What type of therapy is usually used for advanced melanoma?

Immunotherapy, particularly with checkpoint inhibitors, has become the standard of care for advanced melanoma due to its ability to harness and enhance the body’s immune response against cancer cells. These therapies work by blocking proteins that prevent immune cells from attacking tumor cells, allowing for a more robust and sustained attack on the melanoma. This approach has shown significant efficacy in improving survival rates and has transformed the treatment landscape for patients with advanced melanoma, leading to durable responses in a subset of patients.

In contrast, traditional chemotherapy agents have been less effective for melanoma compared to other cancer types, which is why they are not the preferred treatment for advanced stages of this disease. Radiation therapy may be utilized for symptom relief or in cases of localized metastases but is not the primary approach for treating advanced melanoma. Surgical resection can be effective for localized melanoma; however, once the disease has advanced or metastasized, surgery is typically not a viable option for curative treatment. Therefore, immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors represents a significant advancement in the management of advanced melanoma, making it the appropriate choice in this context.