What can the advanced melanoma patient expect at their first meeting with the oncologist?

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KimMargolinMD (Physician - Oncology - Hematology/Oncology (Verified) ) - 08 / 06 / 2012

Depending on whether the site of this visit is in an academic or a private setting, the patient will be assessed for therapies with either a clinical trial (always the superior option for this disease, especially for first-line therapy) or with standard, approved therapies that depend on several features of the case. Staging of the melanoma to find all possible sites of involvement, including the brain, will be completed if not previously done. Mutational analysis, at the very least for BRAF mutation which determines the possibility of using vemurafenib at some point, will be obtained or reviewed if already performed. Other mutations can be looked for but may not have an active therapy until more drugs have been studied and approved in melanoma. After a thorough history and physical examination followed by a full review of laboratory results, radiographic and pathologic data, the oncologist will come up with a recommendation for therapy and discuss it with the patient and family, making sure to provide a good rationale for any recommended therapy and allow ample time for questions from the patient and all of the patient’s caregivers.
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