An international team of UK and US scientists has discovered that the activity of macrophages – a type of white blood cell that engulf pathogens and cancer cells – can be used to predict whether or not a melanoma patient will respond to immunotherapy. Their findings, published in a landmark paper in JCO Oncology Advances, will help clinicians select treatments that are most likely to be effective for their patients.
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Breakthrough, Life-Saving Cancer Treatment, TIL Therapy, Offers New Hope to Patients with Metastatic Melanoma
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is the first hospital in the Washington metropolitan area to offer Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte therapy, or TIL therapy, to treat metastatic melanoma.
MCC Less Common, With Higher Mortality Than Melanoma, US Data Show
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is less common and is associated with higher mortality rates than melanoma, according to a study that also reported that male gender, older age, and exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) are significant risk factors.
Novel Tool for Predicting Response to Immunotherapy in Melanoma Under Study
A team of scientists from the United Kingdom and the United States has discovered that the activity of macrophages may prove to be useful in predicting whether or not a patient with melanoma will respond to immunotherapy. Their findings, published in JCO Oncology Advances, may help clinicians to select treatments that are most likely to be effective for their patients.