According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, affecting more than 3 million people every year.

Although there are various types of skin cancer, the most common ones are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.

In a recent clinical trial, a promising drug has shown positive effects in treating skin cancer patients. Let’s explore the details of the trial and its findings.

The clinical trial

The clinical trial was conducted by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

The drug being tested is called cemiplimab, which is a type of immunotherapy that targets a protein called PD-1. PD-1 is found on the surface of cancer cells and helps them evade the body’s immune system.

The trial involved 710 patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma who had received prior treatment but experienced a recurrence or progression of their cancer.

The patients were randomly assigned to receive either cemiplimab or chemotherapy.

The findings

The results of the trial showed that cemiplimab was more effective than chemotherapy in treating advanced basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma.

Among the patients who received cemiplimab, 29% experienced a complete response, meaning their cancer disappeared completely, and 40% experienced a partial response, meaning their cancer reduced in size. In comparison, only 3% of patients who received chemotherapy experienced a complete response, and 16% experienced a partial response.

The patients who responded to cemiplimab had longer-lasting responses compared to those who responded to chemotherapy.

The median duration of response for cemiplimab was 12.9 months for basal cell carcinoma and 11.3 months for squamous cell carcinoma, whereas the median duration of response for chemotherapy was 2.3 months for basal cell carcinoma and 4.2 months for squamous cell carcinoma.

The side effects

The most common side effects of cemiplimab were fatigue, rash, and diarrhea. However, these side effects were generally mild to moderate and manageable with medication or supportive care.

Only 6% of patients had to discontinue treatment due to side effects.

The implications

The findings of the clinical trial have important implications for the treatment of advanced basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. Cemiplimab provides a new option for patients who have exhausted all other treatment options.

It also offers a more effective and longer-lasting response compared to chemotherapy.

Moreover, cemiplimab has the potential to be used in combination with other treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, to improve its efficacy. The drug is also being tested in clinical trials for other types of cancer, including melanoma.

The limitations

Although the findings of the clinical trial are promising, there are some limitations to consider. Firstly, the trial only involved patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma who had received prior treatment.

Therefore, the results may not be applicable to patients with early-stage cancer or those who have not received prior treatment.

Secondly, the trial was conducted over a relatively short period of time, with a median follow-up of 8.9 months for cemiplimab and 7.6 months for chemotherapy. Therefore, the long-term safety and efficacy of cemiplimab are not yet known.

The future

The promising findings of the clinical trial have opened new doors for the treatment of skin cancer.

Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of cemiplimab, as well as its potential use in combination with other treatments.

Nevertheless, the study provides hope for patients with advanced basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma, who previously had limited treatment options.

The development of new and effective treatments such as cemiplimab is critical in the fight against skin cancer.