CD8-positive T cells selectively marked by interleukin-7 receptor (IL-7R) expression may help improve long-term antitumor immunologic memory in patients with melanoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, according to a novel study published by Micevic et al in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In the new study, researchers analyzed the development of antitumor immunologic memory following treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors and discovered that most CD8-positive T cells exhibited high levels of IL-7R. After blocking the receptors, the researchers noted that the development of antitumor immunologic memory was hindered—and that epigenetically reprogramming the memory T cells resulted in a reduction in tumor size in the 75% of melanoma cases. The researchers concluded that these CD8-positive T cells may be effectively augmented to produce adoptive cell therapies and help improve tumor remission and survival rates for patients with melanoma.