Skin Cancer Research and Clinical Trials

Many patients at Fred Hutch Cancer Center receive promising therapies by taking part in clinical trials. These research studies are done by researchers from Fred Hutch and UW Medicine. They test new treatments or new ways to use current treatments. We have a wide variety of clinical trials for skin cancer, including studies of immunotherapies. 

Every advance in cancer treatment in recent years has come out of clinical trials. We offer more active clinical trials than anywhere else, which means more treatment options for patients like you.

Skin Cancer Clinical Trials 

Fred Hutch typically has over 750 active cancer clinical trials enrolling participants. 

Clinical trials may allow some patients access to a promising new treatment, and help physicians and researchers learn more about a disease. 

Search Skin Cancer Clinical Trials

Skin Cancer Research

Our skin cancer research focuses on understanding what drives these diseases and developing more targeted treatments. 

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Squamous cell carcinoma is a type of skin cancer caused by an overproduction of squamous cells in the top layer of the skin, called the epidermis. A deeper understanding of the important genetic alterations found in skin cancer, and how they contribute to disease, may help point the way to future drugs that target this disease. Our scientists work toward this goal by discovering the key mutations in squamous cell carcinoma and finding out how they impact the way skin cancer develops and progresses. They also are researching new ways that the human body staves off cancer. These insights can lead to new treatments for skin cancer as well as other types of tumors.

Melanoma

Fred Hutch researchers studying melanoma focus on ways to harness the immune system to fight the disease, including the use of a patient’s own melanoma-attacking immune cells, called tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes or TILs, to better target their tumor. Other skin cancer clinical trials for people with melanoma include studies of checkpoint inhibitors and experimental immune-stimulating therapies.

Learn More About Melanoma Research

Merkel Cell Carcinoma

With collaborators at the Fred Hutch/University of Washington/Seattle Children's Cancer Consortium, our scientists developed a blood-based screening test to detect Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) recurrence. This test can spare patients from more invasive screening. These researchers also led pivotal studies showing that checkpoint inhibitors, a type of immunotherapy, can effectively stop or reverse disease in many patients with MCC. These findings transformed treatment standards for MCC.

Fred Hutch scientists continue to explore the use of immunotherapy to improve treatment for people with MCC. This includes studies of checkpoint inhibitors and the use of a patient’s own immune cells engineered to recognize the tumors. They also are studying the immune system’s response to the Merkel cell polyomavirus. Insights from these studies may give new insights into the use of immunotherapy in other types of tumors, too.

Learn More About MCC Research

Our Skin Cancer Researchers and Faculty

Our scientists and providers work together to prevent, diagnose and treat skin cancer as well as other cancers and diseases. The lab and clinical research they do is essential for the development of new treatments and better care. Many of our skin cancer providers also do research in addition to seeing patients. Clinical trials can also be a way for patients to get early access to new leading-edge therapies. Our research teams are running many clinical studies for people with skin cancer.

See below for our researchers and faculty or view our skin cancer care team providers.

Christina Baik, MD, MPH

Christina Baik, MD, MPH

Christina Baik, MD, MPH

Associate Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch

2 more appointments

Phone: 206.606.6680
Email:
Fax: 206.606.1435
Mail Stop: K2-231
Slobodan Beronja, PhD

Slobodan Beronja, PhD

Slobodan Beronja, PhD

Professor, Human Biology Division, Fred Hutch

Phone: 206.667.7609
Email:
Fax: 206.667.2917
Mail Stop: D4-100
Lab Website
Shailender Bhatia, MD

Shailender Bhatia, MD

Shailender Bhatia, MD

Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch

Member, Pathogen-Associated Malignancies Integrated Research Center (PAM IRC)

3 more appointments

Phone:
Email:
Fax: 206.606.1314
Mail Stop: CE2-102
Christopher D. Blosser, MD

Christopher D. Blosser, MD

Christopher D. Blosser, MD

Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch

Director, Cancer and Organ Transplant Clinic, Fred Hutch

4 more appointments

Phone:
Email:
Fax:
Mail Stop:
Aude G. Chapuis, MD

Aude G. Chapuis, MD

Aude G. Chapuis, MD

Associate Professor, Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutch

Member, Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center (IIRC), Fred Hutch

5 more appointments

Phone: 206.667.4369
Email:
Fax: 206.667.7983
Mail Stop: D3-100
Lab Website
Delphine Chen, MD

