Eradication of melanomas by targeted elimination of a minor subset of tumor cells

Abstract

Proceeding on the assumption that all cancer cells have equal malignant capacities, current regimens in cancer therapy attempt to eradicate all malignant cells of a tumor lesion. Using in vivo targeting of tumor cell subsets, we demonstrate that selective elimination of a definite, minor tumor cell subpopulation is particularly effective in eradicating established melanoma lesions irrespective of the bulk of cancer cells. Tumor cell subsets were specifically eliminated in a tumor lesion by adoptive transfer of engineered cytotoxic T cells redirected in an antigen-restricted manner via a chimeric antigen receptor. Targeted elimination of less than 2% of the tumor cells that coexpress high molecular weight melanoma-associated antigen (HMW-MAA) (melanoma-associated chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, MCSP) and CD20 lastingly eradicated melanoma lesions, whereas targeting of any random 10% tumor cell subset was not effective. Our data challenge the biological therapy and current drug development paradigms in the treatment of cancer.