New Adjuvant Therapies on the Horizon

ANNETTE CYR Three-time melanoma survivor. Chair & Founder,
Melanoma Network of Canada with Dr. Butler MD, Medical Oncologist, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network.
At MNC Toronto Melanoma Information Session 2018

Since 2012, melanoma patients in Canada have seen new and effective treatment therapies introduced for metastatic melanoma, stage IIIC/D and stage IV unresectable disease, giving us hope for survival. However, fully resected patients in earlier stages IIIA/B with no current evidence of disease but at high risk for recurrence, have had little therapeutic options beyond surgery. Dr. Scott Ernst, medical oncologist at London Health Sciences, at one of our patient information sessions, indicated that at initial diagnosis, 80% of melanoma patients had localized disease that had not spread and another 12% had regional disease – melanoma that spread beyond the primary site to lymph nodes.

The need is substantial. Of the 80% localized disease, Dr. Ernst commented that up to one-third would develop a recurrence of disease and of the 12% regional disease, up to a half would have a recurrence. Those are pretty high numbers and for the patient community, having options for treatments beyond surgery that work to potentially prevent a recurrence and spread of disease is crucial.

This fall, we anticipate a number of the immunotherapies and targeted drug therapies will be moving forward for review through Health Canada and through the pan-Canadian Oncology Drug Review to hopefully provide access to the earlier stage III patients. Earlier this month, Melanoma Network of Canada released a patient and caregiver survey in anticipation of submissions of the targeted therapy combination Dabrafenib and Mekinist and as well as an immunotherapy. If you haven’t had the opportunity to complete the survey, please check our website or send an email directly to acyr@melanomanetwork.ca or contact us directly for further information 1-800-560-8035. Your voice in this process could mean the difference in having access to earlier treatment intervention. I know how important this issue is for all of us.

Clinical Trials – A few quick words. As of August 15, 2018, there was approximately 96 different trials running for melanoma across the country. Of course, the larger cancer treatment centres offer a significantly greater number of clinical trials than smaller hospitals – Princess Margaret in Toronto has 55 trials running; Cross Cancer in Edmonton has 22; Jewish General in Montreal has 23 and Ottawa has 17. Many of these trials may not be appropriate for your needs or stage of disease, but it is a reminder to keep asking.

If something is not available at your treatment centre, then it may be a consideration for you to look at other treatment centres or even out of province. You can also check out www.cancerview.ca which has a listing of all current clinical trials in Canada. You can search by disease, by drug therapy, by province, by treatment centre etc. and you can also set up notifications for your personal needs for any new trials being listed.

Strides for Melanoma National Walk – September 23. I know where I will be on Sunday, September 23rd and I hope you will join hands with all of us. Our organization relies on donations from our patient community to operate effectively and work on your behalf. Our organization helps thousands of folks yearly, and puts out the best and most current resources on melanoma available in Canada. MNC provides an important patient voice when it comes to drug access, clinical trial design and access and an important influencer in prevention of this disease. We hope you will agree – every dollar makes a difference!

Chair & Founder, Melanoma Network of Canada

CLINICAL TRIALS

For those seeking clinical trials in Canada, you can visit the Canadian-based registry for cancer trials at Canadian Cancer Trials. www.canadiancancertrials.ca/ or in the US at www.clinicaltrials.gov/ and www.Clinical Trials.gov
For more information on clinical trials visit www.melanomanetwork.ca/clinical-trials or call 1-877-560-8035