Investigational Therapies

People with very advanced melanoma (Stage IV) cannot be cured. These patients often enroll in clinical trials that test new and investigational therapies. There is no guarantee that an investigational therapy will be better than treatments already in use. A new treatment may also have unknown risks. But if a new treatment proves to be effective, patients in a clinical trial may be among the first people to benefit from it.

If you would like to learn more about clinical trials for investigational therapies for melanoma, visit www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Glossary
Chemotherapy
The treatment of cancer (or other disease) with chemicals that are toxic to the cancer cells.
Immune System
The body mechanisms that fight disease by recognizing and neutralizing foreign cells.
Immunotherapy
A form of therapy that stimulates the immune system to kill or control cancer cells. Also called biochemical therapy or biotherapy.
Melanoma
A highly malignant type of skin cancer that arises in melanocytes, the cells that produce pigment. Melanoma usually begins in a mole.
Tumor
An abnormal mass of tissue that results from excessive cell division. Tumors perform no useful body function. They may either be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).