Monitoring treatment response in patients with advanced melanoma
Official title: Individualized monitoring of treatment response and resistance in patients with metastatic melanoma
Funded at University of Wisconsin-Madison · NIH-10221639 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new blood test that can help people with metastatic melanoma see how well their treatments are working, making it easier and less invasive to track their progress without needing painful biopsies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2018 |
| Project end | July 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2022 |
| Award (this year) | $351,300 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA223481-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-10221639 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma who are undergoing immunotherapy or molecularly targeted treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage melanoma or those not receiving systemic treatment may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how to effectively monitor treatment responses in patients with metastatic melanoma using a blood test that detects cancer mutations in cell-free plasma DNA (ctDNA). By analyzing blood samples from patients undergoing various treatments, the study aims to provide a less invasive method for tracking how well treatments are working and to identify when the disease is progressing. This approach could replace the need for more invasive tumor biopsies, making it easier for patients to receive timely adjustments to their treatment plans.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more personalized and effective treatment strategies for patients with metastatic melanoma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown success in using ctDNA for monitoring treatment responses in other cancer types, suggesting a promising avenue for this approach in melanoma.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Murtaza, Muhammed — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Murtaza, Muhammed
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Harnessing human CD1d-NKT cells to boost melanoma immunotherapy
A small NIH-funded project tests a new approach that uses a special type of immune cell to help treat metastatic melanoma in patients.
-
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CM-HZ01: a new high-boost IL-2 therapy for advanced melanoma
A new IL-2 based treatment called CM-HZ01 is being developed to help people with metastatic melanoma by steering the immune system toward stronger anti-tumor activity with potentially fewer side effects.
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Investigating how dormant melanoma cells can reactivate and promote cancer growth.
This study is looking at how sleeping melanoma cells can affect nearby cells to help the cancer grow and resist treatment, and it's designed for researchers like Dr. Fane to learn new ways to find better treatments for melanoma.
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Developing a new treatment for metastatic melanoma using a specialized form of interleukin-2.
This study is testing a new treatment called CM-HZ01 that helps boost your immune system to fight metastatic melanoma by specifically activating certain immune cells, aiming to make the existing IL-2 therapy work better with fewer side effects for patients who don’t have many options left.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.