New Mechanism for Melanoma Spread and Treatment Resistance Identified
Researchers have identified a new mechanism that promotes melanoma cell spread and resistance to immunotherapy. The discovery could aid in developing new treatment strategies for advanced melanoma.
A study involving The Institute of Cancer Research, London, has identified a novel mechanism driving melanoma cell spread and resistance to immunotherapy. The findings were published in The EMBO Journal.
The research revealed that the protein NGFR activates a pathway involving MLC2, enhancing tumor invasiveness and contributing to treatment resistance. The international collaboration was led by researchers in Madrid.
Early preclinical and animal studies demonstrated that blocking NGFR with the experimental drug THX-B reduced melanoma spread and restored sensitivity to immunotherapy in resistant tumor models.
These findings may support the development of new therapeutic strategies for advanced melanoma, potentially including combination therapies pairing immunotherapy with NGFR-targeting drugs. NGFR may also serve as a biomarker for identifying patients likely to benefit from such treatments.