Immunogenicity and Biomarker Analysis of Neoadjuvant Ipilimumab for Melanoma

Ipilimumab is a manufactured monoclonal antibody, much like the antibodies usually made by the human body to fight off infection; however it is not known why the human body does not "fight off" a cancerous tumor. The idea behind developing this experimental drug is to stimulate the immune system to make antibodies to kill cancer cells. This research study is considered "experimental" because it has not received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of this type of cancer. This monoclonal antibody has been specifically made to block Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Antigen 4 (CTLA4), which is a protein found on cells of the immune system. CTLA4 seems to slow down the immune response, so blocking it with an anti-CTLA4 antibody may make the immune response more active. The purpose of this study is to see if Ipilimumab affects the response of the patient's immune system toward their cancer.