New research presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2024 demonstrates that combining immunotherapy drugs with chemotherapy significantly improves survival rates in patients with aggressive, hard-to-treat cancers, specifically triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
KEYNOTE-522 Trial: Pembrolizumab in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Professor Peter Schmid presented findings from the Phase III KEYNOTE-522 trial, which involved 1,174 patients across 21 countries. The study revealed that administering the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda) before and after surgery, in conjunction with chemotherapy, reduces the risk of cancer recurrence and enhances overall survival in patients with high-risk early-stage TNBC.
"Triple-negative breast cancer has the worst outcomes compared to other types of breast cancer," said Professor Schmid. "The results of this trial have found a much-needed new way to treat this aggressive type of breast cancer, and the treatment regime has already become the new standard of care for these patients."
NIAGARA Study: Durvalumab in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer
Professor Thomas Powles shared results from the phase three NIAGARA study, involving over 1,000 patients from 22 countries. The trial demonstrated that combining the immunotherapy drug durvalumab (Imfinzi) with chemotherapy improves survival in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
"Treating aggressive bladder cancer before it spreads is perhaps our best chance of a cure. In NIAGARA, we show for the first time that the addition of immune therapy to chemotherapy increases this cure rate. This is a major step forward for these patients," Professor Powles stated.
Clinical Significance
These studies, both published in the New England Journal of Medicine, highlight the potential of immunotherapy combinations to address unmet needs in aggressive cancer treatment. The findings are expected to change clinical practice, offering improved outcomes for patients with TNBC and muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Both research teams are based at Queen Mary’s Barts Cancer Institute and Barts NHS Health Trust.
