Pharmacist's role in optimizing therapy of the newer agents for the treatment of metastatic melanoma

Abstract

SUMMARY  Metastatic melanoma is a disease with a historically dismal survival of 6–9 months with treatment. It is considered an incurable disease and resistant to conventional chemotherapy. We have learned much about the role of newer targets in the development of melanoma which has helped us in developing targeted therapy and improving immunotherapy for the treatment of melanoma. These new therapies have a different adverse event profile from conventional chemotherapy. We will define these and their management from the perspective of the oncology pharmacist. We will also discuss the role that the oncology pharmacist can play in optimizing therapy and side effect management in the multidisciplinary team treating patients that have unresectable or metastatic melanoma.