title: Nivolumab: Immunotherapy in Malignant Melanoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Although patients diagnosed with melanoma that is confined to the skin have a five-year survival rate of 98%, this number drops to 16% with widely metastatic disease. Melanoma rates have been steadily increasing since the 1970s, but cytotoxic chemotherapy generally prolongs survival by about four months. Nivolumab is an effective immunotherapy agent.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article discusses the use of nivolumab for metastatic melanoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical trial and early postmarketing data were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In clinical trials, patients with advanced melanoma experienced partial sustained responses to nivolumab, a new targeted immunotherapy agent, for more than one year. Nivolumab helps the immune system mobilize lymphocytes that have been inactivated by melanoma cells, enhancing the body's ability to recognize the cancer as abnormal. Compared to conventional chemotherapy, nivolumab has been shown to greatly improve survival in widespread, inoperable malignant melanoma. Oncology nurses will administer, monitor, and educate patients about nivolumab.
authors.affiliation: Duke University in Durham, NC.
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bayless
authors.affiliation: Duke University in Durham, NC.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D000077594:Nivolumab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077594:Nivolumab
keywords: anti-programmed cell death protein 1, human; antibodies, monoclonal; melanoma; molecular targeted therapy; nivolumab; programmed cell death protein 1 receptor