ASCO 2023 was an incredible conference and I had completely enjoyed the networking, presentations, and evening meetings. Here are two melanoma clinical trials that we had also participated in enrollment at the Orlando Health Cancer Institute. It is incredibly exciting to see patients do better with improved responses as well as improved odds of not seeing cancer come back! Abstracts can be found here for further details.
Two exciting advancements in melanoma treatment, involving novel immunotherapy combinations and mRNA vaccines, are heralding hope for patients with high-risk, resected melanoma.
A groundbreaking combination treatment using anti-LAG-3 antibody fianlimab and anti-PD-1 antibody cemiplimab has demonstrated promising results in patients with metastatic melanoma. The trial, which included 98 participants, reported an impressive overall response rate (ORR) of 61.2%, including 12 complete and 48 partial responses. Importantly, these responses were durable and consistent across patients, regardless of their LAG3 or PD-L1 expression or prior treatment with PD-1 inhibitors.
This combination therapy appears to offer significant clinical activity that matches or even surpasses currently approved combinations of immune checkpoint inhibitors. The results are the first to suggest that dual LAG-3 blockade can produce a high level of activity in patients with advanced melanoma who previously received adjuvant anti-PD-1 treatment. Due to these encouraging results, Phase 3 trials are now ongoing for treatment-naïve advanced melanoma patients, as well as those who’ve undergone complete resection.
Meanwhile, the potential benefits of mRNA vaccines, which have made headlines for their role in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, are being explored in the fight against melanoma. A trial involving the mRNA-based personalized cancer vaccine mRNA-4157, combined with pembrolizumab, showed significant improvements in recurrence-free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) in patients with resected high-risk stage IIIB/C/D and IV melanoma.
In this study, patients who received pembrolizumab in combination with the personalized mRNA-4157 vaccine experienced a RFS rate of 78.6% at 18 months, a marked improvement from the 62.2% observed in those who received pembrolizumab alone. This groundbreaking research underlines the potential of personalized neoantigen approaches to dramatically improve outcomes for cancer patients.
Both the combination fianlimab/cemiplimab and mRNA vaccine/pembrolizumab trials are actively enrolling at the Orlando Health Cancer Institute. As research continues to forge ahead, there is renewed hope that these innovative therapies will provide a lifeline to melanoma patients worldwide.
Investigations into the clinical benefits of these treatments continue to evolve, reflecting the relentless drive of the scientific community to improve outcomes for melanoma patients. As we eagerly await the results of further studies, one thing is clear: the future of melanoma treatment is brighter than ever before.
For high-risk melanoma patients seeking cutting-edge treatment options, these innovative therapies are more than scientific advancements – they are a beacon of hope, illuminating the path towards a future free from the shadow of cancer.
About the author
Dr. Sajeve Thomas is a distinguished medical professional and a compassionate guide in the field of oncology. With over a decade of dedicated experience as a board-certified medical oncologist/internal medicine specialist, Dr. Thomas has become a trusted expert in the treatment of melanoma, sarcoma, and gastrointestinal conditions. Currently practicing at the renowned Orlando Health Cancer Institute, he brings a wealth of expertise to the complex and challenging world of oncology.
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