KLAS-TV Channel 8 News Las VegasSuccessful Melanoma Treatment For One Won't Cure All

Successful Melanoma Treatment For One Won't Cure All

A man was cured of a dangerous and an advanced form of skin cancer by an experimental treatment using his own immune cells. The report is in the New England Journal of Medicine. Eye on Health talked with a local cancer specialist about the treatment.

The year-round sunny skies over Southern Nevada contribute to an added risk of skin cancer. Las Vegas oncologist, Joseph Quagliana treats the most dangerous kind.

"But the melanoma is a very dangerous kind of tumor because it can rapidly grow. It can spread into the bloodstream and then spread throughout the body," he said. 

Despite its aggressive nature, U.S. researchers say they were able to cure a man of melanoma by using a vaccine made from his own immune cells. It's an experiment that's been tried before.

"And what they've done is to get cancer, melanoma cells themselves -- isolate 'em. And then try to inject them back into patients, try to stimulate their own immune system," said Dr. Quagliana.

Dr. Quagliana says one of the problems with this kind of treatment is what works for one person will not necessarily work for another. "A patient will do exceptionally well with the vaccine under an experimental program. But then the next large number of patients won't respond."

Vaccines made from a patient's own cells are just one of several treatments under investigation that are bringing scientists closer to finding cures for various forms of cancers.

"We learn to treat each disease a little bit better. We get more knowledge. And this is the way I think we're going to learn to finally wipe out the disease itself," said Dr. Quagliana.

Dr. Quagliana says until there is a universal cure for melanoma, early detection will remain the best way to treat it.

Watch for any unusual moles and include an occasional skin check with your doctor visit. Melanoma can show up practically anywhere on the body.

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