# Precision Medicine by Targeting Cell Adhesion in Melanoma

> **NIH NIH K08** · MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER · 2021 · $170,856

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
In the proposed research, we address a problem that is common not just to melanoma, but also to
other forms of cancer, such as prostate cancer, and that has been widely discussed recently. While
we as dermatologists encourage patients to undergo skin cancer screening exams to detect
melanoma early, it remains challenging to differentiate the truly aggressive from the indolent or
nonclinical pigmented lesions. This is true even after a melanoma has been biopsied and examined
under the microscope. As a result, there is massive over-diagnosis and overtreatment, specifically
with respect to sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsies, that is costly, has side effects, requires precious
hospital infrastructure and induces substantial patient anxiety.
Surprisingly, and despite decades of research on cancer, assessment of metastasis risk in primary
cutaneous melanoma continues to be based primarily on tumor invasion depth (also referred to
Breslow depth), a method that was introduced 45 years go. While Breslow depth tends to work well at
the extreme ends of the spectrum, most melanomas fall into a grey zone where Breslow depth with or
without additional tissue-derived and clinical variables (such as patient age) does not predict the true
biology of melanoma well. Breslow depth continues to be popular because alternative methods,
including molecular-based methods, are either ineffective, have not been appropriately validated or
lack a strong biological rationale. This in turn inhibits the development of new and innovative
therapies.
Here we will study a method that quantifies changes in integrin-linked cell adhesion to better
differentiate high-risk (defined as SLN positive melanoma) from biologically indolent melanoma. First,
we will study consecutive cases of cutaneous melanoma from across the United States and Europe
and correlate a molecular profile of cell adhesion with SLN status. Second, we will study how the
inhibition of certain aspects of integrin adhesion affects melanoma growth and metastasis in vivo. We
expect that our research will validate methods to identify high-risk melanoma that outperform the
standard of care, reduce the rate of unnecessary SLN procedures and identify patients with high-risk
melanoma overlooked by current procedures. Moreover, a better understanding of the molecular
machinery that drives metastasis will create new therapeutic opportunities.
The candidate’s long term goal is discover novel characteristics of malignant melanocytes that enable
the development of new and innovative diagnostic methods and therapies. The mentored career
development award will help the candidate acquire new methodological, professional and leadership
skills to independently, successfully and meaningfully contribute to the fields of cell
adhesion/cancer/melanoma research in the years to come. Specifically, the plan is to pursue the
following training activities:
1.) Acquire expertise in studying melanoma using mouse models; us...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10179329
- **Project number:** 5K08CA215105-05
- **Recipient organization:** MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Alexander Meves
- **Activity code:** K08 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $170,856
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-08-01 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10179329

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10179329, Precision Medicine by Targeting Cell Adhesion in Melanoma (5K08CA215105-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10179329. Licensed CC0.

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