New Combination Drug Therapy Shows Promise for Advanced Melanoma Patients
The Mountain West has the one of the highest rates of melanoma in the nation, posing a formidable challenge for cancer prevention and treatment.
In a federally funded study, researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah (the U) are investigating a new combination drug therapy that could both treat and prevent melanoma metastasis to the brain.
The research team, led by Sheri Holmen, PhD , investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of surgery at the U, studied a subtype of melanoma triggered by a mutation of BRAF, a gene that regulates cell division.
They found that inhibiting the enzyme FAK in combination with an inhibitor of RAF and MEK—components of the current standard-of-care regimen targeting cancer cell growth—effectively prolonged survival rates in preclinical mouse models.
"This combination drug therapy also stopped the development of brain metastasis, and that's where this research is very exciting," says Holmen, whose study results were published in Cell Reports Medicine .
The research has now progressed to clinical trials at Huntsman Cancer Institute and Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Iowa.
This clinical trial ( NCT05589896 ) is led by Howard Colman, MD, PhD , investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of neurosurgery at the U.
The combination drug therapy is under evaluation through support from the National Cancer Institute and in partnership with Verastem Oncology .
Studies Show Personalized Exercise Programs Enhance Recovery for Lung and Breast Cancer Patients
Incorporating exercise into cancer treatment can significantly enhance patient outcomes and alleviate many of the most difficult side effects. Two recent studies from Huntsman Cancer Institute researchers highlight the importance of integrating exercise and rehabilitation into cancer care and recovery.
The Precision Exercise Prescription (PEP) trial included 182 patients with either primary lung cancer or lung metastases.
Participants were randomized into two groups—one that used exercise interventions two weeks before and post-surgery and one that did not. Patients in the exercise interventions group, who were monitored remotely by licensed physical therapists, maintained or improved their physical function. The standard care group experienced declines in physical function.
"Our federally and donor-funded research provides compelling evidence that a tailored, remotely administered exercise program can significantly enhance recovery for lung cancer patients. This is a breakthrough in supportive care. Huntsman Cancer Institute's work proves that exercise isn't optional—it's a powerful part of cancer recovery," says Neli Ulrich, PhD, MS , chief scientific officer and executive director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Huntsman Cancer Institute and Jon M. and Karen Huntsman Presidential Professor in Cancer Research at the U. "The improvements in physical function and reduction in fatigue, especially among women, highlight the need to make personalized exercise interventions part of the standard of care for cancer patients."
Thomas Varghese Jr., MD, MS, MBA, FACS , thoracic surgeon at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of surgery at the U, also noted that remote, personalized programs help reach more patients, including those in rural or resource-limited areas. This research is particularly important to advancing insights in ways to improve health, quality of life, and outcomes for cancer patients who live far from a major medical center.
Adriana Coletta, PhD , investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and assistant professor of health and kinesiology at the U, also published findings from the CORE (Comprehensive Oncology Rehabilitation and Exercise) randomized controlled trial, which enrolled 72 newly diagnosed stage 1–3 breast cancer patients planning to undergo surgery as first-line treatment.
The trial tested whether the CORE clinical workflow algorithm was feasible, well received, and improved breast cancer-related health cancer outcomes. The findings also suggest improvements in physical activity and function.
Coletta hopes the algorithm could be integrated at other universities and hospitals. Both PEP and CORE highlight efforts to encourage patients to remain active throughout their cancer care journey.
Patient at Huntsman Cancer Institute Undergoes First Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant from a Deceased Organ Donor
Huntsman Cancer Institute has achieved a promising breakthrough: the first allogeneic stem cell transplant using stem cells from deceased donor grafts.
In this innovative approach, stem cells are collected from the vertebral columns of deceased individuals who previously consented to organ donation.
Sagar Patel, MD , researcher on the Blood and Marrow Transplantation team at Huntsman Cancer Institute, associate professor of medicine at the U, and principal investigator on site for the clinical trial, hopes this method will improve access for patients who struggle to find matched living donors and shorten transplant wait times.
"This study represents an exciting step toward improving transplant access for patients facing aggressive blood cancers like acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma," says Patel. "By using banked deceased donor grafts, we hope to more quickly expand availability of allogeneic transplants."
The Phase 1 clinical trial (NCT05589896), funded by the Center for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority and Ossium Health , is recruiting patients at Huntsman Cancer Institute and other sites nationwide.
In Other News
Congratulations to Bruce Edgar, PhD , investigator at Huntsman Cancer Institute and professor of oncological sciences at the U, who has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences. Becoming a member of this prestigious organization is one of the highest honors in the scientific community.
About Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah is the National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center for Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Wyoming. With a legacy of innovative cancer research, groundbreaking discoveries, and world-class patient care, we are transforming the way cancer is understood, prevented, diagnosed, treated, and survived. Huntsman Cancer Institute focuses on delivering the most advanced cancer healing and prevention through scientific breakthroughs and cutting-edge technology to create pioneering cancer treatments beyond the standard of care today. We have more than 325 open clinical trials and 276 research teams studying cancer. More genes for inherited cancers have been discovered at Huntsman Cancer Institute than at any other cancer center. Our scientists are world-renowned for understanding how cancer begins and using that knowledge to develop innovative approaches to treat each patient's unique disease. Huntsman Cancer Institute was founded by Jon M. and Karen Huntsman.
