Can targeted radiation boost the power of immunotherapy against melanoma?
NCT ID NCT03646617
First seen Aug 17, 2026 · Last updated Aug 17, 2026
Summary
This trial is investigating whether adding a short course of targeted radiation to a standard immunotherapy combination (ipilimumab and nivolumab) can improve outcomes for people with metastatic melanoma. Participants will receive the two immunotherapy drugs, and some will also receive radiation to a single tumor. The study aims to see if the combination is safe and whether it helps control the cancer better than immunotherapy alone.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- A combination of two immunotherapy drugs (ipilimumab and nivolumab) with or without targeted radiation therapy (hypofractionated radiotherapy).
- What this could lead to
- If adding radiation to immunotherapy works, it could improve control of metastatic melanoma and potentially extend the time before the cancer progresses.
- What could go wrong
- This is a phase 2 trial with a small number of participants, so results may not be definitive. Combining treatments may increase side effects, and the benefit of adding radiation is not yet proven.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Abramson Cancer Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, United States
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Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, United States
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Lancaster General Hospital
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, 17601, United States
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