Is there hope over new skin cancer therapy?

Scientists have presented results of an experimental new drug which, in the early stage trials, has significantly shrunk skin cancer tumours. The US researchers, from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital in New York said their results were "unprecedented."

While this isn't a cure, the study of 31 patients with late-stage skin cancer suggested the therapy could improve their quality of life and possibly extend lifespan. After the success of the first trials, larger scale trials will be needed to test the drug further.

In the study, which has been unveiled at a major cancer conference in Berlin, researchers treated patients where cancer had spread throughout their system. Those involved were given a new drug that blocks the activity of a gene thought to be involved in the spread of skin cancer, the so-called BRAF gene.

Within two weeks they noticed what they described as a "rapid and dramatic" shrinking of the tumours in the cancer patients.

Mikhail Lvovsky, a dentist form New York, who has been taking part in the trial said he felt changes after just 10 days and how "that was amazing."

A year ago he stopped work because he was so ill. He asked his doctor to take him off his previous medication because he couldn't bear the side effects. Six months after taking the new drug, he is back at work.

He said, "The first thing I did six months ago was to call the funeral director and pay for my funeral. Now I'm thinking of going back to work. It's beyond exciting. It's fantastic."

Lead researcher Dr Paul Chapman said, "We've seen responses in patients who didn't respond to chemotherapy before. So far 70 percent of patients have responded. So that is unprecedented for us."

Although new treatments can often seem promising to begin with - they have disappointing results in later larger trials. However, the doctors involved in this trial - and those at the European Cancer Organisation who have organised the conference - have never seen a cancer drug act so quickly on such a high proportion of patients.

The drug, PLX4032, is the latest in a new generation of cancer drugs that block the action of cancer causing genes. The most successful of these so far has been Gleevec, which is used to treat myloid Leukaemia and gastric cancer.

Professor Alexander Eggermont, president of the European Cancer Organisation, said: "The new drug is the equivalent of Gleevec in terms of the effect its having in advanced melanoma."

23/09/2009

Like this article? Get the RSS feed: