Is Stage 3 Melanoma Curable

Braf & Mek Kinase Inhibitors

The BRAF and MEK genes are known to play a role in cell growth, and mutations of these genes are common in several types of cancer. Approximately half of all melanomas carry a specific BRAF mutation known as V600E. This mutation produces an abnormal version of the BRAF kinase that stimulates cancer growth. Some melanomas carry another mutation known as V600K. BRAF and MEK inhibitors block the activity of the V600E and V600K mutations respectively.

Stop Tumors In Their Tracks

Every melanoma has the potential to become deadly, but the difference between an in situ melanoma and one that has begun to metastasize cannot be overstated. There is a drastic change in the survival rate for the various stages of tumors, highlighting the importance of detecting and treating melanomas before they have a chance to progress. Its impossible to predict exactly how fast a melanoma will move from stage to stage, so you should be taking action as soon as possible.

To be sure youre spotting any potential skin cancers early, The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends monthly skin checks, and scheduling an annual total-body skin-exam with a dermatologist. These skin exams can help you take note of any new or changing lesions that have the potential to be cancerous, and have them biopsied and taken care of before they can escalate.

Trust your instincts and dont take no for an answer, Leland says. Insist that a doctor biopsy anything you believe is suspicious.

Inoperable Breast Cancer Is Often Still Treatable

Stage 3C breast cancer is divided into operable and inoperable stage 3C breast cancer. However, the term inoperable is not the same as untreatable.

If your physician uses the word inoperable, it may simply mean that a simple surgery at this time would not be enough to get rid of all the breast cancer that is within the breast and the tissue around the breast. There must be healthy tissue at all of the margins of the breast when it is removed. Keep in mind that the breast tissue goes beyond the breast mound it goes up to the clavicle and down to a few inches below the breast mound. There must also be tissue to close the chest wound after the surgery is performed.

Another treatment method may be used first to shrink the breast cancer as much as possible before surgery is considered.

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Stages Iiia Iiib And Iiic

In order to better describe these variable factors, stage III melanoma is further divided into the following three categories:

• Stage III A: This stage includes microscopic levels of melanoma present in lymph nodes.
• Stage III B: This stage includes an ulcerated primary tumor, microscopic levels of melanoma in the skin near the primary tumor, microscopic levels of melanoma in lymph nodes, and melanoma in the draining nodes.
• Stage III C: This stage includes an ulcerated primary tumor and melanoma big enough to be felt in the draining nodes.

Melanoma In The Lymph Nodes

If your lymph nodes feel normal but a sentinel lymph node biopsy shows that a small number of melanoma cells have spread there, you might have either:

• regular ultrasound scans to check your lymph nodes
• treatment with targeted cancer drugs or immunotherapy

You dont usually have surgery to remove the rest of the lymph nodes in this situation, except in specific circumstances. Your doctor will talk to you about this.

Some people may decide to have ultrasound surveillance of their lymph nodes instead of having a sentinel lymph node biopsy. In this case, you usually have regular ultrasound scans over 5 years. You may need a biopsy if there is a concern that melanoma is in your lymph nodes.

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What Is Stage Iii Melanoma

Stage III melanomas are tumors that have spread to regional lymph nodes or have developed in-transit deposits of disease, but there is no evidence of distant metastasis. Stage III melanoma is regional melanoma, meaning it has spread beyond the primary tumor to the closest lymph nodes, but not to distant sites. There are four subgroups of Stage III melanoma: IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, IIID. Stage III is invasive melanoma.

• Subgroups are IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, IIID
• Stage III melanoma is defined by four primary characteristics
• Important distinction within Stage III: whether the spread to lymph nodes can be detected microscopically or macroscopically
• Microscopically, also called clinically occult = seen by pathologist during biopsy or dissection
• Macroscopically, also called clinically detected = seen by naked eye or felt by hand or seen on CT scans or ultrasound
• Risk: Intermediate to high for regional or distant spread

Treating Stage 0 Melanoma

Stage 0 melanoma has not grown deeper than the top layer of the skin . It is usually treated by surgery to remove the melanoma and a small margin of normal skin around it. The removed sample is then sent to a lab to be looked at with a microscope. If cancer cells are seen at the edges of the sample, a second, wider excision of the area may be done.

Some doctors may consider the use of imiquimod cream or radiation therapy instead of surgery, although not all doctors agree with this.

For melanomas in sensitive areas on the face, some doctors may use Mohs surgery or even imiquimod cream if surgery might be disfiguring, although not all doctors agree with these uses.

