Geographic region: Does it matter in cutaneous melanoma of the head and neck?

Nanodelivery systems for cutaneous melanoma treatment

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is a multifactorial disease whose treatment still presents challenges: the rapid progression to advanced CM, which leads to frequent recurrences even after surgical excision and, notably, the low response rates and resistance to the available therapies, particularly in the case of unresectable metastatic CM. Thereby, alternative innovative therapeutic approaches for CM continue to be searched. In this review we discuss relevant preclinical research studies, and provide a broad-brush analysis of patents and clinical trials which involve the application of nanotechnology-based delivery systems in CM therapy. Nanodelivery systems have been developed for the delivery of anticancer biomolecules to CM, which can be administered by different routes. Overall, nanosystems could promote technological advances in several therapeutic modalities and can be used in combinatorial therapies. Nevertheless, the results of these preclinical studies have not been translated to clinical applications. Thus, concerted and collaborative research studies involving basic, applied, translational, and clinical scientists need to be performed to allow the development of effective and safe nanomedicines to treat CM.

Delays in the surgical treatment of melanoma are associated with worsened overall and melanoma-specific mortality: A population-based analysis

BACKGROUND

The effect of treatment delays on melanoma outcomes remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of surgical treatment delays on melanoma-specific mortality (MSM) and overall mortality (OM).

METHODS

Patients with stage I to III cutaneous melanoma were identified through the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (N = 108,689). Included cases had time from diagnosis to definitive surgery and follow-up time. Cox proportional hazards and Fine-Gray competing risks analyses were used to assess the impact of treatment delays on mortality.

RESULTS

Across all stages, treatment delays of 3 to 5 months were associated with worse MSM and any delay beyond 1 month was associated with worse OM. In a subgroup analysis of patients with stage I disease, delays of 3 to 5 months were associated with worse MSM and any delay beyond 1 month was associated with worse OM. In patients with stage II disease, worse MSM was found with delays of 6+ months and worse OM was seen with delays of 3 to 5 months. No significant effect of treatment delays was noted in stage III disease.

LIMITATIONS

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database does not collect comprehensive data on adjuvant treatments, disease recurrence, or treatment failure.

CONCLUSION

Timely treatment of melanoma may be associated with improved OM and MSM.