Dr. Eggermont on the Rationale for Evaluating Adjuvant Pembrolizumab in Advanced Melanoma

Source: OncLive, September 2020

Alexander M. M. Eggermont, MD, PhD, professor of oncology, University of Paris-Sud, professor of oncological surgery, chair, International Research Network on Cancer, Erasmus University of Rotterdam, Joseph Maisin Honorary Chair of Oncological Surgery, Louvain Catholic University, discusses the rationale for the phase 3 EORTC 1325/KEYNOTE-054 trial, evaluating adjuvant pembrolizumab (Keytruda) versus placebo, in advanced melanoma.

Early research showed response rates of about 45% to 50%, as well as 5-year overall survival rates of about 45%, with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in treatment-naïve patients with advanced melanoma, says Eggermont.

As such, the phase 3 KEYNOTE-054 trial further evaluated pembrolizumab in the adjuvant setting versus placebo in patients with resected, high-risk, stage III melanoma, says Eggermont.

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