Beta-Glucan for Melanoma
This study is evaluating whether a specific type of fiber may help improve the immune system in individuals with melanoma.
See full descriptionAbout the trial for Melanoma
Treatment Groups
This trial involves 2 different treatments. Beta-Glucan is the primary treatment being studied. Participants will all receive the same treatment. There is no placebo group. The treatments being tested are not being studied for commercial purposes.
About The Treatment
Eligibility
This trial is for patients born any sex aged 18 and older. There are 7 eligibility criteria to participate in this trial as listed below.
Approximate Timelines
Measurement Requirements
This trial is evaluating whether Beta-Glucan will improve 6 primary outcomes in patients with Melanoma. Measurement will happen over the course of Blood for analysis will be drawn at baseline (Day 0), 3 weeks post pembrolizumab treatment, and 3 weeks post pembrolizumab plus oral beta-glucan treatment..
Patient Q & A Section
Can melanoma be cured?
Melanoma is highly curable. The key to cure is early diagnosis and excision of the disease. With metastatic melanoma, curative surgery combined with appropriate adjuvant chemotherapy remains a treatment option to prolong life in the remaining days.
How many people get melanoma a year in the United States?
The incidence of all cancer may be higher because only the most important forms of cancer, such as breast and colorectal cancer, are captured by cancer registries. The most substantial increase in cancer is melanoma, because of the rapid increase in incidence of this potentially avoidable cancer. Because of the poor survival in melanoma, it is likely that some of the cases identified as "no survival" by the registries are not clinically significant.
What is melanoma?
The number of reported melanomas has doubled in the UK in the last ten years, reaching a level equivalent to the total number reported in the US, though many UK cases have not been diagnosed, or have been misdiagnosed. This is a worrying development. The average age of diagnosis of melanoma has declined markedly in the UK in the last 40 to 50 years. There are very good reasons for this reduction: improved reporting rates and the emergence of signs and symptoms, which is not the case in the US. Both these factors result in earlier recognition and treatment. The UK could lose 50 to 80% of its remaining melanomas by 2012.
What are the signs of melanoma?
There are 3 major signs of melanoma: itching, color change to a darker color and a mole or tumor. The presence of ulcers, a history of sun exposure and family history of melanoma may be helpful in an early diagnosis of melanoma.
What causes melanoma?
Most melanomas are acquired, whereas those caused by mutation have other genetic causes of susceptibility to metastasis and worse prognosis. Non-responding tumors have high mutation rates. Immunotherapy against melanoma is usually effective against metastatic melanomas, although it is important to monitor mutations and metastasis.
What are common treatments for melanoma?
Multiple options for treatment of melanoma exist for most Stage M melanomas. Survival for patients diagnosed in the United States was best when treatment was most likely to be provided by a multidisciplinary team. Patients of a more specific age, with Stage M lesions not of brain metastatic nature, or with melanoma of a primary site that was unlikely to recur after surgery should have more definitive, long term management options available.
What is the average age someone gets melanoma?
Melanomas occur at a younger age and in more Caucasian areas. This suggests that environmental effects are important. It can be a coincidence but people that get melanomas develop them at an age when they have been at their lowest point of productivity. The number of years that we have been having people around the people with melanoma is getting worse, and people are now at their lowest point.
What is the latest research for melanoma?
Melanoma may not be a type of cancer, but rather a group of very diverse cancers which have developed differently and therefore, may have different treatments available for their control. There are many more potential treatments than have ever been reported so if a “march in the valley” type of treatment for melanoma occurs, it will take a lot of work to understand which treatments work best for each patient and type of melanoma. One possible treatment is ipilimumab (called “anti-CTLA-4”).
What does beta-glucan usually treat?
Beta-Glucan has the potential to treat cancers of various types. There is still one condition where beta-glucans are well established as anti-cancer agents, even though the mechanism is unknown so far, and that is melanoma. Although there is the potential for a similar mechanism to be involved, an established treatment does not necessarily mean there needs to be a definitive mechanism. Thus, for those with melanomas, if a conventional anti-melanoma regimen is not effective in treating the melanoma, the introduction of betablockers as an adjunct to the therapy is an option worth considering.
Who should consider clinical trials for melanoma?
People can understand, and some find it a very positive step in getting treatment given to them for a debilitating disease. Clinical trials seem to be a good thing, especially in countries with a relatively limited healthcare system. There are many different types of clinical trials out there, but some basic guidelines such as the NCI-defined types of clinical trials, a list of patient demographics and some common cancers can help understand where the trial will be most helpful. Clinical trials for melanoma and the more common types of cancer often take place at large, multi-center, trials. There is usually a designated principal investigator who oversees all aspects of the study. One of the most common things of clinical trials is the use of placebo arms.
What are the latest developments in beta-glucan for therapeutic use?
There is active research to improve the therapeutic window of beta-glucan. Also, with the development of a beta-glc-glycolipid conjugate, the therapeutic window could be widened by overcoming the effect of the immunogenicity. Moreover, a new therapy with a liposomal formulation of beta-glucans could broaden the therapeutic window of beta-glucan. These are some of the current trends in beta-glucan for therapeutic use.
Have there been any new discoveries for treating melanoma?
The recent development of a BRAF (B-Raf/BRAF) inhibitor trametinib in early-stage melanoma is promising in that it might delay the development of resistance and hence could prolong survival after initial treatment failure.