Melanoma Brain Metastases: Local Therapies, Targeted Therapies, Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors and Their Combinations—Chances and Challenges

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Recent phase II trials have shown that BRAF/MEK inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors are active in patients with melanoma brain metastases (MBM), reporting intracranial disease control rates of 50–75%. Furthermore, retrospective analyses suggest that combining stereotactic radiosurgery with immune checkpoint inhibitors or BRAF/MEK inhibitors prolongs overall survival. These data stress the need for inter- and multidisciplinary cooperation that takes into account the individual prognostic factors in order to establish the best treatment for each patient. Although the management of MBM has dramatically improved, a substantial number of patients still progress and die from brain metastases. Therefore, there is an urgent need for prospective studies in patients with MBM that focus on treatment combinations and sequences, new treatment strategies, and biomarkers of treatment response. Moreover, further research is needed to decipher brain-specific mechanisms of therapy resistance.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)529-541
Number of pages13
JournalAmerican journal of clinical dermatology
Volume19
Issue number4
Publication statusPublished - 1 Aug 2018
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 29417399
ORCID /0009-0001-4054-4024/work/155291683
ORCID /0000-0003-4340-9706/work/155292310

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas