Melanoma Treatment: Medicine

There are a broad number of drug treatments that are used to reduce or eliminate melanoma tumors, and combat the spread of melanoma. Some treatments are used by themselves, while other protocols incorporate multiple treatments together, designed to improve the results.

Some treatments are used when tumors are present and measurable. These treatments tend to focus on the goal of reducing or eliminate tumors that are already present. Other treatments are used in what is called the "adjuvant" setting, which means that there is no evidence of melanoma tumors in the body. These adjuvant treatments focus on the goal of preventing melanoma tumors from forming in the future.

The treatment of Melanoma depends on the stage of growth it has reached. In most cases, your doctor recommend surgery to remove the melanoma tumors. For more advanced stages, your doctor will also likely recommend additional treatment which could include immunotherapy or chemotherapy.

The typical treatment protocols for melanoma based on Stages is outlined here:

Stage Treatment Protocol for Melanoma

• Stage 0: Surgery alone has a nearly 100% cure rate
• Stage 1: Surgery to remove the tumor is generally sufficient
• Stage 2: Surgery to remove the tumor. In some cases, the doctor may want to perform a lymph node biopsy. In some cases, a standard treatment of Interferon is recommended.
• Stage 3: Surgery to remove the tumor, generally recommended with margins at least 1cm. Sometimes, the doctor may recommend removal of the lymph nodes in the area near where the affected lymph have been detected. Or a standard treatment of Interferon is recommended
• Stage 4:Depending on where the melanoma has spread, the treatment protocol may include surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy, some of which may be part of a clinical trial.

After treatment, your doctor will want to see you every 3 to 6 months for the next 5 years. During these visits, your doctor will check to see if the cancer has returned and if you have any new melanomas. If the melanoma has metastasized, you will also most likely need to get scans, either a CT scan or an MRI or a PET scan, depending on the stage the melanoma reached.

Additionally, experimental treatments are treatments being tested in a clinical trial. In order for you to get into a clinical trial to receive the experimental treatment, you need to find it, qualify for it, and get accepted into it. Once accepted, many trials will pay for the treatment, and some will even pay for travel expenses.