Justin Moser, MD, from the HonorHealth Research Institute Melanoma Clinic, shares the latest clinical therapies for skin cancer and ocular melanoma
I believe all patients deserve access to the newest and most advanced cancer therapies. At the HonorHealth Research Institute Melanoma Clinic, we are a dedicated team of researchers and physicians who specialize in treating all types of cancers, including melanoma and skin cancer. We provide access to the latest therapies and clinical trials in the Southwest, with the most treatment options for cancers not responding to traditional therapies.
Melanoma – a common cancer in Arizona
Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and often the easiest to treat, but not always. Melanoma is an aggressive cancer that arises from the pigmented cells, or melanocytes, of the skin. When it’s caught early, melanoma may be cured with surgery. However, if melanoma spreads to lymph nodes or other parts of the body, treatment is more challenging.
In sunny Arizona, melanoma is exceptionally common. The HonorHealth Research Institute Melanoma Clinic is a leader in clinical trials and offers the most in-depth treatment options for patients with all types of advanced melanoma. We are one of the few places in the state that offers FDA-approved injectable treatments for advanced melanoma.
Ocular melanoma – one of the rarest cancers
Among the subtypes of melanoma, one of the rarest and particularly most malignant is melanoma of the eye, or uveal melanoma. Like the skin, eyes have melanin-producing cells and can develop melanoma. And like melanoma of the skin, uveal melanoma can spread to anywhere in the body, most commonly to the liver.
With a survival rate of just over one year, uveal melanoma is a difficult cancer to treat, with only one in 10 patients who respond to traditional treatments. Currently, we offer seven clinical trials for refractory uveal melanoma — the largest number of clinical trials in Arizona. ASTEROIDS is a new technology that is being developed for HonorHealth Research Institute patients with uveal melanoma. It stands for “Apparatus to Stimulate Tumor Environment and Reproduce Organs by using an Interactive and Dynamic System.” It’s being developed by the Center for Applied NanoBioscience and Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix, in collaboration with Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company.