Evaluation begins on new drug for melanoma

Omaha - A study at Omaha's Methodist Hospital is evaluating Sorafenib, a new drug for treating advanced stages of melanoma.

Patients who haven't responded to traditional chemotherapy to treat their melanoma will receive the new drug in combination with chemo. A second group of patients who have not had chemotherapy also will receive the drug.

Doctors say they believe Sorafenib, which has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, will target not only cancerous tumors associated with melanoma, but also the environment in which the cells grow. They also say they think the new drug will be more effective — and have fewer side effects — than chemo alone.

The drug trial will take almost a year, followed by another year of testing to interpret data from the study.

The trial timeline is set for 11 months. A year's worth of follow-up testing will then take place to interpret data from the study.