Combined immunotherapy can significantly improve the long-term survival of patients with melanoma

  According to a study by the Royal MarsdenHS Foundation, a combination of two immunotherapeutics (ipilimumab and nivolumab) can prevent or reverse the progression of advanced melanoma within 5 years.

  Just 10 years ago, only 1/20 of patients with advanced melanoma survived for 5 years, and many survivors only survived for 6-9 months. The results of Checkmate067trial were recently announced at the 2019 ESMO Annual Meeting in Barcelona, Spain, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. This is the longest phase 3 follow-up clinical trial of checkpoint inhibitor combination therapy. .. The results of this study are

  Oyal Marsden's NHS Foundation Oncology Consultant and Professor James Larkin of the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), UK introduced. He said: "In the past, metastatic melanoma was considered incurable. Unlike other cancers, oncologists cannot treat melanoma once it spreads. The long-term chance of survival for advanced melanoma is 50. This is the first time we have exceeded it. %. This is an important milestone."

  The study will conduct 945. Patients with advanced melanoma are randomly divided into 3 groups: 314 patients. Received the "double whammy" of nibolumab and ipilimumab; 316 patients received nivolumab + placebo treatment; 315 patients received ipilimumab + placebo treatment. Compare each nivolumab with ipilimumab separately until the disease progresses or the side effects become unacceptable. The overall 5-year survival rate of nipimab combined with ipilimumab is 52%, and 74% of patients have not received treatment after 5 years. The overall survival rate of ibolumab was 44%, and that of ipilimumab was 26%.

  Professor Larkin said: "The combination of these two drugs actually caused the immune system to brake twice, not once. This approach allows the immune system to recognize tumors that have not been detected before. "For fatigue, rashes and diarrhea. It is very important for patients who discontinue treatment while waiting for side effects to achieve as good results as patients who take long-term concomitant medication. The focus of immunotherapy is treatment time.

  67-year-old Pamela Smith (Pamela Smith), shortly after discovering that melanoma had spread, took part in the Checkmate 067 clinical trial in January 2014.

  Pamela said: "Since there was no surgery at the time, this trial was the only option. I received each of me for about 4 months of treatment for two weeks. As a result, I had severe diarrhea and had to stop the treatment. Surprisingly, the first time. The scan and all subsequent scans showed success in a relatively short period of time. My tumor shrank to less than half of its original size and has not changed for five years. Since then, I have not received treatment, so I feel It's better."