood  2
Affiliations
Review

State of Melanoma: An Historic Overview of a Field in Transition

Lilit Karapetyan et al. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

The management of melanoma significantly improved within the last 25 years. Chemotherapy was the first approved systemic therapeutic approach and resulted in a median overall of survival less than 1 year, without survival improvement in phase III trials. High-dose interferon α2b and IL-2 were introduced for resectable high-risk and advanced disease, respectively, resulting in improved survival and response rates. The anti-CTLA4 and anti-programmed death 1 monoclonal antibodies along with BRAF/MEK targeted therapies are the dominant therapeutic classes of agent for melanoma. This article provides an historic overview of the evolution of melanoma management.

Keywords: Immunotherapy; Interferon; Interleukin-2; Melanoma; Targeted therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure L. Karapetyan declares no disclosures or conflicts of interest. J.M. Kirkwood Consulting: Amgen, Inc., BMS, Checkmate, Novartis. Research support to institution: Amgen, BMS, Checkmate, Castle Biosciences, Inc., Immunocore LLC, Iovance, Novartis.

MeSH terms