Exploring biomarkers associated with clinical outcomes in melanoma patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors

• Grant number: 25/03385-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: November 27, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Applied Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Lidia Maria Rebolho Batista Arantes
• Grantee: Isabela Cristiane Tosi
• Supervisor: Susana Puig Sarda
• Host Institution: Hospital do Câncer de Barretos. Fundação Pio XII (FP). Barretos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/05148-0 - Assessment of CD24 and NFIL3 expression in melanoma patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors at the Barretos Cancer Hospital, BP.MS

Abstract

Melanoma, although less common, is the most invasive and lethal cutaneous neoplasm, with an increasing incidence, particularly among individuals with fair skin. Treatment strategies for melanoma include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) showing significant efficacy in metastatic melanoma. These ICIs target molecules such as CTLA-4 and PD-1, enhancing T-cell activity. Despite their success, many patients do not respond to ICIs, emphasizing the need for biomarkers to predict treatment outcomes. Therefore, the primary objective of this study is to identify new biomarkers to predict melanoma outcomes in a cohort of Brazilian and Spanish patients treated with immune checkpoint blockade. These biomarkers will be identified through RNA-sequencing in primary tumor samples from melanoma patients treated with ICIs, comparing those who achieved complete response to those experiencing progressive disease. These markers will be validated through immunohistochemistry, and their expression will be correlated with immunotherapy response and post-treatment survival. Finally, the expression of these markers will be associated with clinical, histopathological, and molecular diagnostic markers established in clinical practice. Although there is a significant body of research, continued investment in the development of biomarkers related to the diagnosis and prognosis of these patients is necessary, as these molecules, together with other factors, can help predict the most appropriate course of treatment for each patient.