A new research paper was published in Oncotarget's Volume 13 on December 29, 2022, entitled, “Impact of Covid-19 on the management of patients with metastatic melanoma.”

The Covid-19 pandemic created new uncertainties in the management of metastatic melanoma patients. In particular, the impact of immunotherapy, targeted therapy or chemotherapy on the risk of Sars-CoV-2 infection and severity was debated. 

In this study, researchers Michèle Welti, Phil F. Cheng, Joanna Mangana, Mitchell P. Levesque, Reinhard Dummer, and Laurence Imhof from University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich and ETH Zurich analyzed all patients with metastatic melanoma receiving therapy at the Department of Dermatology at the University Hospital Zürich who developed Covid-19 between February 2020 and February 2022.

“We retrospectively collected demographic data, cancer-specific parameters, melanoma treatment regimen, comorbidities and Covid-19-specific parameters in these patients.” 

Of the 350 patients with metastatic melanoma, 25 had Covid-19. The median age at the time of Covid-19 diagnosis was 66 years (range 36–86), 10 patients were female and 15 patients were male. The treatment regimen during infection was immunotherapy in 12 cases, followed by targeted therapy (n = 8), chemotherapy (n = 2) and TVEC injections, follow-up and palliative therapy in 1 case each. 

The severity was mild in 17 patients and 8 had a moderate to critical course. Patients with a severe Covid-19 course were often older and had more comorbidities than patients with a mild infection. Many of the patients had a mild Covid-19 course despite having metastatic melanoma and systemic therapy. 

“We therefore recommend continuing systemic therapy whenever possible, even in such exceptional situations as the Covid-19 pandemic.”

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28333 

Correspondence to: Michèle Welti - michele.welti@uzh.ch 

Keywords: metastatic melanoma, Covid-19, Sars-CoV-2, immunotherapy, targeted therapy

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Oncotarget

Impact of Covid-19 on Management of Patients With Metastatic Melanoma

Listen to a blog summary on a trending editorial published in Volume 14 of Oncotarget: “To be or not to be: the role of CD56 in multiple myeloma.”
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Multiple myeloma (MM) is a type of blood cancer that affects plasma cells in the bone marrow. These plasma cells, which are responsible for producing antibodies, become abnormal and begin to grow uncontrollably. This results in a buildup of abnormal cells in the bone marrow, leading to decreased production of healthy blood cells, bone damage and a host of other symptoms. MM is incredibly heterogenic, and this variability often leads to unsatisfactory long-term treatment outcomes in many patients with MM. Targets for new treatments and biomarkers of response are needed to improve patient outcomes. 

In a new editorial paper published in Oncotarget, researchers Francesca Cottini and Don Benson from The Ohio State University discuss a 2022 research paper they co-authored in which CD56 (or neuronal cell adhesion molecule; NCAM1) was thoroughly described as a biomarker and therapeutic target in multiple myeloma. On January 26, 2023, their editorial about this research paper was published in Oncotarget, entitled, “To be or not to be: the role of CD56 in multiple myeloma.”

“Among others, CD56 is present at variable levels in approximately 70% of patients with multiple myeloma; however, very little is known about CD56 role in multiple myeloma.” (2022 Cottini et al.)

Full blog - https://www.oncotarget.org/2023/02/02/the-importance-of-cd56-in-the-fight-against-multiple-myeloma/

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28350 (PDF Download)

Correspondence to - Francesca Cottini - Francesca.cottini@osumc.edu

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Keywords - myeloma, targeted therapies, CD56, signaling

About Oncotarget

Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form, and then quickly released to Pubmed. On September 15, 2022, Oncotarget was accepted again for indexing by MEDLINE. Oncotarget is now indexed by Medline/PubMed and PMC/PubMed.

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The Importance of CD56 in the Fight Against Multiple Myeloma

A new case report was published in Oncotarget's Volume 14 on July 7, 2023, entitled, “Intrathoracic synovial sarcoma with BRAF V600E mutation.”

Synovial sarcoma (SS) is a highly malignant mesenchymal tumor that occurs mainly in adolescents and young adults. The treatment of SS is multimodal, involving surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The overall prognosis is generally quite satisfactory in children and adolescents with localized SS at diagnosis. However, the outcome remains poor for patients who relapse, with a reported 5-year post-relapse survival of around 30%.

In this new paper, researchers Ida Russo, Sabina Barresi, Pier Luigi Di Paolo, Valentina Di Ruscio, Giada Del Baldo, Annalisa Serra, Silvia Vallese, Evelina Miele, Angela Mastronuzzi, Rita Alaggio, Andrea Ferrari, and Giuseppe Maria Milano from Italy’s Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) report the case of a 15-year-old boy with intrathoracic synovial sarcoma who relapsed after standard chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy. The molecular analysis of the tumor identified a BRAF V600E mutation at time of progression of relapsed disease under third line systemic treatment. 

This mutation is commonly seen in melanomas and papillary thyroid cancers, but less prevalent (typically <5%) across a variety of other cancer types. The patient underwent selective BRAF inhibitor Vemurafenib treatment achieving partial response (PR) with a progression free survival (PFS) ratio of 1.6 months and an overall survival of 19 months, alive in continuous PR. This case highlights the role of routine next generation sequencing (NGS) used to drive treatment choice and to investigate SS tumors for BRAF mutations.

“Our data highlight the importance of implementing molecular tests in SS patients to evaluate BRAF mutational actual incidence in these neoplasms.”

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.28475

Correspondence to - Giuseppe Maria Milano - giuseppemaria.milano@opbg.net

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Keywords - synovial sarcoma, next-generation sequencing, BRAF V600E mutation, targeted therapy

About Oncotarget

Oncotarget (a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal) aims to maximize research impact through insightful peer-review; eliminate borders between specialties by linking different fields of oncology, cancer research and biomedical sciences; and foster application of basic and clinical science.

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Case Report: Intrathoracic Synovial Sarcoma With BRAF V600E Mutation

Case Report: Intrathoracic Synovial Sarcoma with BRAF V600E Mutation

What if we could fight cancer like a sniper—targeting only the enemy, sparing the innocent? Researchers at Wroclaw Medical University are revolutionizing pediatric oncology with a novel approach that combines a natural marine compound—jasplakinolide—with electroporation, a technique that opens up cancer cells using precise electric pulses.

In this episode, we dive into: The science of precision therapy 
✔️ How electroporation allows ultra-targeted drug delivery 
✔️ Why jasplakinolide could be a breakthrough in fighting aggressive childhood cancers like rhabdomyosarcoma 
✔️ How healthy cells are spared while cancer cells collapse from within 
✔️ What this could mean for the future of chemotherapy-free treatments

This content was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) tools: DeepDive (Notebook LM, Google).

Precision at the level of the cell - Electrical impulses versus striated muscle

Leading in medical research and education, Wrocław Medical University drives innovation in health sciences and clinical advancements. Based in Wrocław, Poland.

Oncotarget is a primarily oncology-focused, peer-reviewed, open access journal. Papers are published continuously within yearly volumes in their final and complete form and then quickly released to Pubmed.

Oncotarget is now indexed by MEDLINE, PubMed and PMC/PubMed.

Read about the Oncotarget Scientific Integrity Process: https://www.oncotarget.com/scientific_integrity/

New tracks tagged #targetedtherapy