Rare Cancers

"Margaritaville" singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett died four years after receiving a diagnosis of Merkel cell carcinoma that "can be really nasty," one expert tells CURE.

I faced cancer thrice and chose life each time — not because of some flowery will to live, but because I’m stubborn and wanted to prove that cancer is not the boss of me.

Here’s a look back at the therapies for solid cancers that gained FDA approval this summer.

The Hepzato Kit is a direct-to-liver therapy for patients with uveal melanoma with hepatic metastases.

Certain patients with penile squamous cell carcinoma responded to therapy with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, according to recent research.

Using inter-arterial chemotherapy compared to intravenous chemotherapy may significantly improve globe salvage rates in children with advanced unilateral retinoblastoma.

A new study identified the elements that could determine the overall survival of patients with the metastatic eye tumor, uveal melanoma.

An expert gives an overview of the treatment options for uveal melanoma, and why he considers hope to be an essential part of the care plan.

Darovasertib plus Xalkori is showing promise for the treatment of patients with metastatic uveal melanoma, according to results from an ongoing study.

HPV vaccination rates and public knowledge about the connection between the virus and certain cancer types are below what they should be, research found.

After being given 2 years to live by her oncologist, a mother of two children is trying her best to protect her family — and herself — from thinking too negatively despite having rare gastrointestinal cancer.

This FDA approval of Zynyz was based on findings from a study which demonstrated that the therapy improves responses in patients with locally advanced Merkel cell carcinoma.

The phase 2 DESTINY-PanTumor02 trial included patients with HER2-expressing solid tumors such as bladder, pancreatic and rare tumors.

After being diagnosed with a rare cancer, I met some amazing people and have a new appreciation for life.

When I sit down with my paint brush, despite my cancer history, I don’t feel different anymore.

On multiple occasions, doctors told me not to worry, but I ended up being diagnosed with a rare cancer called leiomyosarcoma.

A phase 2 study will investigate the efficacy of darovasertib for patients with uveal melanoma and whether the drug can potentially result in lower radiation doses or fewer eye removal surgeries.

Lytgobi was approved for pretreated cholangiocarcinoma in September, and updated study findings support the drug’s continued approval.

From eye removal to radiation damage, patients with uveal melanoma may face complications after treatment, although continued and new therapies may address these issues, an expert said.

Tecentriq was approved by the FDA for adults and children aged two years and older with advanced alveolar soft part sarcoma, a disease typically diagnosed in approximately 80 patients per year in the U.S.

A woman whose husband was diagnosed with ocular melanoma at 28 years old opens up about her experiences navigating the cancer world and her search for a supportive community.

A novel drug, MRT-2359, will be studied in a phase 1/2 trial for patients with MYC-driven cancers.

From a childhood cancer survivor throwing out the first pitch at Game 4 of the World Series to former WWE champion and actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recording a message for a child with brain cancer, here’s what’s happening in the cancer space this week.

Advocacy groups helped one patient with ocular melanoma — and many others — learn more about their disease and treatment, as well as a place to connect about their experiences.

Vaginal cancer is amongst the rarest of gynecologic cancer, it is important those patients with a rare cancer advocate for themselves and find doctors who are experts in treating it.

The use of a multi-agent chemotherapy regimen resulted in improved outcomes in a group of children with pleuropulmonary blastoma, a rare form of lung cancer, when compared with other regimens.

Nearly two thirds of patients with GISTs — a rare type of cancer that often begins in the digestive system — indicated that their overall quality of life after treatment had been affected by cancer-related cognitive impairments, also referred to as “chemo brain,” according to analysis of survey data.

Melody Burchett, of A Cure In Sight, discussed the value of seeking support after an ocular melanoma diagnosis, and how such help can be found in others with the same diagnosis.

The Food and Drug Administration approved Lytgobi for patients with previously treated advanced cholangiocarcinoma with FGFR2 gene rearrangements.

The addition of Bavencio to an Inlyta regimen may help stabilize disease in some patients with thymic carcinoma, but one expert stressed that checkpoint inhibitors are “problematic” for patients diagnosed with thymoma, a type of rare cancer.