Twin Treatment Could Be Used Increase Survival Rates In Advanced Melanoma

"Patients with resected Stage IV melanoma can do a lot better than we thought," said lead researcher Dr. Jeffrey S. Weber of the USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles. "We would want to do at least that well, if not better, in any future

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trials." The study followed 41 patients with advanced melanoma. All patients were treated with peptide vaccines after resection of distant sites of disease. It was found that 5-year survival rate was 45 percent, while survival after enrollment in the trial was 3.8 years. Weber and colleagues say that the median survival rate in melanoma is 7 to 9 months. However, the current study shows that it could be improved by using peptide vaccine therapy.