Highlands Oncology Group To Offer New Clinical Trial For Some Melanoma Patients

Online, July 22, 2013 (Newswire.com) - Dr. J. Thaddeus Beck, of Highlands Oncology Group (HOG), will be conducting a clinical trial testing treatments for patients with melanoma carrying the NRAS mutation.

Melanoma is a rare but dangerous form of skin cancer. Melanoma accounts for less than 5 percent of skin cancer cases but causes a large majority of skin cancer deaths, according to the American Cancer Society (AMS). The AMS estimates that in 2013 about 76,690 people will be diagnosed with melanoma and about 9,480 people are expected to die of melanoma. The rates of melanoma have been rising for at least 30 years, according to the AMS.

Dr. Beck will be administering a trial explicitly for patients with melanoma who carry a NRAS mutation. The NRAS mutation is present in about 20 percent of malignant cases of melanoma. Dr. Beck recently attended a research investigators meeting in San Diego, Calif. to prepare HOG to start administering the trial.
HOG will be conducting a new personalized medicine program that will assist in the trial. The program uses next generation molecular sequencing to identify unique genetic mutations that can be targeted for treatment. The program provides free medicine to patients, involved in the trail, whose tumors carry particular genetic mutations. The drug MEK162 is part of the program and in recent studies has appeared to help the treatment of melanoma. Researchers hope that, in the future, MEK162 will provide a new option for a cancer with few effective treatments. HOG is the only provider of the program in Arkansas.

The exact cause of all melanomas is unknown. However, exposure to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight or tanning beds increases your risk of developing melanoma, according to the Mayo Clinic. Limiting your exposure to UV radiation can help reduce your risk of melanoma.

Highlands Oncology Group is a state-of-the-art facility with a world-class team of specialists that is committed to providing premier cancer treatment and to enhancing the quality of life of patients and their loved one in a friendly, comfortable environment right here in Northwest Arkansas, making it possible for 'They offer the latest technology of diagnostic imaging and radiation therapies, on-site labs, pharmacy and infusion center.'

They also offer access to clinical trials, multidisciplinary clinics and support groups. Highlands Oncology Group is helping patients win the battle against cancer every day.

For more information visit www.HighlandsOncologyGroup.com.