skin disorders
Melanoma
Treatment of Melanoma
Removal of the tumors Possiblyimiquimod, cryotherapy, or radiation therapy For tumors that have spread, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy Doctors treat melanomas by cutting them out (sometimes using Mohs Microscopically Controlled Surgery ), taking a border of almost ½ inch (1 centimeter) or more of skin around the tumor. For people who have the most shallow melanomas (that is, melanomas that have not invaded past the epidermis—called melanoma in situ) and who cannot have surgery (for example, because their health is too poor) or choose not to (for example, because their melanomas are in cosmetically important areas), doctors may treat withimiquimodcream or may use extreme cold (cryosurgery) to destroy the melanomas. If diagnosed early, surgery can cure almost 100% of shallow melanomas. If melanoma has spread to distant areas (metastasized), surgery is generally not an option, but sometimes localized areas of cancer (for example, the affected lymph nodes) may be surgically removed. Immunotherapy for Cancer None Targeted therapyconsists of medications that attack a cancer cell's innate biologic mechanisms. In targeted therapy, medications attack specific parts of cells that are present only in the cancerous cells with specific gene mutations. Use of these medications has improved cancer survival in some people. One class of medications targets cells with aBRAFgene mutation. These medications includedabrafenib,encorafenib, andvemurafenib. For people who cannot be treated with immunotherapy, a combination of targeted therapies can be used. Chemotherapy and Other Systemic Cancer Treatments None Radiation Therapy for Cancer None Other treatments are being investigated, such as other medications and Vaccines that stimulate the body to attack the melanoma cells. 