Melanoma-specific expression of a certain protein identifies tumors that are more responsive to an immune therapy.

Efforts to enable the immune system to “see” the cancer and attack the aberrant cells were the prime focus during Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center’s Annual Retreat, held April 30 at the Vanderbilt University Student Life Center.

Melanoma patients whose tumors test positive for mutations in the NRAS gene were more likely to benefit from new immunotherapy drugs, according to a new study led by Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) investigators.