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The Journey Through Stage Iii Melanoma: A Guide For Patients

Melanoma survivorSupported with funding by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer, with risk for the disease appearing to be on the rise. Historically, the outlook for patients diagnosed with stage III melanoma has been poor. In recent years, however, new therapies have changed the way in which patients with melanoma are treated. These treatments have already helped many patients to live longer lives with a reduced risk for a recurrence or return of their cancer. Because these treatments are so new, many patients may not know that they even exist, how they work, and what types of side effects they might cause. By providing information about the most recent advances in the treatment of melanoma, we hope to empower patients and their families as they navigate through their journey. It is our belief that this publication will help you to work with your healthcare team as you decide which therapies are best for you.

How Is Melanoma Staged

Melanoma stages are assigned using the TNM system.

The stage of the disease indicates how much the cancer has progressed by taking into account the size of the tumor, whether its spread to lymph nodes, and whether its spread to other parts of the body.

A doctor can identify a possible melanoma during a physical exam and confirm the diagnosis with a biopsy, where the tissue is removed to determine if its cancerous.

But more sophisticated technology, such as PET scans and sentinel lymph node biopsies, are necessary to determine the cancers stage or how far its progressed.

There are five stages of melanoma. The first stage is called stage 0, or melanoma in situ. The last stage is called stage 4. Survival rates decrease with later stages of melanoma.

Its important to note that survival rates for each stage are just estimates. Each person with melanoma is different, and your outlook can vary based on a number of different factors.

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Biomarkers And Biomarker Testing In Melanoma

Changes to a cells DNA are part of how cancerdevelops. These mutations change the genes and proteins that control how a cellgrows and multiplies. In recent years, researchers have discovered that some ofthese genes and proteins can be used as markers of how a melanoma is growingor will likely respond to treatment. Known as biomarkers, these genes and proteinsare specific to the tumor itself. That means that patients do not naturally carry thesemutations and thus cannot pass them onto their children. Also, because cancerbiomarkers are specific to a particular type of cancer, they can differ betweenpatients and even within multiple tumors within the same patient. Thats why biomarkertesting is importantit can allow for individualized treatment.6

For patients with melanoma, the biomarkers that physicians look for includemutations in the genes BRAF , NRAS ,NF-1 , and KIT . For patientswith cutaneous melanoma, BRAF mutations have been found to be present in 35%to 56% of tumors,7,8 whereas NRAS mutations are detected in approximately 10% to25% of these tumors,7,8NF-1 mutations in approximately 14%,8 and KIT mutations inapproximately 2% to 3%.7 Testing for these mutations, especially for a mutationcalled BRAF V600, is particularly important for patients with stage III or stage IV cutaneousmelanoma, as therapies have been developed that specifically targetthese mutations.

What Should A Person With Stage 3 Breast Cancer Expect From Treatment

Stage 3 treatment options vary widely and may consist of mastectomy and radiation for local treatment and hormone therapy or chemotherapy for systemic treatment. Nearly every person with a Stage 3 diagnosis will do best with a combination of two or more treatments.

Chemotherapy is always given first with the goal to shrink the breast cancer to be smaller within the breast and within the lymph nodes that are affected. This is known as neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Other possible treatments include biologic targeted therapy and immunotherapy. There may be various clinical trial options for interested patients with Stage 3 breast cancer.

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Survival Rates For Melanoma Skin Cancer

Survival rates can give you an idea of what percentage of people with the same type and stage of cancer are still alive a certain amount of time after they were diagnosed. They cant tell you how long you will live, but they may help give you a better understanding of how likely it is that your treatment will be successful.

Keep in mind that survival rates are estimates and are often based on previous outcomes of large numbers of people who had a specific cancer, but they cant predict what will happen in any particular persons case. These statistics can be confusing and may lead you to have more questions. Talk with your doctor about how these numbers may apply to you, as he or she is familiar with your situation.

How To Protect Yourself From Melanoma

Fortunately, most melanomas are diagnosed in early, localized stages, says Dr. González, and most patients treated for melanoma make a full recovery. But we do have patients that have ignored that funny looking mole for way too long, and its not uncommon to see cases that have metastasized to other organs, she adds.

Melanoma tends to a very aggressive form of cancer, and it can progress quickly from one stage to another. Says Dr. González: As soon as you see something unusual you should get it checked out, and as soon as you get a diagnosis, you need to be on top of the appropriate treatment.

Risk factors for melanoma include ultraviolet light exposure , having fair skin and light hair, and having a close relative whos also had melanoma. But monitoring skin for abnormal growths and changes is important for everyone, whether or not they are predisposed to skin cancer.

Going to see your board-certified dermatologist yearly and doing regular skin exams may not seem that important, Dr. González says, “but these are the things that could save your life.”

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Treating Stage 1 To 2 Melanoma

Treating stage 1 melanoma involves surgery to remove the melanoma and a small area of skin around it. This is known as surgical excision.

Surgical excision is usually done using local anaesthetic, which means you’ll be awake, but the area around the melanoma will be numbed, so you will not feel pain. In some cases, general anaesthetic is used, which means you’ll be unconscious during the procedure.

