Fifty-two per cent of people diagnosed with advanced melanoma are now surviving the disease for 10 years or more when they receive a combination immunotherapy treatment, according to a new study led by The Royal Marsden.
Just 15 years ago, only 1 in 20 patients with advanced melanoma would survive for five years, with many living for just six to nine months.
Trialling a combination of immunotherapy treatments
The results from the Checkmate 067 trial, led by The Royal Marsden, includes the longest follow-up of any phase three trial of Anti-PD-1 agents (a type of targeted immunotherapy) as a treatment for cancer. Trials with long follow-up like Checkmate 067 are important to assess the long-term benefits and risks of new treatments, effects on survival rates, and side effects that may occur long after treatment.
What are Anti-PD-1 agents as a cancer treatment?
Anti-PD-1 agents – such Ipilimumab and nivolumab – are a type of targeted immunotherapy called an immune checkpoint inhibitor. These drugs work by helping the immune system find and destroy cancer cells as they spread. Ipilimumab and nivolumab have both helped prolong lives and the study showed that, in combination, the results were even better.
“The immune system is able to recognise tumours and destroy them”
Professor James Larkin, Consultant Medical Oncologist at The Royal Marsden, who presented the results, said:
“In the past, metastatic melanoma was regarded as untreatable, so it’s remarkable that over half of patients treated with nivolumab and ipilimumab are now surviving the disease for over 10 years.”
“By giving these drugs together, you are effectively taking two brakes off the immune system rather than one so that the immune system is able to recognise tumours it wasn't previously recognising, react to that and destroy them.”
Lucy's story
Lucy, 48, was diagnosed with stage three melanoma in 2011. She had surgery to remove the cancer and surrounding lymph nodes, but two years later, she received the devastating news that her disease had progressed and she had just months to live.
Thankfully, Lucy was referred to The Royal Marsden where she joined the Checkmate 067 trial and received life-saving treatment.
“Before I started the trial I was really ill,” says Lucy.
“I could barely eat, I was losing weight and was in a lot of pain. But three months later I felt completely different, my appetite was back and scans showed that the treatment was working.”
“I’ve been able to see my children go to college which is amazing”
“My children were five and seven years old when I received the news that I had just months to live, and they are now 17 and 19. I have been able to see them complete their exams and go to college, which is absolutely amazing.
“I’m now on different treatment which comes in a tablet form that I take daily, but I wouldn’t be here without the combination immunotherapy treatment I received, it saved my life.”
Help us fund life-saving research
Immunotherapy research at The Royal Marsden is supported by The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
Thanks to your support, we can continue to make life-saving research breakthroughs and develop new and better treatments for cancer that give people like Lucy more time with their loved ones.
Find out more about ways you can support us today.