Molecule Found to Drive Skin Cancer Growth and Evade Immune Detection

Clinical trials needed to test new combination of inhibitory drugs

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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A molecule that helps regulate gene activity has also been shown to drive skin cancer growth and tumors' ability to evade attack by the body's immune system, a new study shows. The study found that the transcription factor HOXD13 is essential to the blood vessel growth needed to fuel melanoma tumor cells, and it also suppresses the T cell activity needed to fight the disease.

Why it matters

This research provides new insights into how melanoma tumors can grow and avoid detection by the immune system, which could lead to the development of more effective treatments by targeting the HOXD13 protein and related pathways.

The details

The researchers found that HOXD13 spurred activity in signaling pathways that increase blood supply to tumors, including those involving VEGF, SEMA3A, and CD73. Experiments suppressing HOXD13 activity led to tumor shrinkage. The study also found that blood levels of cytotoxic T cells were lower in melanoma patients with high HOXD13 activity, and the ability of such T cells to enter tumors was reduced.

  • The study was published online on January 30, 2026 in the journal Cancer Discovery.

The players

NYU Langone Health

A fully integrated health system that consistently achieves the best patient outcomes through a rigorous focus on quality.

Perlmutter Cancer Center

A cancer center that is part of NYU Langone Health.

Pietro Berico

A postdoctoral research fellow at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and its Perlmutter Cancer Center, and the lead investigator of the study.

Eva Hernando-Monge

A professor in the Department of Pathology at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and a member of the Perlmutter Cancer Center, as well as the senior investigator of the study.

HOXD13

A transcription factor that was found to be a potent driver of melanoma growth and to suppress T cell activity needed to fight the disease.

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What they’re saying

“Our study provides new evidence that transcription factor HOXD13 is a potent driver of melanoma growth and that it suppresses the T cell activity needed to fight the disease.”

— Pietro Berico, Postdoctoral research fellow

“This data supports the combined targeting of angiogenesis and adenosine-receptor pathways as a promising new treatment approach for HOXD13-driven melanoma.”

— Eva Hernando-Monge, Professor

What’s next

Separate clinical trials are already underway evaluating the safety, dose tolerance, and efficacy of either VEGF-receptor and adenosine-receptor inhibitor medications for melanoma and other cancers. If these experiments prove successful, the research team plans to initiate clinical investigation on using a combination of VEGF and adenosine-receptor inhibitors to treat melanoma in those whose tumors show elevated HOXD13 levels.

The takeaway

This research provides new insights into how melanoma tumors can grow and avoid detection by the immune system, which could lead to the development of more effective treatments by targeting the HOXD13 protein and related pathways involved in angiogenesis and immune evasion.