Success of immunotherapy stimulates future pigment cell and melanoma research

Source: The Conversation, October 2018

Our skin is not only the largest organ and primary contact interface with the world, it also reflects our individuality. From a medical point of view, different skin tones come with different pathological features, and it is no secret that skin color matters in health care.

Malignant melanoma, the most deadly skin cancer, has played an important role in understanding immune responses to cancer. One clue about how to attack these aggressive cancers came from a case in which a patient’s melanoma regression was linked to a disease called vitiligo, a patchy loss of pigmentation. Additional insights came from breakthroughs in our understanding of how the immune system fights cancer, which also resulted in the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for James Allison and Tasuku Honjo who pioneered the field of immunotherapy. The connection between melanoma and vitiligo is the pigment-producing skin cell called a melanocyte – when it divides uncontrollably it leads to melanoma, and when it is destroyed it causes vitiligo.

My cancer systems biology research group at the University of California is focused on metabolism and molecular signaling of melanoma. During the past year, in my role as council member of the Pan-American Society for Pigment Cell Research, I had the opportunity to spearhead a team effort to identify the next phase in our battle against skin cancer and pigment disorders. The task force included an international panel of experts from more than 30 cancer centers around the world. Our new research identifies emerging challenges and opportunities in melanoma and pigment cell research.