Dr. Lacouture on Preventing and Managing Melanoma Toxicities

Mario E. Lacouture, MD, dermatologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer, discusses how nurses can help prevent and manage skin toxicities associated with melanoma treatment.

Lacouture says nurses play a very important role in preventing and managing adverse events in cancer patients. Because of this, nurses are in the perfect position to play a prophylactic role against dermatologic adverse events associated with melanoma treatment.

For patients on BRAF-inhibitor therapy, nurses should advise patients to use sun protection, Lacouture says. Nurses can also help patients prevent acneiform rashes from MEK inhibitors prophylactically by using topical steroids or oral antibiotics.

Lacouture says it’s important that patients know to contact a clinician as soon as possible whenever they develop an adverse event. This will help minimize the impact on the patient’s quality of life and the need for dose modification of their cancer drugs.

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