Global disease prevalence: Melanoma is a highly malignant skin tumor worldwide; incidence is higher among Caucasians and has shown an upward trend in recent years.
Staging and treatment of melanoma
Early treatment (when the tumor is localized and small, yielding good results)
involving wide surgical resection of the lesion—can effectively control tumor progression; patients diagnosed at an early stage generally have a relatively favorable prognosis.
Intermediate-stage treatment (addressing local spread, inhibiting growth, and delaying progression)
employs a comprehensive approach—such as surgery combined with immunotherapy—to control further tumor spread and slow the rate of disease deterioration.
Treatment for advanced disease (distant metastasis; aimed at symptom relief and survival prolongation)
primarily employs systemic therapies such as immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and others to alleviate clinical symptoms and extend patient survival as much as possible.
Why choose Fosun Health for melanoma treatment
Fosun Health’s melanoma diagnosis and treatment services are managed by a specialized skin oncology center; the team has accumulated extensive experience in targeted therapy guided by genetic testing, immunotherapy, and sentinel lymph node biopsy.Leveraging a global medical network, patients have access to cutting-edge international treatment options, including targeted therapy with BRAF/MEK inhibitors, PD-1/CTLA-4 immune checkpoint inhibitors, CyberKnife M6 stereotactic radiosurgery for brain metastases, and TIL cell therapy.
For complex cases such as advanced melanoma or melanoma with brain metastases, a multidisciplinary team (MDT)—comprising experts in medical oncology, dermatologic surgery, neurosurgery, and radiation oncology—collaborates to formulate the optimal treatment plan; a cross-border consultation mechanism enables patients to obtain second opinions from leading international centers.
Foshan Fosun Chancheng Hospital is equipped with the CyberKnife M6 precision radiotherapy system, enabling stereotactic radiosurgery for melanoma brain metastases. The hospital has extensive experience in combined targeted and immunotherapies for melanoma;by utilizing genetic testing to guide personalized medication, it significantly improves survival rates and quality of life for patients with advanced-stage disease.
Melanoma treatment methods
1.Wide excision of melanoma
For localized cutaneous melanoma, the safe excision margin is typically determined based on tumor thickness and other pathological factors; sentinel lymph node biopsy may be performed in some patients for regional lymph node staging.
Treatment advantages:
① Local control: Direct resection of the primary melanoma.
② Clarify pathology: An intact specimen can be used to evaluate key pathological indicators such as tumor thickness, ulceration, and margins.
③ Staging assessment: Sentinel lymph node biopsy helps determine the presence of micrometastases in regional lymph nodes.
④ Guides subsequent treatment: Pathological staging results can provide a basis for postoperative adjuvant therapy and follow-up protocols.
2.CyberKnife precision radiotherapy
For certain cases of unresectable local recurrence, metastatic lesions, or specific brain metastases, CyberKnife precision radiotherapy may be evaluated based on lesion location, number, and prior treatment history.
Treatment advantages:
① Precision irradiation: Deliver high-precision radiotherapy targeting clearly defined localized lesions.
② Non-surgical treatment: No traditional surgical resection required.
③ Applicable to local lesions: Can serve as a local treatment option for select oligometastatic lesions in the brain, lungs, and other sites.
④ Local control: Can be used for select cases of local recurrence or residual lesions.
3. VitalBeam linear accelerator precision radiotherapy
For certain cases of unresectable local recurrence, residual lesions, or specific metastatic lesions, precision radiotherapy may be evaluated based on tumor location and the condition of surrounding normal tissues.
Treatment advantages:
① Precision irradiation: Formulate an individualized radiotherapy plan based on the extent of the lesion.
② Dose optimization: Improves target area coverage and minimizes radiation exposure to surrounding normal tissues.
③ Applicable to specific lesions: Can be used for select lesions that are unresectable or require local control.
④ Combination therapy: May be used in combination with regimens such as immunotherapy or targeted therapy, depending on the disease stage.
4.Immunotherapy
Activates the body's immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells, providing an effective treatment option for patients with advanced melanoma.
5.Targeted therapy
Precision targeting of specific gene mutations, such as BRAF, offers good efficacy with manageable side effects, making it suitable for patients with these specific mutations.
6.Chemotherapy
Anti-cancer drugs such as dacarbazine are used to kill cancer cells and effectively control the rate of tumor progression;this approach is commonly used for patients with advanced-stage disease.
7.Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy
Extracting the patient's own tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, expanding them *in vitro*, and reinfusing them provides an immunotherapy option for patients with advanced-stage disease.
8.Comprehensive therapy
Formulate an individualized comprehensive treatment plan—combining surgery, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and other modalities based on the patient's specific condition—to enhance therapeutic efficacy.
9.Supportive care
Approaches such as nutritional support, psychological counseling, and symptom management can comprehensively improve the patient's physical condition and quality of life.
Post-treatment care
After treatment, you must avoid direct sunlight and use sunscreen, maintain a regular daily routine, attend regular follow-up appointments as instructed, and actively cooperate with subsequent treatment.
Post-treatment examinations
Periodic skin examinations, lymph node palpation, and follow-up imaging are required after treatment to timely detect local recurrence or distant metastasis.
Conclusion
Melanoma poses an extremely serious threat; the key to treatment lies in early detection, diagnosis, and intervention, as well as selecting an appropriate treatment plan and adhering to follow-up care.
