A 2011 meta-analysis showed that interferon could lengthen the time before a melanoma comes back but increased survival by only 3% at 5 years. The unpleasant side effects also greatly decrease quality of life.In the European Union, interferon is usually not used outside the scope of clinical trials. Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy drugs such as Dacarbazine have been the backbone of metastatic melanoma treatment since FDA approval in 1975; however, its efficacy in terms of survival has never been proven in an RCT.In people with locally advanced cutaneous malignancies and sarcoma, isolated limb infusion (ILI) has been found to be a minimally invasive and well-tolerated procedure for delivering regional chemotherapy. Targeted therapy
Melanoma cells have mutations that allow them to survive and grow indefinitely in the body. Small-molecule targeted therapies work by blocking the genes involved in pathways for tumor proliferation and survival. The main treatments are BRAF, C-Kit and NRAS inhibitors. These inhibitors work to inhibit the downstream pathways involved in cell proliferation and tumour development due to specific gene mutations. People can be treated with small-molecule targeted inhibitors if they are positive for the specific mutation. BRAF inhibitors, such as vemurafenib and dabrafenib and a MEK inhibitor trametinib are the most effective, approved treatments for BRAF positive melanoma. Melanoma tumors can develop resistance during therapy which can make therapy no longer effective, but combining the use of BRAF and MEK inhibitors may create a fast and lasting melanoma therapy response.A number of treatments improve survival over traditional chemotherapy.
Folliculitis decalvans is an inflammation of the hair follicle that leads to bogginess or induration of involved parts of the scalp along with pustules, erosions, crusts, ulcers, and scale. : 649 : 760–1  It begins at a central point and spreads outward, leaving scarring, sores, and, due to the inflammation, hair loss in its wake. No permanent cure has been found for this condition, but there is promise in a regimen of dual therapy with rifampin 300 mg twice daily and clindamycin 300 mg twice daily. This new treatment can be used to control the condition, and tests have indicated that after 3 to 5 months long uninterrupted courses of treatment, many patients have seen limited to no recurrence. Causes
There is no certainty about the cause of this disorder, but the bacterial species Staphylococcus aureus has a central role and can be detected in the lesions of most patients. It is unclear if another primarily sterile process with secondary colonization by Staphylococcus aureus is present, or if Staphylococcus aureus starts the process by causing a strong immune reaction. Another possibility is that Staphylococcus aureus produces toxins that act as superantigens which directly activate the T-cells over the variable domain of T-cell receptors. Nonetheless Staphylococcus aureus can by found in almost all patients affected by this disorder, while it is detected in only 20–30% of non-affected people. As Staphylococcus aureus is not always found in people with folliculitis decalvans, other factors must be present.