Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research at City of Hope
April 3, 2026
This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by Gaurav Singh, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.M.S., Mohs Micrographic Surgeon and Dermatologist, City of Hope® Cancer Center Chicago.
Getting treated for melanoma or skin cancer at City of Hope means you are steps away from labs where new treatments for cancer are being developed every day. Our clinicians and researchers collaborate extensively to develop and evaluate new therapies for better survival and quality-of-life outcomes. Our patients have access to a wide variety of clinical trials, including those studying new immunotherapies, novel surgical techniques, innovative radiation approaches and new prevention strategies.
Melanoma and Skin Cancer Research Projects
Cancers are able to survive and thrive because of genetic abnormalities that keep them from being detected and destroyed by the body’s immune system. Research is revealing the specific mutations (problems within the DNA in a cell) causing these abnormalities and using that information to tailor therapies to specific patients’ tumor cells.
For instance, recent advances have revealed specific genetic pathways that drive melanoma development. Our genetics team is on the forefront of new discoveries about why people develop melanoma — and precision medicine techniques allow them to target those problems within cells, and disrupt the process that leads to cancer.
Some of our other past and current research projects include:
- Evaluating the benefits of radiotherapy in combination with atezolizumab and other targeted therapies or immunotherapy in treating patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) that has spread to nearby tissue or lymph nodes
- Researching predictive biomarkers that may better match melanoma patients to effective immunotherapies
- Implementing the use of isolated limb perfusion therapy to treat advanced melanomas in the arm or leg
- Using tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy to treat advanced melanomas Exploring the use of CAR T cell therapy in metastatic melanoma patients
Melanoma and Skin Cancer Clinical Trials at City of Hope
Skin cancer is a disease that can act many different ways in the body. Research at City of Hope — driven by patient-specific, individualized treatment strategies — is focused on those differences, and on designing therapies that affect how melanoma develops, progresses and spreads. Visit our Clinical Trials page to learn more about our current studies and their eligibility criteria.