Melanoma and Immunotherapy

This report discusses the use of immunotherapy in treating Melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer. It explores the normal physiology and homeostasis of the system, the pathophysiology and mechanisms leading to the disease, and the pharmacology related to its treatment. The report also covers important drug interactions, lifestyle considerations, and provides resources for further study.

Melanoma and
immunotherapy

ABSTRACT
Report has provided details about the immunotherapy which can be used in order to treat
Melanoma. It is the deadliest type of skin cancer which cannot be cured previously. Now with
the development of immunotherapy drugs this skin cancer can be treated. It has been analyzed
that there are various risk factor related to Melanoma. One of the major causes of Melanoma as
discussed in article and also provided by health care professional is exposure of human body to
the ultraviolet radiations from the sun. It has been analyses that various immunotherapy drugs
have been developed to cure Melanoma. Dabrafenib is one of the drugs used for treating
Melanoma. In this the immune system of patient is been strengthened so that the diseased cells
can be stopped from growing.
It has also been analyzed that this drug is also been given for treating other type of cancer.
This drug is been approved by FDA. There are also various side effects and contradictions
related to consumption of Dabrafenib. It has been analyzed that participants have faced problem
of infection, headache by consuming this drug. It has also been analyzed from the report that this
drug can only be taken when prescribed by oncologist. Patients need to only take specific amount
of dosage as prescribed by their health care professionals. Service suers in order to enhance their
health outcome can also engage in changing their life style. They can be involved in doing
physical activities so that their health outcome improves.

