New research at Sutter Health offers hope for tough-to-treat melanoma
Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. While melanoma accounts for just about 1% of skin cancer cases, it causes the majority of skin cancer deaths. Now, a pioneering study at Sutter’s California Pacific Medical Center is bringing new hope to patients whose melanoma no longer responds to immunotherapy.
Immunotherapy, a type of cancer treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer, has revolutionized cancer care. It helps many patients fight aggressive diseases like melanoma. But for around 50% of patients, the treatment eventually stops working, leaving few options and little hope.
A Promising New Path Emerges for Melanoma Patients
Researchers at CPMC have made a promising breakthrough. Led by Dr. Mohammed Kashani-Sabet, senior scientist and medical director of CPMC’s Cancer Center, the team has identified new combinations of existing, U.S. FDA-approved drugs that may help patients whose melanoma has become resistant to immunotherapy. Results of their study were published this week in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
Dr. Mohammed Kashani-Sabet, medical director of CPMC’s Cancer Center.
“When immunotherapy fails, we’re often left with treatments that were developed decades ago,” says Dr. Kashani-Sabet. “This study offers a new path forward, one that’s based on science and tailored to each patient’s unique cancer type.”
This research is part of the Cancer Avatar Program. It is a personalized cancer medicine program at CPMC whereby researchers create living models of a patient’s tumor. They then test different medicines and find the ones that work best. This approach has already led to the launch and activation of multiple investigator-initiated clinical trials at CPMC, helping transform how cancer is treated at Sutter.
Read one patient’s story here.
A Drug Combo that Reignites the Body’s Defense
In this new study, Dr. Kashani and team looked at tumors from 14 patients whose melanoma worsened or spread after immunotherapy. They found several drug targets and tested different combinations of approved medicines. One pair of targeted cancer drugs, cobimetinib and regorafenib, worked best. It not only shrank tumors in the animal models but also helped the immune system of study patients fight their cancer better.
“We saw tumors respond across different melanoma types, all in cases where standard treatments had stopped working,” says Dr. Kashani-Sabet. “It’s a powerful example of how a more tailored approach to oncology can potentially give patients new treatment options.”
Personalized Medicine Lights the Way Forward
The study findings are now paving the way for a new clinical trial at Sutter Health, aimed at helping patients with advanced, treatment-resistant melanoma. It’s a hopeful step forward for those who need more treatment options beyond standard of care and a testament to the power and potential of personalized medicine.
“For patients with melanoma whose cancers no longer respond to immunotherapy, this research offers a new reason to hope,” says Dr. Amanda Wheeler, chair of Sutter’s cancer service line. “It’s not just about treating cancer, it’s about finding different, more targeted ways to outsmart it. At Sutter we’re committed to offering patients access to game-changing research and clinical trials that help usher in tomorrow’s best medicines.”
Do you or a loved one have cancer? Discover how the Cancer Avatar Program opens new doors for treatment and learn more about research and clinical trials at Sutter Health.
