Medical Minute: New Therapy Helps Treating Patients With Melanoma

There is a new revolutionary therapy that has tumor-killing cells targeting melanoma.

As we head into summer, a reminder to put on sunscreen before you head out the door.

The latest stats from the American Cancer Society report that 100,000 people will be diagnosed with melanoma this year, with more than 8,000 dying.

Now, a revolutionary therapy is giving new hope to patients battling this disease.

Steve Balzer spent day after day, year after year outside working as an electric company lineman.

"Next thing I know this lump's popping up, it's maybe as big as your thumb," he said.

Then, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 melanoma, for patients like Steve, surgery is the main option.

"Skin cancer has never responded to the older chemotherapies. In the last ten years, we've seen dramatic advances with immunotherapies, but unfortunately, patients do progress after a period of time," Oncologist Ronan Kelly said.

Now, he is one of the first to use the newly FDA-approved TIL cellular therapy for patients with metastatic melanoma.

“It is a second-generation immunotherapy. It's utilizing their own immune cells, which have proven themselves to be stronger than their other immune cells," Dr. Kelly said.

TIL cells are immune cells that look for and attack cancer cells. This new therapy helps make a patient's TIL cells stronger, so they can beat cancer.

“What we do is, we take them from the tumor, we grow them in the laboratory, and we give them back as an infusion of their own strong immune cells to overwhelm the tumor," Dr. Kelly said.

He believes it may soon be the first treatment to treat other solid tumors that haven't responded to traditional treatments like surgery, radiation and chemo.

To cut your risk of getting melanoma, be sure to use sunscreen when you head outdoors and re-apply it frequently.

The CDC recommends an SPF of 15 or higher.

Also try to stay out of the sun from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. when UV rays tend to be strongest.

If you have a lot of moles, or moles that have abnormal shapes or colors, that can put you at risk for melanoma.

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Skin cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer, yet it remains one of the most common — and a recent survey finds not enough people are taking the right precautions, raising their risk.

The survey from the American Academy of Dermatology revealed more than one-third of adults reported getting a sunburn last year, the highest number since 2020. 

"A third of those sunburned reported a sunburn severe enough that their clothes were uncomfortable, and this was especially true among men," a news release noted.

On Melanoma Monday, a day of awareness observed May 6 this year, doctors are warning about the dangers of sunburns, which can raise the risk of developing skin cancer, including melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, later in life.

"Data shows a staggering truth: one in five Americans will be diagnosed with some form of skin cancer in their lifetime," Dr. Seemal R. Desai, dermatologist and president of the AAD, said in the release. "Everyone is at risk of developing skin cancer, especially if they don't take the necessary precautions."

What precautions do experts suggest? Reducing exposure to the sun and early detection is key. You can do this by:

1. Seeking shade, especially when the sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
2. Covering up with long, lightweight clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses with UV protection, when possible.
3. Using sunscreen with a broad spectrum SPF 30 or higher that you reapply every two hours.

Experts also suggest watching for changes to your skin.

Dr. Maral Skelsey of the Dermatologic Surgery Center of Washington urges her patients to do a head-to-toe self-check once a month. Red flags can include asymmetric borders of a mole, color change or a diameter larger than a pencil eraser.

"The number one thing to look for is something that is new or changing," she told CBS News. "Anything that is new or changing and stays there for about six weeks should be examined by your dermatologist."

It's also recommended for every American above age 18 gets an annual skin examination, Dr. Elizabeth Hale, associate professor of dermatology at NYU Langone and senior vice president of the Skin Cancer Foundation, previously told CBS News.

These exams can help detect skin cancer at its earliest stages when it's the most curable. 

"Melanoma at its earliest stage has a 99% cure rate," Skelsey adds.

Read more:

1. Sunscreen spots you may be forgetting, according to dermatologists
2. Are there "toxins" in your sunscreen? A dermatologist explains what you need to know.