Desmoplastic melanoma patients respond "exceptionally" well to treatment with immunotherapy alone

USA: A recent study has suggested that many patients with desmoplastic melanoma could avoid the risk of toxicity from combination therapies and achieve cancer control with immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) alone.

Data from a national clinical trial revealed that a striking 89% of patients with desmoplastic melanoma responded to this approach to treatment. The findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 2023 annual meeting on Sunday, April 16, by Kari Kendra, a medical oncologist who specializes in the treatment of melanoma at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James. 

Desmoplastic melanoma is a subset of melanoma skin cancer caused by high levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage and, therefore, many tumour mutations that all contribute to aggressive disease development and growth.

“Not all melanomas are the same, and they don’t respond to treatments to the same degree. Identifying the best treatment strategies for these unique patients can improve outcomes, our continual goal,” said study principal investigator Dr. Kendra. “This study makes us truly question whether combination therapy is necessary for these patients, and it presents important knowledge that could help us further tailor treatment based on characteristics of the patient’s unique tumour and reduce the potential for toxicity from combination therapies.”