New therapy dramatically reduces the risk of skin cancer metastasis.

A new study by Moderna and Merck & Co. suggests that a combination therapy of a personalized cancer vaccine and the immunotherapy drug Keytruda may significantly reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or metastasis after surgery.

According to Reuters, this is considered one of the most noteworthy long-term findings currently in the field of cancer treatment using mRNA technology.

The study was conducted between 2019 and 2021 on 157 patients with melanoma who had undergone surgery. The trial evaluated the effectiveness of the experimental vaccine Intismeran autogene combined with the immunotherapy drug Keytruda in preventing disease recurrence or metastasis.

Moderna's personalized cancer vaccine could offer new hope for skin cancer patients. Photo: Reuters

According to published results, combination therapy reduced the risk of cancer recurrence or spread to other organs by up to 59% within a 5-year follow-up period. The overall survival rate in the combination therapy group was 92.2%, significantly higher than the 71.3% in the group using Keytruda alone.

The new results also reinforce the three-year follow-up data published in 2023, when this therapy was identified as reducing the risk of recurrence or death by approximately 49%. Scientists believe that the consistency across follow-up milestones is a positive sign for the prospects of developing mRNA-based cancer treatment technology.

A notable feature of the Intismeran autogene vaccine is its ability to personalize the treatment for each patient. The vaccine uses the tumor's unique genetic markers to "train" the immune system to recognize and attack any cancer cells remaining after surgery.

Moderna and Merck are currently conducting late-stage trials to assess whether this therapy could become a first-line treatment option for melanoma. Simultaneously, the vaccine is also being studied for lung cancer and several other forms of cancer to evaluate its ability to prevent recurrence.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, approximately 234,680 new cases of melanoma are expected to be diagnosed in the United States in 2026. This is the most dangerous form of skin cancer because it can metastasize quickly to other organs if not detected and treated early.

The research findings will be presented at the American Clinical Oncology Conference in Chicago next week.

Experts believe that while more data from large-scale trials are needed before widespread approval, initial results suggest that mRNA technology – which gained prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic – could continue to expand its role in cancer treatment.

According to Reuters

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/lieu-phap-moi-giam-manh-nguy-co-di-can-ung-thu-da-790374.html