Cancer trials show immunotherapy drugs are effective and promising

Immunotherapy heralds ‘new era’ for cancer treatment.

cancer immunotherapy image
A whole new era” for cancer treatment is upon us, according to experts. Two new studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine provide further evidence that immunotherapy is highly effective against the disease.

International trial using ipilimumab and nivolumab to treat patients with advanced melanoma stopped cancer advancing in 58% of cases.
Recently presented at the 2015 American Society for Clinical Oncology annual meeting:

  • one study revealed that a drug combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab (an immune therapy drug) reduced tumor size in almost 60% of individuals with advanced melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – compared with ipilimumab alone,
  • while another study found nivolumab reduced the risk of lung cancer death by more than 40%.
Sources and more information
  • Immunotherapy heralds ‘new era’ for cancer treatment, MedicalNewsToday, 4 June 2015.
  • Trials show immune drugs effective in advanced melanomas, eurekalert, 1-JUN-2015.
  • Immunotherapy drug improves survival for common form of lung cancer, eurekalert, 31-MAY-2015.
  • Immunotherapy drugs show continued promise, cancerresearchuk, 1 June 2015.

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