Melanoma patient outcomes predicted by computational biology

Source: Medical Express, July 2019

Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have used computational biology to discover a “gene signature" that identifies a group of melanoma patients with improved rates of survival.

By looking at the genes expressed or “switched on" in a type of tumour-fighting immune cell called natural killer (NK) cells, researchers were able to group patients with metastatic melanomaby whether they had high, moderate or low expression of these genes in the tumours. Those patients whose melanomas showed higher levels of NK cell gene expression survived, on average, for longer than those whose melanomas had a lower level of the NK cell genes.

The discovery, published in Cancer Immunology Research, suggests that the amount of NK cells in metastatic melanomas is a key factor in patient survival. The research has also suggested new approaches to selecting the best therapies for melanoma patients.