In the last several years, targeted therapies – drugs that directly impact specific genes and proteins involved in the progression of cancer – have been approved for a wide variety of cancers, including melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. Now, researchers at The Wistar Institute have discovered one way in which melanoma becomes resistant to a particular form of targeted therapy, and understanding this phenomenon may lead to a new melanoma target or prompt new designs of these treatments.
MRV Research
Inflammatory Marker Linked With Poor Prognosis in Melanoma
A new study indicated that the measurement of levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in the blood has been found to be an independent prognostic marker for survival in patients with melanoma. Patients with the most markedly increased levels of CRP were found to be at high risk for melanoma recurrence and death.
Gene mutations may predict melanoma response to immunotherapies
Melanoma patients whose tumors test positive for mutations in the NRAS gene were more likely to benefit from new immunotherapy drugs, according to a new study led by Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) investigators.
Radiation Combined with Immunotherapy Improves Melanoma Survival
In a new study entitled “Radiation and dual checkpoint blockade activate non-redundant immune mechanisms in cancer,” researchers investigated the potential of radiation therapy combined with two immunotherapies in melanoma treatment. The study was published in the journal Nature.