Health Professionals

A new study led by Max Mazzone, professor at the VIB-KU Leuven Center for Cancer Biology identifies the enzyme hematopoietic prostaglandin D synthase (HPGDS) as a key driver of immunotherapy resistance in melanoma. Published in Cancer Discovery, the findings highlight that targeting HPGDS can reprogram tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and sensitize tumors to immune checkpoint blockade therapies, offering a promising new strategy for patients who currently fail to respond.

A new study offers clues to overcoming one of the most stubborn challenges in cancer treatment: resistance to immunotherapy. By examining both mouse models and clinical data from melanoma patients, the research team from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) and the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute in Oregon has uncovered immune signatures that may help predict who will respond to a new combination immunotherapy—and why.

A small protein involved in neurodegeneration leading to Parkinson’s disease also drives a type of skin cancer known as melanoma, new research led by Oregon Health & Science University finds.

Christine Barrett, PharmD, BCOP, addressed advances in the treatment of stage III melanoma that provide the potential to improve long-term outcomes by enhancing immune response, tailoring surgical approaches, and refining patient selection strategies.