Melanoma studies: can adjuvant immunotherapy improve recurrence-free survival?
The incidence of melanoma is increasing faster than other skin cancers. Although surgical resection is an effective treatment for locally advanced melanoma, many patients remain at risk for recurrence. Innovation is needed to improve recurrence-free survival.
Three new studies at Providence Cancer Institute will investigate the benefits of adjuvant immunotherapy – including a personalized cancer vaccine and an interleukin-2 pathway agonist – for patients with completely resected melanoma who are at high risk of recurrence. Providence is one of a few centers in the Pacific Northwest to offer these studies:
Brendan Curti, M.D., medical oncologist and director, Providence Melanoma Program, is principal investigator of this study. The trial will evaluate the effectiveness of postoperative adjuvant nivolumab (Opdivo), an approved immune checkpoint inhibitor, compared to placebo in patients with no evidence of disease who are at high risk of recurrence.
Dr. Curti is principal investigator of this study to compare the effectiveness of bempegaldesleukin (NKTR-214), an investigational CD122-preferential interleukin-2 pathway agonist, plus nivolumab (Opdivo) versus nivolumab monotherapy in patients with completely resected stage III or IV cutaneous melanoma. A prior study by Dr. Curti and colleagues found the combination provided therapeutic benefit in patients with metastatic melanoma.
Matthew Taylor, M.D., medical oncologist and co-director, Providence Melanoma Program, is principal investigator of this study. The trial will assess whether postoperative adjuvant therapy with mRNA-4157, an investigational mRNA-based, individualized therapeutic cancer vaccine, and pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an approved immune checkpoint inhibitor, improves recurrence-free survival compared to pembrolizumab alone in patients with complete resection of cutaneous melanoma and a high risk of recurrence.
Referral and contact information
For more information or to refer patients to these studies, please call our Clinical Research office at 503-215-2614 or submit a referral form.
More skin cancer studies
Twelve clinical trials for patients with skin cancer are open and enrolling at Providence Cancer Institute. See all skin cancer studies.
New research studies are added frequently. Please visit our website to see all cancer clinical trials at Providence Cancer Institute.
Leaders in melanoma research and treatment
Providence Cancer Institute is an international leader in melanoma research and treatment for more than 25 years. Some highlights and contributions of our melanoma program include:
- Our researchers led the international study leading to FDA approval of ipilimumab (Yervoy), the first immunotherapy to show a survival benefit in advanced melanoma.
- Our investigators participated in clinical trials leading to FDA approval of nivolumab (Opdivo) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda), which offer improved response and survival benefits for patients with metastatic melanoma and other solid tumors.
- Our program is one of the top five high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) centers in the country and is an innovator in the use of IL-2 in conjunction with high-dose per fraction radiation and the clinical development of engineered cytokines.
- Our program is one of the few centers developing adoptive cell transfer including tumor infiltrating lymphocyte and engineered T-cell therapy in combination with IL-2 for patients with melanoma and other solid tumors.
Learn more about the Providence Melanoma Program.