A 30-Year Commitment to Advancing Melanoma Care

In her journey through medicine, Lynn M. Schuchter, MD, has been influenced by mentors who exemplified compassion and dedication.

Among them, John H. Glick, MD, a now-retired professor of medicine and the Madlyn & Leonard Abramson Professor of Clinical Oncology at the University of Pennsylvania, stands out as a pivotal figure during her time at the institution. His approach to patient care—modeling how to treat individuals and their families with the same love and respect as one’s own family—has left a lasting impression on Schuchter and shaped her own philosophy of care.

Although Schuchter’s educational journey into the medical field took her from the University of Michigan to Chicago Medical School, where she trained at Michael Reese Hospital and Cook County Hospital, it all started with a strong family influence.

Raised by her father, who worked as a physician, and her mother, a nurse, Schuchter was drawn to medicine early on in life. Although she called it an “inclination” to consider the medical field, her path became more defined during her training, when she developed a particular interest in oncology.

“There were a lot of parts to oncology that grabbed me, including the disease [of] melanoma,” said Schuchter, director of the Tara Miller Melanoma Center and Madlyn and Leonard Abramson Professor of Clinical Oncology at Penn Medicine. “I was drawn very early on to [oncology] because of the relationship we have with our patients and the immediate connection.”

This initial attraction has remained steadfast throughout her career, where she developed a specific niche in melanoma research. “Now 30 years later, I feel as committed as I did from the beginning and still really focused on 1 disease: melanoma,” she said.

Early Influences and Education

Beyond her family, other influences shaped her path to becoming an oncologist. In college, she found Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ best-selling book, On Death and Dying. This piece on the stages of grief had a profound effect on Schuchter, as someone close to her was simultaneously battling metastatic breast cancer. “I remember feeling really concerned about her care, [whether] people were aware of her prognosis, and the planning that was involved,” Schuchter said.

This desire to ensure she was receiving optimal cancer care ignited her interest in communication and the emotional aspects of oncology. These themes are ones that have persisted throughout her career.

“It is interesting to reflect on those key things that were happening way back when, even before I was thinking about being a physician. Those were apparently quite foundational…in addition to melanoma clinical trials; this has been important to my work.”

This interest was only heightened by one of Schuchter’s mentors, including Harvey Golomb, MD, at the University of Chicago Medicine, who played crucial roles in her development as an oncologist. Her training continued at Johns Hopkins Medicine, where her focus on solid tumor oncology and immunology deepened.

Schuchter recalls a pivotal moment in her career that solidified her passion for melanoma. During her fellowship, she encountered a patient with a rare form of the disease known as subungual melanoma, which develops in the nail bed. This case required Schuchter to consult with multiple specialists across disciplines, revealing the collaborative nature that is needed when treating patients with complex melanoma cases. “I was amazed at the ease of collaborating with the melanoma community,” she said.

She was shocked that these experts she had researched took her phone calls and were willing to listen to a fellow and help her determine the best possible course of action for this patient who had some unusual aspects. “Those same people were my mentors [and] collaborators, and I have found that the melanoma community of scientists, physicians, nurse practitioners, and researchers is highly collaborative—maybe because we did not have any successful treatment for so long.”

This early experience for Schuchter highlighted the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in oncology, shaping her career and fostering lifelong professional relationships within the melanoma community.

A Flourishing Career at Penn Medicine

In 1989, Schuchter joined the University of Pennsylvania, where she has since spent her career. Schuchter was especially drawn to Penn Medicine due to its well-established melanoma program.

At the University of Pennsylvania, she found a nurturing environment that allowed her to not only grow as an oncologist but also lead in various capacities, including conducting groundbreaking clinical trials to serving as the division chief of hematology/oncology. Her work at Penn Medicine also involves leading the Tara Miller Melanoma Center, which is named after a young patient whose legacy continues to inspire advancements in melanoma treatment. Schuchter credits the collaborative and innovative atmosphere at Penn Medicine for much of her success.

“The environment here at Penn has been phenomenal,” she said. “It has been a place [where] I have been able to grow and stay.”

Under her leadership, the division had monumental growth with unprecedented advances made across hematology and oncology, according to Schuchter’s colleague David L. Porter, MD.

“Dr Schuchter is indeed a Giant in Cancer Care. I will let others describe her incredible impact on our field, but it can’t be overstated the impact she has had on her local community at the University of Pennsylvania. She was the chief of the division of hematology/oncology for 14 years and is certainly a Giant to everyone whose lives she touched. She is one of the best, most caring, and compassionate physicians to practice at Penn,” said Porter, who is the director of cell therapy and transplant and the Jodi Fisher Horowitz Professor in Leukemia Care Excellence at Penn Medicine.

“As a division chief, she was strong, fair, honest, and caring—a combination often difficult to find in academic leaders. She has been a mentor both formally and informally to countless students, trainees, and faculty, and her guidance and wisdom has clearly had a profound impact on so many careers,” Porter said. “She has a legacy to be incredibly proud of, and every colleague at Penn will be beaming for her recognition as a Giant in Cancer Care.”

Breakthroughs and Remaining Challenges

Schuchter has witnessed immense improvements and advancements in melanoma treatment throughout her career, particularly in the past decade. With the discovery of the BRAF mutation and the development of targeted therapies such as vemurafenib (Zelboraf) and dabrafenib (Tafinlar), the prognosis for many patients with this disease has been transformed. “We have tears of joy in the clinic because we are likely curing many patients with stage IV melanoma,” she said, reflecting on the progress.

Notably, Schuchter worked as a coauthor on a seminal phase 1/2 study (NCT01072175) that evaluated the safety and efficacy of dabrafenib and trametinib (Mekinist) for the treatment of patients with melanoma who had received prior BRAF inhibitor treatment.

Although dabrafenib and trametinib were each approved as single agents in May 2013, along with a companion diagnostic, its 2014 accelerated approval marked the first-ever approval of a targeted therapy combination for the treatment of patients with advanced melanoma.1,2 The combination was granted regular approval by the FDA in 2018, as it nearly doubled the duration of response and significantly improved overall response rates vs treatment with dabrafenib alone.3

“It was exhilarating and exciting, but [there is] also the reality and desire to say, ‘OK, what is the next thing?’ How do we combine other agents? How do we prevent resistance? How do we study resistance?” Schuchter said. “In melanoma, there is an important idea of doing serial biopsies of melanoma specimens so we had a specimen at baseline, understanding the features of the mutations, and then doing biopsies over time to see what the new acquired pathways and mutations were that were altered to give a clue as to why the cancers and why the melanoma became resistant.”

Schuchter has and continues to dedicate much of her career to overcoming treatment resistance and exploring new avenues for treatment for patients with melanoma. Her research has expanded to include novel therapies such as chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and messenger RNA vaccines for melanoma.

Schuchter also noted the importance of addressing brain metastases, which she says is a major cause of mortality in patients with melanoma. “Brain
metastasis continues to be a major problem, and collaborations with The Wistar Institute and neurosurgeons [are crucial] to develop new strategies around brain metastasis,” she said.

Dipping Into Leadership and Advocacy Roles

Beyond her clinical and research work, Schuchter has played a significant role in professional organizations, including the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). As a long-time member and past president, she has contributed to shaping policies and advocating for improved patient care and access to treatments.

Tara C. Mitchell, MD, professor of medicine, section chief of melanoma/sarcoma in the Division of Hematology/Oncology, and director of clinical research at Tara Miller Melanoma Center, Abramson Cancer Center of the University of Pennsylvania, noted that Schuchter’s colleagues have “tremendous” respect for her as a partner and leader.

“Dr Schuchter is a true pioneer in the field of melanoma oncology, having spent 3 decades providing exemplary care to patients and families,” Mitchell said. “As both a past president of [ASCO] and as the director of Penn’s Tara Miller Melanoma Center, she has fostered collaboration and scientific progress while remaining patient focused in her work.”

Additionally, Robert H. Vonderheide, MD, DPhil, director of Abramson Cancer Center, John H. Glick, MD Abramson Cancer Center Director’s Professor, vice dean of Cancer Programs at the Perelman School of Medicine, and vice president of Cancer Programs at University of Pennsylvania Health System, commented that Schuchter is a world-renowned expert in melanoma clinical care and clinical research, an early pioneer in understanding biochemotherapy-immunotherapy for patients with advanced melanoma, and helped lead the development of multiple novel therapies including targeted therapy and immunotherapy. “By her example, mentorship, and leadership, Dr Schuchter has paved the way for women in oncology with a proven record of training physicians and scientists in both translational and clinical oncology research,” Vonderheide said. “Dr Schuchter served as chief of hematology-oncology at Penn for 14 years, expanding the faculty from 35 to nearly 150 positions and is a past recipient of ASCO’s Women Who Conquer Cancer Mentorship Award.”

At the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, her theme, “The Art and Science of Cancer Care: From Comfort to Cure,” highlighted the importance of integrating palliative care into oncology practice. “This past year, I have been able to emphasize the importance of palliative care, symptom management, and hospice care. When I have been able to speak around the country and the world on behalf of ASCO, I have been able to talk about this theme and the
importance of this work,” Schuchter said.

ASCO has also updated their palliative care guidelines, which is something she is pleased that happened this year.4

Schuchter also collaborated with Vicki Jackson, MD, MPH, president of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, on joint initiatives. Jackson spoke at the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, and together they did webinars with nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and medical oncologists with expertise in palliative care. “It has been great to be able to make this more visible and to embed this work,” Schuchter said.

Creating a Personal Balance and Future

Balancing a demanding career with personal well-being is crucial for Schuchter. She finds peace in activities such as biking, tennis, and gardening, and she cherishes time with her family. “It’s important to have that balance,” she said, acknowledging the support of her husband and twin sons.

As Schuchter’s colleagues noted, she continues to push the boundaries of oncology, and her commitment to enhancing patient care and her continued pursuit to develop new therapies offers a guiding light for future generations of oncologists.

As Schuchter reflects on her career, she often credits Glick’s mentorship for shaping the way she approaches her patients today, and his philosophy of treating patients as if they were family remains the cornerstone of her practice. Now, 3 decades later, Schuchter remains as dedicated as ever to her work in melanoma, ensuring that the values instilled in her by her mentor guide her in providing the highest level of care to every patient who walks through her door. 

References

1. Menzies AM, Long GV. Dabrafenib and trametinib, alone and in combination for BRAF-mutant metastatic melanoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2014;20(8):2035-2043. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-13-2054
2. Flaherty KT, Infante JR, Daud A, et al. Combined BRAF and MEK inhibition in melanoma with BRAF V600 mutations. N Engl J Med. 2012;367(18):1694-1703. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1210093
3. FDA approves dabrafenib plus trametinib for adjuvant treatment of melanoma with BRAF V600E or V600K mutations. FDA. April 30, 2018. Updated May 1, 2018. Accessed August 14, 2024. https://tinyurl.com/bdcbtdwc
4. Sanders JJ, Temin S, Ghoshal A, et al. Palliative care for patients with cancer: ASCO guideline update. J Clin Oncol. 2024;42(19):2336-2357. doi:10.1200/JCO.24.00542