News
What’s Next for the Microbiome in Melanoma?
By Kristen Mueller, PhD | 11 April 2019 In Science, Treatment
We know that the billions of bacteria that live in our bodies can impact the way we respond to immunotherapy, but can we harness this help more patients respond these life-saving drugs?
This Engineer is Building a ‘Better’ Biopsy
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 20 March 2019 In Science
Biopsies are an important tool to determine if a mole or other lesion is cancerous. For most patients, the occasional biopsy is no big deal. However for patients facing multiple abnormal or otherwise ‘suspicious’ spots in highly visible places the prospect can be daunting. Dr. Jesse Wilson, an MRA-funded investigator, is an engineer on a mission to build a better biopsy.
Bronze Bodies and Black Lungs: Five Ways the Tanning and Tobacco Industries Use the Same Playbook
17 March 2019 In Prevention, Science
Dr. Alan Blum has crusaded against the tobacco industry for 30 years and now he's taking aim at the tanning industry. According to Blum, both the tobacco and tanning industries exploit people in similar ways, by targeting youth, downplaying their own corporate responsibility, infiltrating pop-culture, and indeed, by becoming prolific icons.
Is it Working? Imaging the Immune Response in Melanoma
14 March 2019
Traditional imaging – such as MRIs or CAT scans – provide insight into the effectiveness of immunotherapy by measuring tumor size. While this works, some patients may take months to respond to immunotherapy and in other cases, tumors may appear to actually grow on these scans, falsely indicating progression.
How Jaqueline’s Promise and Persistence Paid Off
5 March 2019 In Melanoma Stories
Melanoma wasn't supposed to happen to Jacqueline. Melanoma was supposed to be a disease that older, white women got, not 21-year-old African Americans. "People often think having more melanin makes them from developing melanoma. But they’re wrong,” Jacqueline says.
Fight Back Give Back with Clinical Trials
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 24 February 2019 In News, Science
When patients understand all of their options, including clinical trials, they can make informed decisions about their care. For many patients, clinical trials represent the best possible way to get access to cutting-edge treatment options.
Overcoming Targeted Therapy Resistance
By Marc Hurlbert, PhD, MRA Chief Executive Officer | 22 February 2019 In Science, Treatment
Targeted therapies work well for many patients, but most will go on to develop acquired resistance. Researchers are working to address this challenge. Learn about two promising examples.
It’s Not that Simple: Young Women and Melanoma
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 15 February 2019 In Prevention, Science
Article after article describes the ‘skyrocketing’ increases in melanoma among young women. While most are quick to point out the clear association between intentional tanning and skin cancer, few ever hint that there may be more to the story.
Doing Good in Rebecca's Name
7 February 2019 In Melanoma Stories
It was March of 2005 when Christine Garrison’s life changed forever. She received the phone call that no mother ever wants to receive. Her daughter Rebecca’s suspicious mole was, in fact, Stage 3 melanoma.
When Are Melanoma Patients Finished with Immunotherapy?
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 23 January 2019 In Melanoma Stories, Science, Treatment
For melanoma patients, deciding when to discontinue treatment is a difficult decision. should the general ‘rule of thumb’ of treating patients with advanced disease until progression still apply? According to Dr. Jeffrey Weber and the data he presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress late last year, the answer is maybe not.