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The Melanoma Team focuses not only on complete individualized care for each patient with melanoma, but also on community education and research. The team holds an annual free skin screening at the Cancer Center and visits local high school health education classes. Team members also participate in the Hospital’s Health Expo.

• Colette Pameijer, MD, Team Leader
• Barbara Smith, NP
• Claire Smith, RN, Nurse Navigator
• Patricia Pugliani, PhD, Research Manager

Dermatology

• Evan Jones, MD, Chair, Department of Dermatology
• Peter Klein, MD
• Adam Korzenko, MD
• Deborah Deierlein, NP

Pathology

• Frederick Miller, MD

Radiology

• Elaine Gould, MD

Radiation Oncology

• Edward Valentine, MD

Medical Hematology/ Oncology

• Andrzej Kudelka, MD

Most patients are first evaluated through the Department of Dermatology, which provides more than 13,000 outpatient visits a year. Some patients with early melanoma can be managed exclusively through the Department of Dermatology. Those needing lymph-node sampling or skin grafting are evaluated by the Department of Surgical Oncology. More than 90 percent of patients with melanoma are treated with surgery alone. Patients with advanced or recurrent disease have their cases reviewed by the Tumor Board to establish optimum treatment.

• Advanced Treatment. Stony Brook offers isolated limb infusion for recurrent melanoma that is limited to an extremity. In this procedure, the arm or leg with the recurrent melanoma is isolated from the rest of the body by a tight tourniquet. Catheters, which circulate warm chemotherapy, are inserted in the main artery and vein to that extremity. While not a cure, it can control the disease for a period of time.
• New Clinic. Adam Korzenko, MD, Department of Dermatology, developed a skin cancer clinic at the Cancer Center to expand treatment of patients with skin cancer. It is coordinated with the melanoma clinic led by Colette Pameijer, MD, of the Department of Surgical Oncology.

Our exceptional clinical support services contribute to coordinated care. These include Nutrition Services, Pain Management, Palliative Care/Survivorship & Support, Pharmacy Services, Physical and Occupational Rehabilitation, Therapeutic Yoga, and our Tumor Board. For more information, see Clinical Support Services.

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For more information on our general patient services at Stony Brook, see For Patients and Visitors.

The team has established a tissue bank of melanoma specimens. Detailed information obtained from these specimens will be combined with the clinical database to help establish new guidelines for treatment and risk of recurrence

Stony Brook has begun isolated limb infusion for recurrent melanoma that is limited to an extremity. In this procedure, the arm or leg with the recurrent melanoma is isolated from the rest of the body by a tight tourniquet. Catheters, which circulate warm chemotherapy, are inserted in the main artery and vein to that extremity. While not a cure, it can control the disease for a period of time.

Patient Network Database Established

To ensure continuity of care, the team has created a patient network database with information on visits and dates of skin examinations and screenings, which is available to all members of the melanoma team.

New Clinic Launched

Adam Korzenko, MD, Department of Dermatology, established a skin cancer clinic at the Cancer Center to expand treatment of patients with skin cancer. It is coordinated with the melanoma clinic led by Colette Pameijer, MD, of the Department of Surgical Oncology.

Additional Sources of Information

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