Trial Shows Keytruda With Chemotherapy Superior to Chemo Alone

Results of a new phase 3 clinical trial published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology indicate that a chemoimmunotherapy regimen combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy drugs improves patient survival more than chemotherapy alone for pleural mesothelioma. Study researchers used pembrolizumab (Keytruda) alongside platinum and pemetrexed chemotherapy. Christina S. Baik, MD, MPH, reviewed the phase 3 trial results during the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s 2023 Best of ASCO Seattle annual meeting.  The overall response rate for patients receiving Keytruda with chemotherapy was 63% compared to 40% for those on chemotherapy alone.  “This was a fairly simple study design,” Baik said. “Patients who received chemoimmunotherapy did better. They had improved overall survival compared with chemotherapy alone, with a hazard ratio of around 0.8.”  Keytruda targets the PD-1 receptor on lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell, and allows the immune system to target mesothelioma tumors better. Results from the clinical trial showed that patients with both PD-L1-positive and PD-L1-negative tumors experienced survival improvements.   Keytruda With Chemotherapy Improves Survival Rates Pharmaceutical company Merck first announced preliminary results in June. The multimodal treatment of Keytruda and chemotherapy led to a 21% reduction in the patient’s risk of death.  The study enrolled 440 patients with pleural mesothelioma ...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: Chemotherapy/Chemo drugs Immunotherapy Mesothelioma Treatment Source Type: news