FEMALE NARRATOR: You've just been diagnosed with melanoma.
Naturally, you have concerns and many questions:
What are the latest new treatments?
What is the right treatment for me?
Are there clinical trials available?
We've got answers to those questions
and many more, right here.
Over the past few years, there has been
remarkable progress in treating melanoma.
In advanced stages, the melanoma has spread
from where it first started,
and traveled throughout the body.
Stopping its growth is critical,
and there are now two breakthrough therapies to do so.
One is called immunotherapy,
which supercharges your immune system
so it can identify and destroy the melanoma.
Another cutting-edge treatment is targeted therapy,
where we learn which genes in your cancer are broken,
and then target powerful medicine
directly to the damaged genes.
First, let's take a closer look at how immunotherapy works.
Immunotherapy revs up a patient's immune system,
specifically the body's T cells,
the powerful police force in the body
that fights infection and disease.
Normally, your immune system automatically detects
and destroys anything it finds that can harm your body,
while leaving healthy cells alone.
But melanoma cells disguise themselves
as healthy ones,
tricking your immune system into ignoring them.
The medicine used in immunotherapy
super charges your T cells so they can see through
the disguise of the cancer cells.
Your immune system can then do what it does best:
Destroy what's harming your body
and get you healthy again.
Immunotherapy is normally given by an IV drip
in an outpatient clinic.
It can take longer to work than targeted therapy,
but may work much longer and is effective
against more types of cancer.
But what if immunotherapy isn't right for you?
There's another promising treatment
called targeted therapy and here's how it works:
Your body is made up of trillions of cells.
And when you're healthy, all of those cells
grow at a steady, regulated rate.
But in melanoma, the cancer cells
don't work properly.
Normal genes like BRAF and a few others
are broken or mutated, and these genetic mutations
cause the cells to rapidly grow out of control.
This is how melanoma can spread to other parts of the body.
Targeted therapies are designed
to stop those out-of-control cells from growing.
First, doctors perform genetic testing
to learn precisely
which genes are broken in your melanoma cells.
If we find that the BRAF or other recognized genes
are broken, then we can tailor a personalized therapy
that targets your specific cancer cells.
The medicine works to shut down
the broken gene pathways,
helping shrink the cancer and stop its growth.
For most patients,
targeted therapy works very quickly
and effectively throughout the body.
Targeted therapies come in pill form,
and are taken at home while you go about your daily life.
So, how do you know which treatment is best for you?
That depends on your unique genetic profile,
symptoms and medical history.
You and your doctor will work together
to determine the specific therapy
or combination of therapies
that will be most effective for you.
Here at Penn, cancer research is evolving every day,
and for some patients with advanced melanoma,
a clinical trial may be another alternative to consider.
Whether you're considering targeted therapy, immunotherapy
or any other form of cancer treatment,
Penn's Abramson Cancer Center
offers the most cutting edge therapies,
research and clinical care in the country.
At Penn, we focus on the whole patient,
bringing together doctors, nurses, nutritionists,
social workers and physical therapists
to treat your physical and emotional needs.
We know that a melanoma diagnosis can be difficult.
By arming yourself with knowledge
and asking the right questions, you're taking
critical first steps toward a cancer-free life.
For more information on Penn's breakthrough therapies
for advanced melanoma, and other forms of cancer,
give us a call or visit our website.