A quarter of patients with metastatic skin cancer recover after treatment

September 20, 2022
Today at
17:18

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Researchers from UZ Brussels followed nearly 300 patients whose metastatic melanoma was treated with immunotherapy for twelve years. “A lot of research is still needed before we can offer everyone the prospect of a cure.”

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About 8% of all skin cancers are melanomas. Until recently, this more aggressive form was always fatal once the cancer had spread. Since 2010, this type of skin cancer can be treated with immunotherapy in our country. This gives the immune system a boost to target and clear cancer cells.

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The essence

A study by UZ Brussel shows that a quarter of nearly 300 patients with metastatic melanoma recover five years after starting treatment.
Patients are treated with immunotherapy, which gives the immune system a boost to target and clear cancer cells.

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When the new therapy was introduced, researchers from UZ Brussels started a study to find out what the outcome was for patients. They followed 292 patients who were treated with anti-PD-1 antibody therapy.

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‘In melanomas, the cancer cells are not clearly visible to the immune system,’ says Professor Bart Neyns, head of medical oncology at UZ Brussels who led the research. “Immunotherapy removes this by giving the immune system a clear path to attack cancer cells.”

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Of the patients treated with classical chemotherapy ten years ago, less than 10 percent were still alive after five years.

Bart Neyns

Head of medical oncology UZ Brussel

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25 percent cured after 5 years

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The chance of being and staying healed five years after starting treatment was about 25 percent, research shows. “Ten years ago this was less than 10 percent with classic chemotherapy,” Neyns says.

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‘Our results are in line with those of the pharmaceutical industry clinical studies. But we have selected patients who have not been treated in such studies. So it comes ‘real world’ data confirming the experimental results. For over ten years we have been following some patients with metastatic melanoma, with lasting positive results. This is longer than in pharmaceutical studies. ‘

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Timely detection of metastases

The Brussels study also looked at the emergence of new cancers. “It was the case with a few patients. It is important that a new tumor is not necessarily a relapse of melanoma, ‘says Neyns. “The chance that patients will develop another tumor within five years is greater than the recurrence.”

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‘This confirms the chances of recovery offered by immunotherapy for about one in four patients. It also confronts us with the new health risks that survivors face, although they are similar to those for the general population. ‘

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The research continues

The investigation continues. “Not only for the long-term results for the survivors, but also for the new forms of immunotherapy,” Neyns says.

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According to Neyns, the fact that immunotherapy has not yet taken hold in 75% of patients has many causes. ‘In those patients, the tumor is less visible to the immune system. We look for starting points to make the treatment more effective for them too. Much research is still needed before we can offer everyone the prospect of a cure. ‘

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