Melanoma is a type of cancer which arises from genetic mutations within melanocytes, which are pigment-producing cells in the skin. Melanoma is often caused by excessive sunlight exposure. One of the dangers of melanoma is that it can spread to other organs, including the lungs, via a process known as metastasis. Melanoma in the lungs can be somewhat difficult to treat, though there are a variety of options.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is often used as a treatment for melanoma metastases -- or melanoma that spreads to other body parts -- due to its ability to attack cancer cells anywhere in the body. Chemotherapy drugs work by poisoning or attacking rapidly dividing cells; because cancer cells divide unusually quickly, they are typically the most affected by the treatments, although normal bone marrow, gastrointestinal and hair cells are also affected. According to UpToDate, dacarbazine is considered to be one of the best chemotherapy drugs for treating metastatic melanoma; the website adds that most patients who receive this drug experience some reduction in the size of their metastatic tumors, and that between 8 and 20 percent of patients see significant tumor shrinkage. The effects of this medication, however, typically only last for 4 to 6 months. Temozolomide is another chemotherapeutic agent which can be used for metastatic melanomas, though its efficacy is still being studied, UpToDate reports.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy can be used to treat cases of melanoma which have spread to the lungs. Immunotherapy works by boosting the ability of the immune system to fight off cancer cells. This treatment can cause patients to develop flu-like symptoms as a result of the activation of the immune system, but these symptoms are generally milder than those seen from chemotherapy. Interleukin-2 is one form of immunotherapy which can be very effective at treating lung metastases from melanoma when given in high doses. Patients may also receive interferon alpha, another compound which stimulates the immune system as part of their treatment plan.
Stereotactic Body Radiosurgery
Stereotactic body radiosurgery is another option for treating melanoma which has spread to the lungs, the Cancer Treatment Group explains. With stereotactic radiosurgery, the patient is immobilized in a frame which helps keep him from moving during the treatment. The cancer metastases are identified using computer imaging techniques, then high doses of radiation are precisely aimed at the cancerous cells. This treatment can be very effective because it allows for the use of high levels of radiation while still minimizing the damage done to the surrounding healthy cells. In order to be candidates for this treatment, patients need to have relatively few metastases in the lung and must otherwise be in fairly good health.
Surgery is not always recommended for the treatment of melanoma which has spread to the lungs because the prognosis is often poor, according to a 2004 article in the journal "Radiographics." The 5- and 10-year survival rate for patients with metastatic melanoma after complete removal of the tumor is 22 and 16 percent, respectively. However, patients who have fewer lung metastases or who developed these metastases more slowly may have a better prognosis.
