Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 5, 2026

A Brain Tumor/Organotypic Slice Co-culture System for Studying Tumor Microenvironment and Targeted Drug Therapies
10:13

A Brain Tumor/Organotypic Slice Co-culture System for Studying Tumor Microenvironment and Targeted Drug Therapies

Published on: November 7, 2015

11.7K

The role of tumor microenvironment in melanoma therapy resistance

Rajasekharan Somasundaram1,1, Meenhard Herlyn1,1, Stephan N Wagner2,2

  • 1The Wistar Institute, 3601 Spruce St, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

Melanoma Management
|September 8, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Melanoma patients often resist treatments. Targeting the tumor microenvironment alongside cancer cells may improve responses to therapies like immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Cancer Biology

Background:

  • Melanoma patients exhibit resistance to conventional chemotherapy and targeted therapies.
  • Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) show promise but benefit only a subset of patients.
  • Therapy resistance in melanoma is multifactorial, involving genetic mutations, signaling pathways, and tumor heterogeneity.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the role of the tumor microenvironment in melanoma therapy resistance.
  • To investigate the potential of multimodal therapeutic strategies targeting both cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of preclinical and clinical studies on melanoma treatment resistance.
  • Analysis of factors contributing to resistance, including tumor microenvironment characteristics.
  • Evaluation of immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy and limitations.

Main Results:

  • The tumor microenvironment, influenced by cancer cells and stroma, plays a significant role in mediating resistance to melanoma therapies.
  • Inflammatory signals within the tumor microenvironment can promote cancer cell survival and treatment evasion.
  • Current therapies, including immune checkpoint blockade, face limitations due to intrinsic or acquired resistance mechanisms.

Conclusions:

  • Multimodal therapeutic approaches are essential for overcoming melanoma therapy resistance.
  • Targeting the tumor microenvironment in conjunction with direct anti-cancer therapies may enhance treatment efficacy.
  • Further research into the interplay between cancer cells and their microenvironment is crucial for developing more effective melanoma treatments.
Keywords:
cancer associatedfibroblastshypoxiaimmunitymelanomamicroenvironmentresistancetherapiestumortumor associated

More Related Videos

A Mouse Model to Investigate the Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Tumor Growth06:35

A Mouse Model to Investigate the Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Tumor Growth

Published on: December 22, 2020

5.1K
Author Spotlight: Assessing the Potential of Circulating Tumor Cells in Leptomeningeal Disease Research06:25

Author Spotlight: Assessing the Potential of Circulating Tumor Cells in Leptomeningeal Disease Research

Published on: March 29, 2024

1.6K

Related Concept Videos

The Tumor Microenvironment02:17

The Tumor Microenvironment

Every normal cell or tissue is embedded in a complex local environment called stroma, consisting of different cell types, a basal membrane, and blood vessels. As normal cells mutate and develop into cancer cells, their local environment also changes to allow cancer progression. The tumor microenvironment (TME) consists of a complex cellular matrix of stromal cells and the developing tumor. The cross-talk between cancer cells and surrounding stromal cells is critical to disrupt normal tissue...
7.8K
Resistivity01:22

Resistivity

When a voltage is applied to a conductor, an electrical field is generated, and charges in the conductor feel the force due to the electrical field. The current density that results depends on the electrical field and the properties of the material. In some materials, including metals at a given temperature, the current density is approximately proportional to the electrical field. In these cases, the current density can be modeled as:
4.6K
Resistance01:19

Resistance

When a current moves through any conductor, the conductor causes some level of difficulty for the current to flow. The measure of that difficulty is known as the resistance of the material and is represented by R. Every material has its own resistance. In the case of conductors, heat is emitted whenever a current passes through them. Resistance depends on the resistivity of the material. Resistivity is a characteristic of the material used to fabricate electrical components, whereas the...
6.0K
Gene Therapy00:59

Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is a technique where a gene is inserted into a person’s cells to prevent or treat a serious disease. The added gene may be a healthy version of the gene that is mutated in the patient, or it could be a different gene that inactivates or compensates for the patient’s disease-causing gene. For example, in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) due to a mutation in the gene for the enzyme adenosine deaminase, a functioning version of the gene can be...
27.6K
Role of Septins01:02

Role of Septins

Septins are the recently discovered fourth major protein component of the cytoskeleton, along with microfilaments, microtubules, and intermediate filaments. These proteins can associate with other cytoskeletal filaments and carry out varied roles or can be free-floating in the cytoplasm.
Cellular Functions of Septins
Recent studies have revealed the multifaceted roles of septins in various cellular processes such as cytokinesis, ciliogenesis, and neurogenesis. Septins act as scaffolds and...
2.2K
Equivalent Resistance01:16

Equivalent Resistance

In circuit analysis, situations often arise where resistors are neither in series nor parallel configurations. To tackle such scenarios, three-terminal equivalent networks like the wye (Y) (Figure 1 (a)) or tee (T) and delta (Δ) (Figure 1 (b)) or pi (π) networks come into play. These networks offer versatile solutions and are frequently encountered in various applications, including three-phase electrical systems, electrical filters, and matching networks.
987