Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine have made significant strides in treating head and neck cancers with the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab. The innovative trial gathered evidence from more than 700 patients at 192 sites in 24 countries. This milestone represents a critical step forward in the history of cancer care. The study was funded by the pharmaceutical company MSD. What it indicates, though, is that pembrolizumab can dramatically increase the duration of disease remission compared to standard treatments.
During the trial, 363 patients were treated with pembrolizumab first, then received regular standard of care. The findings revealed this new, targeted therapy effectively prevented cancer from returning for at least five years on average. Legacy approaches provided no more than 30 months of protection. This very promising development holds new promise to patients battling these very aggressive cancers. This is particularly important since the current standard of care has not improved in more than 20 years.
Kevin Harrington, a professor of biological cancer therapies at the Institute of Cancer Research in London. He was the UK Chief Investigator for the trial. He highlighted the urgency of these findings, stating, “For patients with newly diagnosed, locally advanced head and neck cancer, treatments haven’t changed in over two decades.”
Harrington made clear that immunotherapy provides “stunning” advantages for patients with advanced or metastatic cancer. Unfortunately, it hasn’t been as impactful for people who are experiencing the disease for the first time. This study shows that immunotherapy can truly change these patients’ lives by giving them a much lower chance of their cancer spreading all over the body, where it would be much harder to treat, in such an aggressive form,” he said.
Laura Marston, a 45-year-old from Derbyshire, was one of the first people to join the trial. She was fighting an aggressive, stage 4 tongue cancer that she was diagnosed with in 2019. As for Marston, she said she’s still surprised daily by her continued healing.
“I am amazed I am still here six years later,” – Laura Marston
Marston expressed her appreciation for the treatment which has significantly improved her quality of life.
“This treatment has given me the gift of life,” – Laura Marston
The researchers first announced the trial results at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which just wrapped up its 2023 meeting. Their discoveries reinforced the critical need for innovation in head and neck cancer treatments. Pembrolizumab’s efficacy has major ramifications. This is doubly critical given that more than half of patients with advanced disease will not live beyond five years on today’s treatment regimens.
For patients who are newly diagnosed with advanced disease, pembrolizumab provides new hope, as it does for patients who’ve experienced recurrence or metastatic spread. The trial’s success signifies a potential turning point in cancer care, underlining the importance of continued research and innovation in oncology.