Skin Cancer Research

A deeper understanding of the important genetic alterations found in skin cancer, and how they contribute to disease, may help point the way to future drug targets. Our scientists work toward this goal by discovering the key mutations in squamous cell carcinoma and outlining how they drive development and progression of skin cancer. They also seek to reveal new ways that our bodies stave off cancer. These insights can lead to new treatments for skin cancer and other tumors.

Our work on melanoma focuses on harnessing the immune system to combat the disease. We are experimenting with empowering a patient’s own melanoma-attacking immune cells, called tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes or TILs, to better target their tumor. Other clinical trials include studies of checkpoint inhibitors and experimental immune-stimulating therapies for people with melanoma.

With collaborators in the Fred Hutch/University of Washington Cancer Consortium, our scientists developed a blood-based screening test to detect MCC recurrence. This test can spare patients from more invasive screening. Our researchers also led pivotal studies showing that checkpoint inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy, can effectively halt or reverse disease in many patients with MCC. These findings transformed treatment standards for MCC.

We continue to explore the use of immunotherapy to improve treatment for people with MCC. This includes studies of checkpoint inhibitors and the use of a patient’s own immune cells engineered to recognize the tumors. We also study the immune system’s response to the Merkel cell polyomavirus. Our researchers hope that insights from these studies may inform the use of immunotherapy in other tumor types.