Sinapsos Podcast | Oncology

E50   |  9 min   |   Latest   |  Publication Link

• Podcast based on: Borgers, J.S.W.; Wu, C.; Medina, T.M.; Muckle, C.M.; Katsnelson, E.N.; Whitty, P.A.; Mantle, L.; Patel, S.P.; Gao, D.; Jordan, K.R.; Robinson, W.A.; Tobin, R.P.; McCarter, M.D.; Couts, K.L. Epigenetic Priming with Oral Decitabine/Cedazuridine Combined with Nivolumab in Unresectable or Metastatic Mucosal Melanoma: Clinical and Correlative Findings from a Phase Ib/II Trial. Cancers 2026, 18, 3172. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18193172
  Type: Article  |  Publication date: 01 October 2026
  
  
• Summary: Mucosal melanoma is a rare and aggressive melanoma subtype with lower response rates to immunotherapy than cutaneous melanoma, creating a need for new combination treatment strategies. This study evaluated oral decitabine/cedazuridine, an epigenetic drug which alters DNA methylation and activates innate immune signaling pathways, in combination with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy nivolumab in patients with unresectable or metastatic mucosal melanoma. The trial closed early and enrolled only eight patients, reflecting the challenges of conducting prospective clinical trials in rare melanoma. Despite these limitations, the study provided important clinical and correlative insight, including an encouraging clinical signal in some patients. Treatment produced measurable biological effects in circulating immune cells, including reduced DNA methylation and increased expression of innate immune pathway genes. These findings support further investigation of biomarker-driven epigenetic immune-priming combinations in mucosal melanoma and other immunotherapy-resistant tumors characterized by impaired innate immune signaling.
  
  
• Keywords: mucosal melanoma; decitabine/cedazuridine; nivolumab; RIG-I; viral mimicry

License and disclaimer:
Original article © 2026 by the authors. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This episode is an AI-generated audio adaptation of the article: the script and the voices are synthetic, changes were made, and the adaptation is not endorsed by the authors, the journal, or the publisher. It may contain errors or omissions, so consult the original publication before relying on any detail. It is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. The creators accept no liability for any use of this content.