Authors' recommendations: Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that can appear anywhere on the body and usually begins with a mole. The back, legs and face are commonly affected areas of the body. Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer in the UK with a third of people diagnosed under the age of 55. Treatment of melanoma is often successful at first, but may begin to fail as the cancer spreads and enters end-stage disease. Masitinib is a new drug for the treatment of melanoma which is given as a tablet. Some studies have suggested masitinib may be helpful for people whose melanoma has one particular type of genetic mutation and whose disease has spread. More studies are now aiming to show how well it works and that it is safe to use. If masitinib is licensed for use in the UK, it could be a new treatment option that may improve survival in patients with end-stage disease.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2016

URL for published report: http://www.hsric.nihr.ac.uk/topics/masitinib-for-advanced-or-metastatic-malignant-melanoma-with-a-c-kit-juxtamembrane-mutation/

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: England, United Kingdom

Organisation Name: NIHR Horizon Scanning Centre

Contact Address: The NIHR Horizon Scanning Centre, Department of Public Health, Epidemiology, and Biostatistics, School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, 90 Vincent Drive, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2SP. United Kingdom. Tel: +44 121 414 7831, Fax: +44 121 2269

Contact Name: c.packer@bham.ac.uk

Contact Email: c.packer@bham.ac.uk

Copyright: NIHR Horizon Scanning Research&Intelligence Centre (NIHR HSRIC)