Michael A. Postow, MD

Panelists discuss the critical role of patient education and multidisciplinary coordination in managing immunotherapy side effects, emphasizing proactive symptom monitoring, timely communication, tailored support, and collaborative care led by the oncologist to ensure safe and effective toxicity management.

Panelists discuss the importance of vigilant, patient-centered monitoring for metastatic melanoma patients with high disease burden on immunotherapy, emphasizing clear communication about variable treatment responses, proactive symptom tracking, differentiation of true progression from pseudoprogression, and integration of clinical assessments with biomarkers like lactate dehydrogenase and circulating tumor DNA to guide optimal care.

This is an actor portrayal of a hypothetical patient profile developed for educational purposes based on characteristics of patients with multiple myeloma as seen in clinical practice. The hypothetical case was co-developed by staff medical writers with Cancer Network/ONN.

Panelists discuss treatment considerations for metastatic melanoma with high tumor burden, highlighting the preference for immune checkpoint combinations like nivolumab with relatlimab for durable responses, insights from the RELATIVITY-020 trial supporting standard-dose relatlimab due to its safety and efficacy balance, and emerging LAG-3 agents such as fianlimab that may influence future therapeutic strategies.

Each type of cancer treatment has its own adverse event (AE) profile, and BRAF and MEK inhibitors are no different.

Michael A. Postow, MD, medical oncologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses nurses’ roles in treating patients receiving immunotherapy, especially combination checkpoint blockades, which are typically associated with higher risks of adverse events.