Melanoma Treatment

Melanoma Treatment at Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers

At Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers (RMCC), melanoma treatment is highly personalized to ensure each patient receives the most effective care for their specific diagnosis. Our multidisciplinary team of medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, and support specialists work together to develop individualized treatment plans based on the stage of the cancer, tumor characteristics, genetic findings, and the patient’s overall health and preferences.

Advances in melanoma treatment have significantly improved outcomes, especially with the development of immunotherapy and targeted therapies. At RMCC, patients have access to a full range of treatment options, including clinical trials. Our team also incorporates biomarker testing to identify genetic mutations that may guide treatment decisions and improve outcomes.

In addition to treating the cancer itself, RMCC focuses on comprehensive care, offering supportive services to help manage side effects, maintain quality of life, and support patients throughout every stage of treatment.

Surgery

Surgery is the main treatment for most melanomas, especially when the cancer is found early. The goal is to remove the melanoma along with a small amount of healthy skin around it, called a surgical margin, to help lower the chance of the cancer coming back. The amount of tissue removed depends on the size and depth of the melanoma.

If the melanoma has spread beyond the original tumor, surgery may be used but not as a cure, rather as a way to control the cancer from growing further. Additional treatments, such as immunotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy, are likely needed for melanoma that has spread to lymph nodes or other areas of the body.

Immunotherapy for Melanoma

Immunotherapy is a cornerstone of treatment for many patients with advanced melanoma. These therapies work by helping the body’s immune system recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively.

Common immunotherapy treatments include immune checkpoint inhibitors, which block proteins that prevent immune cells from attacking cancer. These therapies have improved survival rates for patients with stage III and stage IV melanoma and may be used alone or in combination with other treatments.

Melanoma Targeted Therapy

Targeted therapy, also called precision therapy, is used to treat melanomas that have specific genetic mutations, such as the BRAF gene. These treatments are designed to block the signals that allow cancer cells to grow and divide.

Biomarker testing is performed to determine whether a patient’s melanoma has these mutations. If present, targeted therapies may be used alone or in combination with other treatments to improve outcomes.

Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to destroy cancer cells. It may be used after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence, to treat melanoma that can’t be surgically removed, and when it has spread to other areas of the body, causing pain or swelling in those areas.

Radiation therapy is often part of a comprehensive melanoma treatment plan and may be combined with other medical oncology treatments, depending on the patient’s needs.

Chemotherapy

While newer treatments such as immunotherapy and targeted therapy are often preferred, chemotherapy may still be used in certain situations, particularly when other treatments are not effective or appropriate.

Chemotherapy works by killing rapidly dividing cancer cells and may be used to help control the disease or relieve symptoms in advanced melanoma.