Category: Science
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.
Unchartered Territory: When Should Patients Stop 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.
Unchartered Territory: When Should Patients Stop 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? In the absence of definitive data – what does indirect data tell us?
Melanoma Treatment Advances – 2018 in Review
By Marc Hurlbert, PhD, MRA Chief Executive Officer | 18 January 2019 In Science, Treatment
2018 brought new and expanded drug approvals that give patients, doctors, and their families more treatment options with fewer side effects. Learn more about important melanoma treatment advances in 2018.
MRA Advisor & Grantee Dr. Allison Awarded Nobel Prize for Transforming Cancer Care
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 28 November 2018 In News, Science, Treatment
MRA Scientific Advisory Panel Member & Grantee Dr. Allison Awarded Nobel Prize for his pioneering research to harness the power of the immune system to attack cancer. His work in immunotherapy, which began in the 1990’s, was audacious at the time. It helped to mainstream an entirely new class of tools in the arsenal against cancer; joining the likes of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.
Dr. Marc Hurlbert Joins MRA as Chief Science Officer
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 20 November 2018 In Science
Dr. Marc Hurlbert has built his career advancing medical research in support of patients. Now, as of this month, he will translate his skills, relationships, and enthusiasm to achieving our mission of ending death and suffering due to melanoma as MRA’s Chief Science Officer.
When Astrophysics & Melanoma Collide
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 16 November 2018 In Science
Using lessons, processes, and tools from the field of astrophysics, Dr. Taube is studying melanoma in all new ways.
Improving the Lives of Melanoma Survivors
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 15 October 2018 In Prevention, Science
Melanoma survivors are at a 9-fold increased risk of developing another melanoma. Unfortunately, 20% of survivors reported a sunburn in the past year and 10% intentionally went outside for a tan – both strong predictors of inappropriate sun exposure.
Older Patients Do Better on Immunotherapy
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 8 October 2018 In Science, Treatment
In Dr. Weeraratna's study, older patients did better on immunotherapy than younger patients. This surprising result is the opposite of what was expected.
Using Zebrafish to Shed New Light on Melanoma
By Cody Barnett, MPH, MRA Director of Communications & Patient Engagement | 29 August 2018 In Science
Dr. Liz Patton, a MRA-funded cancer researcher at the Medical Research Council Human Genetics Unit at the University of Edinburgh, is fascinated by learning how things work. Patton has focused her research on better understanding how melanocytes – the cells in our skin that provide us our coloring – develop, divide, migrate, and in some unfortunate circumstances, proliferate uncontrollably turning into melanoma. Her work is providing critical insight into the origin of melanoma and what spurs melanoma to spread throughout the body.