Nivolumab, an immunotherapy drug, has shown promising results in extending the lives of patients with advanced head and neck cancer, according to a study presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology congress. The trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, revealed that nivolumab significantly improved survival rates compared to traditional chemotherapy, offering a potential "game-changer" for patients with limited treatment options.
Improved Survival Rates in Head and Neck Cancer
The study involved over 350 patients with advanced head and neck cancer. The results indicated that 36% of patients treated with nivolumab were alive after one year, compared to only 17% of those who received chemotherapy. This represents a significant improvement in survival for a patient population with historically poor outcomes. The benefits were even more pronounced in patients whose tumors tested positive for HPV (human papillomavirus), with these patients surviving an average of 9.1 months with nivolumab compared to 4.4 months with chemotherapy.
Prof Kevin Harrington of the Institute of Cancer Research and consultant at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, who led the head and neck cancer trial, said nivolumab could be a real "game changer" for patients with advanced head and neck cancer. He added, "This trial found that it can greatly extend life among a group of patients who have no existing treatment options, without worsening quality of life."
Combination Therapy Shows Potential in Kidney Cancer
Early data from a study involving 94 patients with advanced kidney cancer explored the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab. The results showed a significant reduction in tumor size in 40% of patients treated with the combination therapy. Notably, one in ten patients showed no signs of remaining cancer, compared to a 5% tumor reduction rate observed with standard therapy.
Peter Waite, a 64-year-old patient from Hertfordshire, participated in a clinical trial receiving combined immunotherapy (nivolumab and ipilimumab). Scans showed that one of his tumors had shrunk, and two others had not shown any further growth. He reported virtually no side effects, allowing him to continue working throughout his treatment.
Immunotherapy: A New Approach to Cancer Treatment
Immunotherapy works by stimulating the body's immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. Unlike chemotherapy, which can have significant side effects, immunotherapy often results in fewer adverse reactions, improving the patient's quality of life during treatment. Nivolumab represents a new wave of immunotherapies that are beginning to have a significant impact across various cancer treatments.
Prof Paul Workman, chief executive of The Institute of Cancer Research, emphasized the importance of making nivolumab available to patients as quickly as possible, stating, "We hope regulators can work with the manufacturer to avoid delays in getting this drug to patients who have no effective treatment options left to them."
