Sign in Subscribe
Cancer research

Radar-Guided Localization Improves Melanoma Treatment in Patients Undergoing Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

New research from the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute has demonstrated the effectiveness of radar-guided localization (RGL) in identifying and resecting metastatic melanoma lesions in patients who have undergone neoadjuvant immunotherapy (NEO). The study, published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology, found that RGL enabled accurate intraoperative identification and retrieval of target lesions at any interval, regardless of their location or size.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study included 23 patients with stage III-IV melanoma who underwent NEO followed by metastasectomy with RGL.
  • Median age was 65 years, and 10 patients were female, while 13 were male.
  • Twenty patients had a radiographic response to NEO in the target lesion, and three demonstrated progression on NEO.
  • Fourteen lesions were palpable prior to NEO, and five (36%) remained palpable after NEO.
  • Reflectors were successfully retrieved in all 23 patients at a median of 99 (range 1-282) days after RGL placement.
  • Operations included 18 targeted index lymph node dissections, two complete therapeutic lymph node dissections, and three subcutaneous/soft tissue nodule resections.
  • Nineteen patients had a major pathologic response to NEO (0 to 50% viable tumor).
  • In this series, two-thirds of the index lesions became nonpalpable after NEO, and RGL allowed for accurate intraoperative identification and retrieval at any interval (days to months).
  • Specific target lesion marking with fiducial markers for intraoperative identification and targeted resection allowed the treating team to examine pathologic response and dictate further therapy on an individualized basis.

Statistics:

  • 23 patients were identified in the study with stage III-IV melanoma who underwent NEO followed by metastasectomy with RGL.
  • Twenty patients had a radiographic response to NEO in the target lesion, while three demonstrated progression on NEO.
  • Fourteen lesions were palpable prior to NEO, and five (36%) remained palpable after NEO.
  • Reflectors were successfully retrieved in all 23 patients at a median of 99 (range 1-282) days after RGL placement.
  • Nineteen patients had a major pathologic response to NEO (0 to 50% viable tumor).

Sources:

  • The Use of Radar-guided Localization To Identify Metastatic Melanoma After Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy, Annals of Surgical Oncology, 2025
  • Research from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, "The Use of Radar-guided Localization To Identify Metastatic Melanoma After Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy"
  • NewsRx, Researchers from H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute Report Recent Findings in Melanoma (The Use of Radar-guided Localization To Identify Metastatic Melanoma After Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy), Immunotherapy Weekly, May 21, 2025, p 4535.

Read more