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| | Skin: Melanoma More info on this condition |
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| | Biological Therapy (Immunotherapy) |
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| | Treatment that boosts the ability of the body's immune system to fight disease is called biological therapy (or immunotherapy). This form of treatment often involves the use of substances called biological response modifiers (BRMs), which are normally produced by the body in small amounts in response to infection and disease. Scientists can produce BRMs in large amounts for use in cancer treatment. Interleukin-2 and interferon are two BRMs being tested against advanced melanoma in clinical trials.
Doctors do not yet know for certain whether chemotherapy or biological therapy given soon after surgery can extend life by preventing melanoma from recurring. Doctors may suggest that certain patients who are at high risk for recurrence, such as those whose melanoma is deep or has spread to nearby tissues, take part in a clinical trial for one of these treatment
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