title: [Melanoma- finally good news].
abstract: Until two years ago, there was no systemic therapy that prolonged overall survival in patients with malignant melanoma. In the meantime, two new therapeutic approaches have improved the prognosis of this disease. Ipilimumab is an activator of cytotoxic T-cells. It induces an immune response which results in prolonged remission in 15-20% of patients. Vemurafenib is a specific BRAF inhibitor and induces quick and sometimes complete remissions in patients with BRAF V600E mutated melanomas. Thus, there are two new treatments with proven survival benefit in patients with metastatic melanoma.
authors.affiliation: Departement Biomedizin, Universitätsspital und Universität Basel. awicki@uhbs.ch
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wicki
authors.forename: Andreas W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Arnold
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Itin
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zippelius
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000074324:Ipilimumab; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D012074:Remission Induction; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013557:Switzerland; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D000077484:Vemurafenib
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007211:Indoles; D000074324:Ipilimumab; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000077484:Vemurafenib; C482119:BRAF protein, human; D048493:Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf