Scientists at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research have, for the first time, recorded immune cells known as the body’s “housekeepers” actively attacking and consuming live melanoma cells. The discovery could reshape how researchers approach treatment for melanoma, one of Australia’s most common and deadliest cancers.

The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, identifies a previously underappreciated group of immune cells called macrophages. These cells gather around the edges of melanoma tumors, where they continuously engulf cancer cells and help slow tumor growth.

“This is the first time anyone has captured a macrophage attacking and engulfing a live cancer cell in real time,” says Dr. Yuki Keith, first author of the research. “We always suspected macrophages were doing more than we gave them credit for – now we have the video footage to prove it. Studying this in a living system is crucial because it is more representative of what happens in real life, showing the complexity of the immune system and paving the way for the treatments of the future.”