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Until two years ago, there was no systemic therapy that prolonged overall survival in patients with malignant melanoma. In the meantime, two new therapeutic approaches have improved the prognosis of this disease. Ipilimumab is an activator of cytotoxic Tcells. It induces an immune response which results in prolonged remission in 15-20% of patients. Vemurafenib is a specific BRAF inhibitor and induces quick and sometimes complete remissions in patients with BRAF V600E mutated melanomas. Thus, there are two new treatments with proven survival benefit in patients with metastatic melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal tumors are classified according to their location in extradural, intradural-extramedullary, and intradural-intramedullary tumors. The most frequent extradural tumors are metastases. Primary spinal tumors are rare and predominantly benign. Independent of their origin, spinal tumors manifest themselves with progressive local or radicular pain and neurological deficits. A preferably early diagnosis and subsequent therapy is important to improve the prognosis. The treatment of choice for most of these tumors is the complete surgical resection. In particular with the occurence of neurological deficits a fast surgical intervention is indicated, since the prognosis depends on duration and severity of the preoperative existing deficits. Below, clinical presentation and relevant treatment options of spinal extradural tumors are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]