Scientists found that altering brain cells may slow melanoma spread and boost treatments.
Scientists studying melanoma, one of the most aggressive forms of skin cancer, have found a way to slow the spread of tumors to the brain. A team from the Institute for Neurosciences in Spain discovered that a certain type of brain cell, called microglia, can be changed to help the body fight cancer instead of allowing it to grow. Their research, published in Cancer Cell, suggests this approach might improve how well current treatments work.
When cancer spreads to the brain, it becomes much harder to treat. The researchers focused on microglia because these cells normally help protect the brain, but in cancer patients, they seem to support tumor growth instead. The team found a way to switch microglia from helping tumors to attacking them. They did this by blocking a specific process inside the cells, known as Rela/NF-kB signaling. When this pathway was shut down, microglia started sending signals to other immune cells, including T cells and natural killer cells, that could then target and destroy the cancer.
The scientists tested this idea using mice with melanoma that had spread to the brain. They observed that when they blocked the Rela/NF-kB pathway, the tumors grew more slowly, and the immune system responded more aggressively. Not only did the treatment reduce tumor size, but it also helped existing immunotherapy treatments work better. Immunotherapy has changed the way melanoma is treated, but it doesn’t work for every patient. The new findings suggest that adjusting microglia behavior could improve the effectiveness of these therapies.
To see if this approach could work in humans, the researchers also studied samples from melanoma patients. The results supported their findings in mice, showing that microglia in human brain tumors behaved in a similar way. This suggests that the same strategy might help patients in the future.
Cancer treatments have improved over the years, but brain metastases remain difficult to manage. Many drugs struggle to reach the brain, and the immune system often doesn’t work as effectively there. The discovery that microglia can be influenced to fight tumors opens the door to new possibilities. Scientists are now looking at whether drugs that block the Rela/NF-kB pathway, some of which are already used for other conditions, could be repurposed to help cancer patients.
The research team worked with experts in microglia, sequencing, and cancer biology to bring these findings together. Their work was supported by multiple organizations, including the Melanoma Research Alliance and the Spanish government. The next steps will involve testing this approach further to determine if it can be turned into a safe and effective treatment for patients.
For people with melanoma, especially those whose cancer has spread to the brain, this research offers hope. It suggests that rather than relying only on existing treatments, adjusting how the immune system responds inside the brain could make a real difference. Scientists still have more work to do before this can become part of standard care, but the idea of using the brain’s own cells to fight cancer is a promising new direction.
Sources:
Researchers discover strategy to slow brain metastases growth in melanoma
Microglial reprogramming enhances antitumor immunity and immunotherapy response in melanoma brain metastases