Contents
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Overview of the normal physiology and homeostasis of the system...........................................1
Pathophysiology and the mechanisms leading to the disease/disorder.......................................1
Pharmacology related to the treatment of the disease.................................................................2
Important drug interactions..........................................................................................................3
Lifestyle, exercise, therapy, or physical considerations..............................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Melanoma is a serious form of skin cancer that begins in cells known as melanocytes. The
signs and symptom of this disease includes changes in the size and shape of skin mole. The mole
can also take irregular shape. It is one of the most dangerous diseases if not treated at an early
stage. Present report will lay emphasis on pathophysiology and the mechanisms leading to the
disease/disorder. It will also focus on pharmacology related to the treatment of the
disease/disorder. Assignment will discuss the life style changes that need to be followed by
patients suffering from Melanoma.
MAIN BODY
Article: Immunotherapy for Melanoma
<<https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/107327480200900104>
Overview of the normal physiology and homeostasis of the system
It has been analysed that the incidence of Melanoma is been increasing. It has been analysed
that Melanoma can occur on body of patient at any colour, shape and size. This disease is curable
if treated at an early stage. It has been analysed that once Melanoma gets spread on all over the
body, it is really difficult to cure it ( Livingstone et.al., (2017).. It may appear as a flat or slightly
rose and discoloured, asymmetrical patch with uneven borders. There is limited treatment to cure
this type of cancer. It has been analyzed that this can reduce the health outcome of patient and
can also limited the quality of life of individuals who are going through it. Homeostasis can be
taken as the paradigm for understanding of the disease. It has been analyzed that there are so
many melanoma that are being grown within epidermis.
Pathophysiology and the mechanisms leading to the disease/disorder
The pathophysiology of Melanoma can include environmental and genetic factors giving
rise to this type of skin cancer. One of the major causes of Melanoma as discussed in article and
also provided by health care professional is exposure of human body to the ultraviolet radiations
from the sun. Other mechanism that can lead to the disorder includes sore on skin that does not
heal (Zhu, Liu & Gotlieb, (2016). It Melanoma can also include pigment, redness or swelling
that appear outside the mole and can also surround the skin. It has also been analysed that patient
can also face problem such as itchiness, tenderness or can also even go through problem of pain.
The pathopshyiology of disease can also cause change in colour or texture of skin. It can become
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brown, black or tanned. The skin cancer symptom can vary from patient to patient. It has also
been analyzed that service user suffering from this disease can also face problem such as blurry
vision or partially weak eye sight. It has been analysed that the patient suffering from this type of
skin cancer has low survival rate as the current treatment for this disease is highly inefficient.
Pharmacology related to the treatment of the disease
Oncologist can make use of immunotherapy in order to treat Melanoma; It is the most
advanced technique to fight against skin cancer. It kills the cancer cell and strengthens immune
system of service user so that they can easily overcome from the disease. This therapy increases
the ability of immune system to detect cancer cells. Immunotherapy differentiates diseased cells
as well as healthy cells and make sure that it attacks only the diseased cells. Mostly the immune
system is unable to recognise cancer cells; this therapy assists in detecting cancer cells. There are
various type of immunotherapy drug that has been approved by FDA and can be used in curing
Melanoma. The drugs can support immune system in protecting the body from infection. It
reduces the risk factor related to skin cancer.
Drug name: Dabrafenib (Tafinlar®) + Trametinib (Mekinist®) are the two drugs that can
be used in treating and curing patient suffering from Melanoma. These drugs can assist in
slowing down the growth of cancer cells in body. Dabrefenib blocks the development of cancer
molecules in body. They make sure that these diseased cells are not being developed into
Melanoma tumour. This can assist health care professional or oncologist in improvising the
health outcome of patients suffering from this type of skin cancer. Trametinin blocks down the
activities related to enzyme molecules and ensure that immune system of patient is being
strengthened so that it can stop the growth of cancer cells in body (Galon et.al., (2016). These
drugs can only be taken by service users when prescribed by their health care professionals or
oncologist. It has been analysed that currently there are less of drugs been used to treat
Melanoma, but these drugs are FDA approved and is being used by various health care
professionals in curing skin cancer.
Mechanism of action: The immune checkpoint inhibitors have significant impact on overall
survival rate of patient going through Melanoma. These drugs when used to cure skin cancer
targets tumour cells and work towards strengthening immune system. It has been analysed that
understanding of Pharmacodynamics is really essential in treating skin cancer and also so that
safety can be provided by giving ICI to patients suffering from Melanoma. It has been analysed
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that Dabrafenib must be given over a dosage of 1-20 mg (Pérez-Guijarro et.al., (2020). It has
been analysed that participants needs to be provided with dosage of 1200 mg in every 3 week.
The dosage provided is solely dependent on burden of tumour. These drugs are been effective on
most of the participants who have taken part in this study.
Pharmacokinetics: It has been analyzed that Melanoma can be cured by making use of
immunotherapy drugs. It is one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer which can be faced by
patients. This disease can spread from moles to any part in body. Previously it was being
incurable. Melanoma is most immunologic cancer. The immune drugs can have tight control
over the tissues in immune system, so that they can prevent attack of diseased tissues in all over
body. Immunotherapy is different from chemotherapy; in this the body of patient does not
become weak. It provides strength to body so that diseased molecules can be outbreak.
Route of administration: There are several routes through which these immune therapy
drugs can be transected into body of patient suffering from Melanoma. Mostly these drugs are
being given from injection route. Dabrafenib mesylat is been given to those service users with
the help of injection who have gone through Melanoma surgery in order to remove the node of
skin. This drug is also been given for treating various other type of cancer.
Contradictions and Side effects: It has been analyzed that participants suffering from
Melanoma has various type of contradiction and side effects related to this immune therapy drug.
It has been analyzed that many patient has suffer from problem such as headache, nausea and
vomiting (Immunotherapy for Melanoma, (2015). They have also faced keen pain in abdominal
and can also go through improper bowel movement. It has been analyzed that this drug only
needs to be taken when it is been prescribed or given by oncologist. In this the health care
professional can lower down the dosage provided of immune therapy drug to service user. They
can also face syndrome such as arthralgia, papilloma. It can worsen the health outcome of patient
if not provided with proper precautions.
Important drug interactions
There are various limitations of use related to Dabrafenib mesylat. It is not been given to
patients who are been suffering from wild-type BRAF Melanoma (Briquez et.al., (2019). If given
in this type than it can have severe impact on health outcome of patients. It might lead to
possible side effects. It has also been analyzed that while consuming this drug they must not used
alcohol as it can cause negative effect on body.
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Lifestyle, exercise, therapy, or physical considerations
It has been analysed that during the time of treatment of Melanoma, it is really necessary for
patient to be engaged in doing physical exercise. They can be involved in doing yoga and
aerobics. This will assist them in improvising their quality of life. Also patients can engaged in
following various life style changes such as consume healthy diet full of nutrient and fibre. They
should also reduce consumption of alcohol.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it has been summarised that various environmental and genetic factors
giving rise to this type of skin cancer. It has also been analysed that Melanoma can be cause to
service user because of exposure to highly ultra violet rays. It has also been analysed that
Melanoma has been cured by making use of immunotherapy. This has assisted health care
professionals in improvising the health outcome of patients suffering from skin cancer. It has
also been analyzed that patient can also engaged in changing their life style so that diseased cells
does not growth further.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Briquez, P. S., Hauert, S., Repond, G., Swartz, M. A., & Hubbell, J. A. (2019). Exploiting host
pre-existing immunity for melanoma cancer immunotherapy.
Galon, J., Fox, B. A., Bifulco, C. B., Masucci, G., Rau, T., Botti, G., ... & Capone, M. (2016).
Immunoscore and Immunoprofiling in cancer: an update from the melanoma and
immunotherapy bridge 2015.
Zhu, Z., Liu, W., & Gotlieb, V. (2016). The rapidly evolving therapies for advanced melanoma
—towards immunotherapy, molecular targeted therapy, and beyond. Critical reviews in
oncology/hematology, 99, 91-99.
Pérez-Guijarro, E., Yang, H. H., Araya, R. E., El Meskini, R., Michael, H. T., Vodnala, S. K., ...
& Thorkelsson, A. (2020). Multimodel preclinical platform predicts clinical response of
melanoma to immunotherapy. Nature Medicine, 1-11.
Franklin, C., Livingstone, E., Roesch, A., Schilling, B., & Schadendorf, D. (2017).
Immunotherapy in melanoma: recent advances and future directions. European Journal
of Surgical Oncology (EJSO), 43(3), 604-611.
Online
Immunotherapy for Melanoma. 2015. [ONLINE]. Available through:
<https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/107327480200900104>
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