by Sydney, Australia – Mesothelioma patients in Australia experienced higher levels of toxicity when treated with the ipilimumab and nivolumab immunotherapy combination, according to a study published in the Journal of Thoracic Oncology. The findings reveal that the real-world experience of patients differed from what was reported in clinical trial results.
Mesothelioma, a type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos, is a significant health concern in Australia, which has one of the highest rates of asbestos-related diseases. The five-year overall survival rate for mesothelioma is currently only 10%, highlighting the urgent need for effective treatments.
The CheckMate743 trial established the ipilimumab and nivolumab combination as the standard of care for unresectable pleural mesothelioma. Subsequent studies, such as the MAPS2 trial, further supported the efficacy of this dual regimen.
Dr. Ned McNamee from The Kinghorn Cancer Centre & St. Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst, Australia, and his colleagues conducted a retrospective analysis of 119 Australian patients with pleural mesothelioma who received treatment with ipilimumab and nivolumab. The patients were treated in both the first-line and subsequent settings.
The study participants had a median age of 72, with 83% being male. Most patients (92%) had an ECOG performance status of ≤1, and 78% had a history of asbestos exposure. Additionally, 50% of the patients had the epithelioid subtype of mesothelioma, while 19% had sarcomatoid and 14% had biphasic subtypes.
In the real-world practice, 75% of the patients received ipilimumab and nivolumab as their first-line therapy.
The RIOMeso study provides crucial insights into the survival outcomes and toxicity associated with the ipilimumab and nivolumab combination in Australian mesothelioma patients. The findings suggest that real-world outcomes may differ from those seen in controlled clinical trials, highlighting the need to consider the broader treatment landscape.
Dr. McNamee emphasized caution when interpreting the results, noting that while there is a survival benefit of the CheckMate743 regimen over chemotherapy, particularly in non-epithelioid patients, there may be more uncertainty in the case of epithelioid patients. He also pointed out that careful patient selection could help mitigate some of the toxicity risks associated with this treatment.
These findings shed light on the importance of real-world data in understanding how treatments perform beyond the controlled environment of clinical trials. By examining the experiences of mesothelioma patients in Australia, this study provides valuable insights that can help guide treatment decisions and optimize patient outcomes.
Moving forward, further research and analysis are needed to gain a comprehensive understanding of the efficacy and safety of the ipilimumab and nivolumab combination in the real-world setting. Additionally, exploring other treatment options and strategies for different subtypes of mesothelioma remains crucial in the ongoing battle against this devastating disease.Higher Levels of Toxicity Seen in Australian Mesothelioma Patients on CheckMate743 Regimen Compared to Clinical Trials
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
2. We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