If a surgical excision is likely to leave a significant scar, it may be done in combination with a skin graft. However, skin flaps are now more commonly used because the scars are usually less noticeable than those resulting from a skin graft.

Read more about flap surgery.

In most cases, once the melanoma has been removed there’s little possibility of it returning and no further treatment should be needed. Most people are monitored for 1 to 5 years and are then discharged with no further problems.

A Closer Look At Stage Iii Melanoma

Although stage III melanoma can be broadly defined as melanoma that has spread to the regional lymph nodes, 4 different substages of stage III melanoma are mentioned in the AJCC 8th Edition: IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, and IIID. These substages are defined by the number of lymph nodes to which the cancer has spread, and whether this spread can be detected in a biopsy sample under a microscope or can be felt or seen by the naked eye .19 It is worth noting that patients should leave it to the discretion of their healthcare team to evaluate their lymph nodes, as touching the nodes too often can make them swell and thus create unnecessary anxiety.

Stage III melanoma is characterized by having a high risk for recurrence, with cancer generally recurring within 5 years of surgery.15 Recurrence is closely related to a patients survival rate, and within stage III melanoma, patients with stage IIID generally have the poorest outlook.20 The outlook for patients becomes increasingly better for those with stages IIIC, IIIB, and IIIA melanoma.20 It should be remembered, however, that every patient is different and the likelihood of recurrence depends on many factors.

Because of the high risk for recurrence, all patients with stage III melanoma should receive regular follow-up after their initial treatment. Table 1 shows a sample follow-up schedule.21 Patients should consult with their healthcare team about their own individualized follow-up.

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Continue Learning About Melanoma

Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.

Stage 3 Diagnostic Criteria

While we talk about stage 3 cancers as one monstrous thing, their diagnosis differs drastically based on cancer type. Generally, a stage 3 cancer diagnosis requires one or more of three features:

• Tumor growth beyond a specific size
• Spread to a specific set of nearby lymph nodes
• Extension of the tumor into nearby structures

Once diagnosed, a cancer stage never changes. Even if the doctor re-stages the cancer diagnosis, or it recurs , they keep the initial staging diagnosis.

The doctor will add the new staging diagnosis to the initial stage and differentiate it with letterslike c for clinical, p for pathological , or after treatments .

Some stage 3 cancers are subdivided to give a more precise classification. These sub-stages will differ based on the specific cancerous organ. For example, stage 3 breast cancer has three subcategories:

• The tumor is smaller than 5 centimeters but has spread to 4-9 nodes.
• The tumor is larger than 5 cm and has spread to 1 to 9 nodes.

3B: The tumor is any size but has invaded the chest wall or breast skin and is swollen, inflamed, or has ulcers. It may have also invaded up to 9 nearby nodes

3C: The tumor can be any size but has spread to either: 10 or more lymph nodes, nodes near the collar bones, or lymph nodes near the underarm and the breast bone

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Is Stage 3 Melanoma Serious

Stage 3 melanoma is quite serious because the cancerous growth has spread from the skin through the underlying fat and tissue and into the nearby lymph nodes. In some cases, cancerous cells may have started to spread to farther parts of the body. Surgical removal of the growth and surrounding tissue, as well as any nearby lymph nodes, may help get rid of the melanoma. Usually, the five-year survival rate for stage 3 melanoma is about 30% to 70%, which means that 30% to 70% of people who have proper treatment will still be alive five years later. However, once the disease has spread from the skin to other parts of the body, it may become fatal relatively quickly.

Changes To Melanoma Staging

Melanoma staging is based on the American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system, which uses 3 key pieces of information to stage a cancer:the extent of the Tumor thickness , whether the melanoma hasspread to local lymph Nodes , and whether the cancer has spread to distantlymph nodes or other organs, or Metastasized . Combining these 3 metrics, theTNM system is then used to classify the stage of a cancer.

In 2017, with the release of the new 8th Edition staging system, the AJCC adjustedmelanoma staging to incorporate additional factors that may affect a patientsresponse to treatment.17 This change from the previous AJCC 7th Edition meansthat many melanomas have been upstaged or downstaged since the 8th Edition staging system wasfully implemented in 2018.17 These changes also affect how clinical trials should beinterpreted: For example, the studies presented below enrolled patients using theolder AJCC 7th Edition staging system, prior to the release of the 8th Edition.

We understand that this change may be confusing for many patients and recommendthat they discuss any questions about the staging of their cancer withtheir treatment team.

The only targeted therapy that is currently available in the United States for the adjuvant treatment of melanoma is dabrafenib in combination with trametinib .7 Using a BRAF inhibitor combined with a MEK inhibitor is more effective than a BRAF inhibitor alone and may prevent melanoma cells from becoming resistant to the BRAF inhibitor .

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