The DKTK project “PARADIGM” investigates the interaction between radio- and immunotherapy in the treatment of patients with metastatic melanoma. In the multicenter clinical study “IRINA” patients with metastatic melanoma will be randomized to perceive either immunotherapy only or in combination with radiation treatment. Increasing reports of cancer patients have shown that radiotherapy can also affect tumors outside the irradiated area – the so-called abscopal effect. This effect might result from radiation-induced activation of the patients’ immune system to attack cancer cells.

The interdisciplinary DKTK team will analyze the patients’ tumors and blood in order to shed light on how radiotherapy induces anti-tumor immunity. The researchers aim to boost the anti-tumor activity in patients by combining radiotherapy with a specific immunotherapy approach - blocking the tumors’ defense mechanisms against an immune attack. Furthermore, the team searches for biomarkers, molecular profiles to identify patients that are most likely to benefit from this new combination therapy. The aim is to unravel the molecular mechanism behind the abscopal effect and exploit it for treatment of melanoma patients by combination therapy in the “IRINA” study.  The DKTK study will be performed at all eight DKTK sites bringing together experts in radiotherapy, immunotherapy and molecular diagnostics.