MADRID, 26 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) – A new study from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden suggests that lower doses of immunotherapy may offer a more effective approach to treating melanoma, a perhaps deadly form of skin cancer. Researchers found that reduced dosages of the drugs nivolumab and ipilimumab not only lessened debilitating side effects but also improved tumor control and patient survival rates. the findings,published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute,could influence treatment protocols globally,especially in countries where dosage adaptability is limited by reimbursement policies.
– CASARSAGURU/ISTOCK – Archivo
MADRID, 26 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Lower doses of immunotherapy, a treatment already approved for melanoma, may prove more effective at fighting the cancer while also reducing debilitating side effects, according to a new study. The research, conducted by investigators at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, offers a potentially significant shift in how this aggressive cancer is treated.
“Our findings are very interesting in the field of oncology,” said Hildur Helgadottir, lead researcher from the Department of Oncology-Pathology at the Karolinska Institute. “We demonstrated that a lower dose of immunotherapy, in addition to causing significantly fewer side effects, actually leads to better tumor control and improved survival rates.”
Currently, the standard treatment for melanoma involves a specific dose of nivolumab and ipilimumab. However, due to the often-severe side effects associated with these drugs, Sweden has increasingly adopted a treatment approach utilizing a lower dose of ipilimumab – the more expensive component of the immunotherapy regimen and the one most frequently linked to adverse reactions.
“In Sweden, we have greater flexibility in choosing dosages for patients,” Helgadottir explained. “In many other countries, reimbursement policies restrict doctors to the doses approved by pharmaceutical authorities.”
The study analyzed data from nearly 400 patients diagnosed with advanced and inoperable melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Results showed that the lower-dose ipilimumab regimen was more effective, with 49% of patients responding to the treatment, compared to 37% in the group receiving the traditional dose.
Patients receiving the lower dose experienced a median progression-free survival – the time lived without the disease worsening – of nine months, versus just three months for those on the standard dose. Overall survival was also significantly improved, reaching 42 months with the lower dose compared to 14 months with the traditional approach. Serious side effects were reported in 31% of patients in the lower-dose group, compared to 51% in the standard-dose group.
“These new immunotherapies are incredibly valuable and effective, but they can also cause severe side effects that are sometimes life-threatening or become chronic,” Helgadottir noted. “Our results suggest that this lower dose could allow more patients to continue treatment for a longer period, which will likely contribute to better outcomes and increased survival.”
While some differences existed between the two treatment groups, the improved outcomes with the lower dose of ipilimumab remained consistent even after adjusting for factors like age and tumor stage. The study is observational and retrospective in nature, meaning it cannot definitively establish a cause-and-effect relationship. However, the findings suggest a potential pathway for optimizing melanoma treatment and improving patient quality of life. This research highlights the importance of personalized medicine and tailoring treatment plans to minimize harm while maximizing benefit.
