New drug cocktail shows promise in shrinking advanced melanoma before surgery

NCT ID NCT03554083

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This Phase 2 trial tested a combination of targeted drugs (vemurafenib and cobimetinib) and immunotherapy (atezolizumab and tiragolumab) given before surgery to 64 patients with high-risk stage III melanoma. The goal was to see if the treatment could eliminate or shrink the cancer enough to improve outcomes. The study measured how many patients had no cancer left at surgery and how long they stayed cancer-free afterward.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Vemurafenib, cobimetinib, atezolizumab, and tiragolumab

What this could lead to

If successful, this could point toward a more effective way to shrink high-risk stage III melanoma before surgery, potentially reducing the chance of the cancer coming back.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-phase pilot trial with only 64 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The combination of drugs can cause significant side effects, and it's not yet clear if it improves long-term survival.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

Get updates

Get notified about this study

Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for CLINICAL STAGE III CUTANEOUS MELANOMA AJCC V8 are added.

Our safety recommendation!

By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use

Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

cutaneous melanoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Mayo Clinic in Florida

    Jacksonville, Florida, 32224-9980, United States

  • Mayo Clinic in Rochester

    Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States

  • University of Minnesota/Masonic Cancer Center

    Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, United States