The NCT Melanoma Program sees more than 200 newly diagnosed and 2500 follow-up melanoma patients each year and is a leading referral center for histopathology. The clinical trials program ranges from phase I to IV (Flaherty N Engl J Med 2012). In collaboration, the program engages in basic and translational research (Meyer Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 2011; Sevko J Immunol 2013; Sevko J Invest Dermatol and Development 2013; Schäkel Blood 2013) and participates in PPGs (SFB 938 Human Immunology), EU grants (Targeted Therapy) and the Helmholtz Alliance for Immunotherapy.
CCRP Skin
Scientific Goals
- Systematic characterization of tumor-host immune interactions in malignant melanoma.
- Phase I/II studies using diverse immunotherapy (Mahnke J Immunol 2005).
- Translational research on biomarkers for treatment response and treatment side effects.
- Develop oncolytic virus vaccine for melanoma (Nettelbeck J Invest Dermatol 2013).
- Flaherty KT, Robert C, Hersey P, Nathan P, Garbe C, Milhem M, Demidov LV, Hassel JC, Rutkowski P, Mohr P, Dummer R, Trefzer U, Larkin JM, Utikal J , Dreno B, Nyakas M, Middleton MR, Becker JC, Casey M, Sherman LJ, Wu FS, Ouellet D, Martin AM, Patel K, Schadendorf D; METRIC Study Group. Improved survival with MEK inhibition in BRAF-mutated melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2012 Jul 12;367(2):107-14
- Meyer C, Sevko A, Ramacher M, Bazhin AV, Falk CS, Osen W, Borrello I, Kato M, Schadendorf D, Baniyash M, Umansky V. Chronic inflammation promotes myeloid-derived suppressor cell activation blocking antitumor immunity in transgenic mouse melanoma model. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Oct 11;108(41):17111-6.
- Sevko A, Michels T, Vrohlings M, Umansky L, Beckhove P, Kato M, Shurin GV, Shurin MR, Umansky V. Antitumor effect of paclitaxel is mediated by inhibition of myeloid-derived suppressor cells and chronic inflammation in the spontaneous melanoma model. J Immunol. 2013 Mar 1;190(5):2464-71
- Sevko A, Sade-Feldman M, Kanterman J, Michels T, Falk CS, Umansky L, Ramacher M, Kato M, Schadendorf D, Baniyash M, Umansky V. Cyclophosphamide promotes chronic inflammation-dependent immunosuppression and prevents antitumor response in melanoma. J Invest Dermatol. 2013 Jun;133(6):1610-9
- Hirata A*, Utikal J*, Yamashita S, Aoki H, Watanabe A, Yamamoto T, Okano H, Bardeesy N, Kunisada T, Ushijima T, Hara A, Jaenisch R, Hochedlinger K, Yamada Y. Dose-dependent roles for canonical Wnt signalling in de novo crypt formation and cell cycle properties of the colonic epithelium. Development. 2013 Jan 1;140(1):66-75. (*contributed equally