High-Risk Melanoma: Inhibiting MEK and PD-L1 in Tandem
Source: The Asco Post, July 2024
Cobimetinib and atezolizumab administered prior to surgery eliminated or shrunk tumors in 70% of patients with melanoma enrolled in the NeoACTIVATE trial. Results were published by Hieken et al in Nature Communications.
Background
Melanoma of the skin is the fifth most common cancer type in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute. About 100,000 U.S. patients will be diagnosed with melanoma in 2024, and about 1.5 million U.S. patients are currently living with the disease. The researchers explained that BRAF-mutated melanoma accounts for about 50% of melanoma cases. However, certain targeted therapies have been shown to be effective at countering the mutation.
This was one of the first clinical trials to explore the use of targeted therapy plus immunotherapy prior to surgery in patients with and without BRAF-mutated melanoma.