According to a paper published in the Clinical Cancer Research journal , researchers have developed a prototype test that can be used to predict the response of immunotherapy in the treatment of melanoma patients . The test detects levels of protein LC3B present on the cancer cells. High levels of protein reflect a better response in patients being treated with checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy. Researchers studied the protein LC3B levels in melanoma patients before and after administration of immunotherapy.
The development of the test could be a breakthrough in melanoma treatment. The presence of the epigenetic enzyme G9a was found to reduce the ability of the immune cells to fight against tumor cells. Researchers are now developing drugs to inhibit this enzyme with the aim of improving immunotherapy response. Source: Medical Express
