Some melanoma treatment breakthrough was revealed to the public last year. Two of the most popular melanoma treatment breakthroughs were that which involves the drug called as PLX4032 and Ipilimumab.

Ipilimumab

Ipilimumab is a type of human monoclonal antibody which targets CTLA-4, a key negative regulator of the immune response system of the body against the spread of tumor cells. By increasing the amount of ipilimumab in the body through immunotherapy, more antibodies can combat the spread of these tumor cells in the body. Thus, it may not only result to treatment for melanoma but also to other variety of advanced cancers.

Ipilimumab is a very promising melanoma treatment breakthrough of Bristol-Myers Squibb and was formally presented to the public during the 2010 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology held in Chicago. The results of these melanoma treatment breakthrough was published on the 5^th of  June in the New England Journal of Medicine wherein it showed improved health conditions of patients with late stage melanoma.

PLX4032

This drug is another melanoma treatment breakthrough which was co-developed by Roche Pharmaceuticals and Plexxicon. The result of this experimental drug was also published in New England Journal of Medicine in its August 26, 2010 edition through the initiative of its lead author Dr. Keith Flaherty of Massachussets General Hospital in Boston.

This melanoma treatment breakthrough extends aid to survival patients of patients who are dying of advance melanoma. In their study, 81% of melanoma patients that has BRAF-gene have positively responded to the PLX4032. This positive response lasted for two to eighteen months but is yet to be improved for it becomes a cure against advanced stages of melanoma.

There may be other alternative melanoma treatment breakthrough that have are yet to be tested by different pharmaceutical companies. The public still awaits its formal revelation but patients of advance melanoma are always hopeful that the wonder drug which will help them cure this disease will soon be discovered.