Melanoma articles
Plain-language, evidence-graded explainers built from a curated research corpus. Each article cites peer-reviewed sources and points to specialist follow-up.
What are checkpoint inhibitors and how do they work in melanoma?
A plain-language guide to checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy — what immune checkpoints are, how PD-1, CTLA-4, and LAG-3 blockade works, what to expect from treatment, and key questions to ask your specialist.
stage IStage I and II melanoma: what happens after your primary excision?
A plain-language guide for patients newly diagnosed with Stage I or Stage II melanoma. Covers what to expect after excision surgery, whether you need a sentinel lymph node biopsy, when adjuvant therapy is recommended, and how follow-up works — including the KEYNOTE-716 trial evidence for adjuvant pembrolizumab in Stage IIB/IIC disease.
uveal melanomaTebentafusp (Kimmtrak) for uveal melanoma: the first therapy to improve survival
Uveal melanoma is a rare eye cancer with historically grim prognosis once it spreads. Tebentafusp (Kimmtrak), approved by the FDA in January 2022, is the first treatment ever shown in a Phase 3 trial to improve overall survival in metastatic uveal melanoma. This article explains what it is, who it is for, and what the evidence shows.
immunotherapyNivolumab + relatlimab (Opdualag) for advanced melanoma: what patients need to know
A plain-language guide to Opdualag — the dual LAG-3 + PD-1 checkpoint blockade approved in 2022 for first-line advanced melanoma. What the RELATIVITY-047 trial showed, who it is for, how it compares to other immunotherapy combinations, and what side effects to expect.
treatmentMelanoma treatment overview: what happens after diagnosis?
A plain-language guide for newly-diagnosed patients: how melanoma is staged, what the main treatment options are (surgery, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, TIL therapy), and what to expect at each step of the journey.
clinical trialsNeoadjuvant immunotherapy could slash recurrence in stage IIB/IIC melanoma — what the data show
Recent analysis of patients with clinical stage IIB/IIC melanoma showed that many experience recurrence within five years after surgery alone, underscoring a high risk of disease return PMID:40908447. Could delivering immunotherapy before the operation lower that risk? This
circulating tumor DNAChemo-immunotherapy beats BRAF/MEK inhibitors in response rates for BRAF-mutant lung cancer
This article covers BRAF-targeted therapy in lung cancer as background for understanding cross-tumour BRAF biology. Treatment decisions for melanoma differ — see our Melanoma treatment overview
sentinel lymph node biopsyGene‑expression test predicts negative sentinel nodes—could it spare patients an invasive biopsy?
Learn how a gene‑expression test predicts sentinel‑node‑negative melanoma, its accuracy, limits, and what you should discuss with your dermatologist.
sentinel lymph node biopsyCan imaging and genomics together replace sentinel lymph node biopsy? A cost‑effectiveness showdown
Learn whether pre‑surgery ultrasound or a gene‑test can safely skip sentinel node surgery in melanoma, and what that means for cost and care.
surveillanceCan ctDNA monitoring replace traditional surveillance methods for melanoma patients?
Learn how blood‑based ctDNA testing compares with scans for spotting melanoma return, its strengths, limits, and what patients should discuss with their doctors.