What Are the Treatments for Metastatic Melanoma?
“Targeted therapies” shrink melanoma cells without harming healthy cells. Some target a gene change called “BRAF” that makes melanomas grow. Your doctor may call these drugs “BRAF inhibitors.” They shrink tumors and help some people live longer.
Side effects include:
Some people who are treated with these medicines later get another, but less-serious, type of skin cancer. Your doctor will check your skin for signs of cancer during and after your treatment.
Another type of targeted therapy, called “MEK inhibitors,” can thwart melanoma. You may take these as a pill. Side effects include:
Some people take both MEK and BRAF inhibitors.
These medicines use your body's immune system to kill cancer cells. These drugs, which your doctor may call “immunotherapy,” fall into two categories:
In rare cases, these drugs cause the immune system to attack the lungs, liver, kidneys, or other organs. Make sure to tell your doctor if you have any side effects.
Cytokines aren't used very often today because checkpoint inhibitors are safer and work better.
What to Expect From Metastatic Melanoma Treatment
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Drugs That Target the Cancer
“Targeted therapies” shrink melanoma cells without harming healthy cells. Some target a gene change called “BRAF” that makes melanomas grow. Your doctor may call these drugs “BRAF inhibitors.” They shrink tumors and help some people live longer.
Side effects include:
- Thickened skin
- Headache
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Rash
Some people who are treated with these medicines later get another, but less-serious, type of skin cancer. Your doctor will check your skin for signs of cancer during and after your treatment.
Another type of targeted therapy, called “MEK inhibitors,” can thwart melanoma. You may take these as a pill. Side effects include:
- Rash
- Diarrhea
- Swelling
Some people take both MEK and BRAF inhibitors.
Drugs That Work on Your Immune System
These medicines use your body's immune system to kill cancer cells. These drugs, which your doctor may call “immunotherapy,” fall into two categories:
- Checkpoint inhibitors: These stop your immune system from attacking your body’s healthy cells so it can instead attack the cancer. You would get these drugs through a vein once every 2 or 3 weeks. Side effects include:
- Tired feeling
- Itching
- Rash
- Less appetite
- Constipation
- Joint Pain
- Diarrhea
In rare cases, these drugs cause the immune system to attack the lungs, liver, kidneys, or other organs. Make sure to tell your doctor if you have any side effects.
- Cytokines: These boost the immune system as it fights cancer. They can shrink melanoma. You get these drugs through a vein. Side effects include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Aches
- Tiredness
- Fluid buildup in the body
Cytokines aren't used very often today because checkpoint inhibitors are safer and work better.