Meet the editors

Sonia Maciá is an ESMO-certified medical oncologist. She obtained a master's degree in pharmacoeconomics from Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona and a Ph.D. in lung cancer from the University Miguel Hernández. She has an Executive MBA from EAE/University of Barcelona. Dr. Maciá worked as a practicing medical oncologist for nine years and then decided to devote her career to clinical research. After working for

different CROs, she joined Highlight Therapeutics to work on clinical development for intratumoral immunotherapies. Currently, Dr. Maciá is Executive Medical Director at LAVA Therapeutics, working on early development with several immunotherapies for solid and hematologic malignancies. Dr. Maciá has submitted more than 40 abstracts to international conferences, published more than 30 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and authored six book chapters.

Eduardo Castañón, is an ESMO-certified medical oncologist. He obtained his Ph.D. in lung cancer at the University of Navarra, a master's degree in research methods from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, a master's degree in molecular oncology from Universidad Rey Juan Carlos and a master's degree in big-data science from the University of Navarra. Following two years spent in the Early Phase I Trial Unit in Gustave Roussy

(DITEP), supervised by Professor Jean Charles Soria, he is currently working in the Phase I trial Unit in Clínica Universidad de Navarra. Dr. Castañón is the author of more than 50 papers and several book chapters and has contributed over 50 abstracts to international conferences.

## Contents



Preface

Melanoma is a severe type of skin cancer originating in cells called melanocytes. Despite being less prevalent than other skin tumors, melanoma is more deadly due to its tendency to migrate to other organs without rapid and early treatment.

This book presents the most relevant and up-to-date aspects of the epidemiology, diagnosis, biomarkers and treatment of melanoma, including specific sections on prognostic features and novel therapies, as well as particular clinical situations leading to a poor prognosis, such as brain metastases, or specific scenarios, such as

An accurate diagnosis is key and will determine both the prognosis and treatment landscape for each patient. The histopathological diagnosis of malignant melanoma remains the gold standard allowing the patient to access the entire diagnostic-therapeutic assistance process. Standard approaches are examined, as well as challenging situations which remain complex to diagnose. The various criteria used

As a systemic treatment, immunotherapy is part of the new therapeutic options that have significantly improved the prognosis of metastatic melanoma patients. The book reviews traditional immunotherapeutic approaches and focuses on immune checkpoint inhibitors such as anti-CTLA-4 inhibitors, anti-PD-1 inhibitors in monotherapy or in combination (dual immune blockade), presenting the key data that have achieved regulatory approval for current standard immunotherapies. Other systemic treatment options are also summarized, and a treatment algorithm based on American (NCCN) and European (ESMO) guidelines is provided, underlining the first, second and subsequent lines of treatment for both melanoma subtypes (BRAF wild type and mutated) and for particular cases, such as in-transit metastasis or brain metastasis. Special attention is given to treatment options for early and late disease progression (primary and acquired resistance

Beyond the standard approved treatments, recent advances in melanoma are also presented in this book. Systemic and local treatments undergoing clinical development, with their mechanisms of action, are included, together with preliminary or final results that have been presented, most of them in terms of response rate. Research has dramatically improved the prognosis in these patients, and we must

uveal melanoma.

after adjuvant therapy).

by dermatopathologists are also discussed.