Delphine Chen, MD

Delphine Chen, MD

Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch

Director, Molecular Imaging and Therapy, Fred Hutch

3 more appointments

Phone:
Email:
Fax:
Mail Stop:
Denise Galloway, PhD

Denise Galloway, PhD

Denise Galloway, PhD

Scientific Director, Pathogen-Associated Malignancies Integrated Research Center (PAM IRC), Fred Hutch

Professor, Human Biology Division, Fred Hutch

4 more appointments

Phone: 206.667.4500
Email:
Fax: 206.667.5815
Mail Stop: C1-015
Lab Website
Evan Hall, MD, MPhil

Evan Hall, MD, MPhil

Evan Hall, MD, MPhil

Associate Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch

Affiliate Investigator, Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research (HICOR), Fred Hutch

1 more appointment

Phone:
Email:
Fax: 206.606.1314
Mail Stop: CE2-102
Sylvia Lee, MD

Sylvia Lee, MD

Sylvia Lee, MD

Associate Professor, Program in Immunology, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch

Member, Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center (IIRC), Fred Hutch

1 more appointment

Phone: 206.606.2274
Email:
Fax: 206.606.1435
Mail Stop: K2-231
Natalie J. Miller, MD, PhD

Natalie J. Miller, MD, PhD

Natalie J. Miller, MD, PhD

Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch

Phone:
Email:
Fax:
Mail Stop:
Cecilia Moens, PhD

Cecilia Moens, PhD

Cecilia Moens, PhD

Professor, Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutch

Member, Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center (IIRC), Fred Hutch

2 more appointments

Phone: 206.667.5627
Email:
Fax: 206.667.6522
Mail Stop: A2-025
Lab Website
Megan Othus, PhD

Megan Othus, PhD

Megan Othus, PhD

Professor, Biostatistics Program, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutch

Member, Translational Data Science Integrated Research Center (TDS IRC), Fred Hutch

1 more appointment

Phone: 206.667.5749
Email:
Fax: 206.667.7004
Mail Stop: M3-C102
Scott Ramsey, MD, PhD

Scott Ramsey, MD, PhD

Scott Ramsey, MD, PhD

Director, Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research (HICOR), Fred Hutch

Professor, Cancer Prevention Program, Public Health Sciences Division, Fred Hutch

2 more appointments

Phone: 206.667.7846
Email:
Fax: 206.667.5977
Mail Stop: M3-B232
Ramesh Rengan, MD, PhD

Ramesh Rengan, MD, PhD

Ramesh Rengan, MD, PhD

Senior Vice President and Director, Radiation Oncology Division, Fred Hutch

Member, Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center (IIRC), Fred Hutch

3 more appointments

Phone: 206.306.2814
Email:
Fax: 206.417.0347
Mail Stop: D3-100
Scott Tykodi, MD, PhD

Scott Tykodi, MD, PhD

Scott Tykodi, MD, PhD

Professor, Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutch

1 more appointment

Phone:
Email:
Fax:
Mail Stop:
Valeri Vasioukhin, PhD

Valeri Vasioukhin, PhD

Valeri Vasioukhin, PhD

Professor Emeritus, Human Biology Division, Fred Hutch

Affiliate Professor Emeritus, Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutch

1 more appointment

Phone:
Email:
Fax:
Mail Stop:
Lab Website
Joshua Veatch, MD, PhD

Joshua Veatch, MD, PhD

Joshua Veatch, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor, Translational Science and Therapeutics Division, Fred Hutch

Member, Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center (IIRC), Fred Hutch

4 more appointments

Phone: 206.667.5108
Email:
Fax:
Mail Stop: D3-100
Lab Website

Skin Cancer News

All news
Skin in the game: Changing the story of Merkel cell carcinoma
Skin in the game: Changing the story of Merkel cell carcinoma How the Nghiem Lab and its supporters are improving outcomes for patients with a rare cancer February 6, 2025
The Beam: Proton therapy for rare cancers, an in-depth look at our team coordinators’ role and meet new medical assistant
The Beam: Proton therapy for rare cancers, an in-depth look at our team coordinators’ role and meet new medical assistant Proton therapy’s role in the treatment of less common cancer, learn what proton therapy coordinators do and an introduction to Jade Duke, MA June 18, 2024
Here comes the sun! What’s your skin strategy?
Here comes the sun! What’s your skin strategy? Avoiding sunburn is the first step in preventing deadly skin cancer melanoma May 23, 2024
New biomarker could one day help tailor immunotherapy for Merkel cell carcinoma
New biomarker could one day help tailor immunotherapy for Merkel cell carcinoma Helps explain why only certain MCC patients respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors, could point toward new strategies to improve treatment responses February 9, 2024