Healthcare with Confidence
Immunotherapy for Melanoma: A Promising Path to Better Outcomes
Immunotherapy is one of the most advanced and promising treatments available today for melanoma, particularly in its metastatic stages. This innovative approach helps the body’s own immune system recognize, target, and destroy cancer cells—often with fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy.
Leading Oncologist – Melanoma and Skin Cancer
Prof. Jacob Schachter, a leading oncologist and immunotherapy expert, has over two decades of experience treating melanoma in Israel. Under his leadership, Israeli cancer centers—especially the Ella Lemelbaum Institute at Sheba Medical Center—have become global pioneers in melanoma immunotherapy, participating in groundbreaking clinical research and patient care.
Prof. Schachter is in the Forbes list of the best Israeli doctors
Qualified Medical Consultation Online, Second Opinion
How Immunotherapy Works
The immune system protects us from infections and abnormal cells, including cancer. Under normal circumstances, it can distinguish between healthy cells and dangerous ones. However, melanoma—especially in advanced stages—can develop ways to hide from the immune system, making it difficult for the body to fight the disease on its own.
Immunotherapy works by reactivating and strengthening the immune system so it can detect and attack melanoma cells more effectively.
Ask for an Israeli Doctor Second Opinion
Types of Immunotherapy Used in Israel for Melanoma
Israeli oncologists use a range of FDA-approved and experimental immunotherapies to treat metastatic melanoma. These include:
Checkpoint Inhibitors (Immune Checkpoint Blockade)
- These drugs “release the brakes” on the immune system, allowing it to recognize and kill cancer cells:
- Ipilimumab (Yervoy) – targets CTLA-4 protein
- Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) – targets PD-1 protein
- Nivolumab (Opdivo) – targets PD-1 protein
- Nivolumab + Ipilimumab – a combination used for more aggressive or resistant cases
Advanced Combination Therapies
- Nivolumab IV + Nivolumab Intrathecal – for late-stage melanoma involving the brain or spinal cord
- Pembrolizumab + Lenvatinib (Lenvima) – a combination of immunotherapy and targeted therapy
TIL Therapy (Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes)
A personalized and cutting-edge treatment, TIL therapy involves isolating immune cells from a patient’s tumor, growing them in a lab, and reintroducing them into the body to attack melanoma cells. This therapy is offered in only a few top centers worldwide—including Israel.
Fecal Microbiome Transplantation (FMT)
In select cases, FMT is used to improve a patient’s response to immunotherapy by enhancing gut microbiome balance, which plays a role in immune function.
Who Can Benefit from Immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy may be recommended for patients with:
- Unresectable or metastatic melanoma
- Melanoma that has relapsed after surgery or traditional treatments
- Melanoma with brain metastases
- Resistance to other therapies
The best approach depends on the patient’s health, cancer stage, and genetic/molecular markers such as BRAF mutations.
Second Opinion and Remote Consultations
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with melanoma, it’s essential to get expert input. Israeli oncologists offer second opinions and online consultations to help guide the most effective treatment strategy.
You can consult remotely, send medical records (including biopsy reports, imaging, and test results), and even arrange for tissue reanalysis and pathology review in Israel.
Get in Touch
We help patients from around the world access cutting-edge melanoma care in Israel. Contact us to:
- Learn about available immunotherapy options
- Arrange a second opinion or remote consultation
- Start planning a personalized evaluation program with top Israeli doctors
- Early action can save lives—don’t wait to explore your options.
