Episode 78: ESMO 2023 - Skin Cancer and Melanoma

Since the early development of immunotherapy, metastatic melanoma has been the golden child of medical oncology. In recent years, similar outcomes have been seen with immunotherapy in non-melanomatous skin cancers. Cemiplimab is now a standard of care for patients with locally advanced, unresectable or metastatic cSCC, and is particularly effective in patients with cancer driven by UV-induced DNA damage. However, oncologists and researchers are always looking for new and better ways to use established treatments. At ESMO 2023 two papers took this approach; one examined moving immunotherapy to the neoadjuvant space, while another added a venerable EGFR inhibitor to treatment of advanced cSCC. However, the undoubted star of this show is the long-term results of tebentafusp, the first efficacious treatment of a subtype of the notorious uveal melanoma. ESMO 2023 truly had something for everyone, and the melanoma and skin cancer areas were no exception.

Studies discussed in today's episode (subscription may be required)

• A phase II study of neoadjuvant cemiplimab for stage II to IV cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC): One-year follow-up.

• https://esmocongress.esmo.org/esmo/esmo2023/en-GB/presentation/638272

• Three-year survival with tebentafusp in previously untreated metastatic uveal melanoma in a phase III trial

• https://esmocongress.esmo.org/esmo/esmo2023/en-GB/presentation/639251

• A single arm phase II, multicenter trial to evaluate the clinical activity and safety of avelumab plus cetuximab in unresectable stage III or IV cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: First results from the AliCe study

• https://esmocongress.esmo.org/esmo/esmo2023/en-GB/presentation/638271