Stage 4 Melanoma Patient Cancer-Free After Brain Trial

When Stacy Dixon discovered bumps on her scalp and back in 2022, she had no idea melanoma had returned and spread to her brain. But a revolutionary treatment would soon change everything.

Dixon, a Tulsa resident, had beaten melanoma once before in 2016. This time, scans revealed the cancer had reached stage 4, with tumors in her lungs and brain. Local doctors recommended traditional brain surgery followed by whole-brain radiation.

Instead, Dixon sought a second opinion at MD Anderson in Houston. There, she learned about a clinical trial testing tile-based brachytherapy, a new approach that could transform how doctors treat brain metastases.

The treatment uses wafer-thin implants about the size of postage stamps, made from dissolvable collagen studded with radioactive seeds. During surgery, doctors remove the tumor, then line the cavity with these wafers. The seeds deliver radiation directly to the tumor site for 30 days before dissolving completely.

The breakthrough means patients don't need to wait weeks for their surgical wounds to heal before starting radiation. They also avoid exposing their entire brain to radiation just to treat small, targeted areas.

Dixon had the surgery in November 2022. Her care team included melanoma specialist Dr. Hussein Tawbi, neurosurgeon Dr. Jeffrey Weinberg, and radiation oncologist Dr. Thomas Beckham, who co-lead the trial together.

"I trusted my care team," Dixon said. "The level of care I got from them was amazing. I love that MD Anderson is always pushing the limits, looking for the next great thing."

The Bright Side

The clinical trial results, presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting, showed the implants control brain metastases better than standard care. This marks the first time brachytherapy has been used this successfully in the brain, though it's already proven effective against other cancers.

Weinberg emphasized this new technique isn't just equivalent to existing treatments. It's superior, offering better outcomes with fewer side effects and no treatment delays.

Dixon is now cancer-free. Her annual checkups remain clear, and she's grateful she took the chance on the clinical trial. She's living proof that sometimes the newest approaches offer the best hope.

For the thousands of cancer patients who develop brain metastases each year, this treatment could become the new standard of care.