Abstract: Methods of predicting or detecting sensitivity to therapeutic effects of anti-PD-1 therapy in a patient suffering from melanoma, as well as for selecting somatic mutanomes and transcriptomes of melanoma biopsies. A tumor sample obtained from the patient is assayed for a measure of anti-PD-1 therapy sensitivity via, for example, whole transcriptome sequencing, antibody based protein quantifications, mass spectrometry based protein quantification, targeted mRNA sequencing, real-time RT-PCR, Sanger sequencing, targeted sequencing and/or whole exome/genome sequencing. Samples are selected that exhibit a higher first enrichment similarity score and/or a lower second enrichment similarity score, and/or at least one measure of sensitivity. A patient whose sample was selected herein as a candidate for anti-PD-1 therapy is thereby identified. The method of the invention can further comprise treating the patient with anti-PD-1 therapy, optionally in conjunction with combinatorial therapy.

Abstract: Methods of predicting or detecting sensitivity to therapeutic effects of anti-PD-1 therapy in a patient suffering from melanoma, as well as for selecting somatic mutanomes and transcriptomes of melanoma biopsies. A tumor sample obtained from the patient is assayed for a measure of anti-PD-1 therapy sensitivity via, for example, whole transcriptome sequencing, antibody based protein quantifications, mass spectrometry based protein quantification, targeted mRNA sequencing, real-time RT-PCR, Sanger sequencing, targeted sequencing and/or whole exome/genome sequencing. Samples are selected that exhibit a higher first enrichment similarity score and/or a lower second enrichment similarity score, and/or at least one measure of sensitivity. A patient whose sample was selected herein as a candidate for anti-PD-1 therapy is thereby identified. The method of the invention can further comprise treating the patient with anti-PD-1 therapy, optionally in conjunction with combinatorial therapy.

Abstract: Specific, targetable molecules mediating acquired resistance of B-RAF-mutant melanomas to a B-RAF inhibitor, thereby providing materials and methods for the treatment and detection of B-RAF inhibitor resistant cancers, such as melanoma. A method of identifying a patient to be treated with an alternative to B-RAF inhibitor therapy is described. Also described is a method of treating a patient having cancer. The patient is administered a MEK inhibitor, optionally in conjunction with vemurafenib therapy, or an inhibitor of the MAPK pathway (RAF, MEK, ERK) in conjunction with an inhibitor of the RTK-PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway.