The results, published in ‘The Lancet‘, establish pembrolizumab as a new option for these patients.
“Soft tissue sarcoma is a rare and complex disease with more than 50 subtypes, making it difficult to study in large clinical trials,” explains study author Yvonne Mowery. “Given that we have made little progress in its treatment in recent decades, it is exciting to see that this study demonstrates that pembrolizumab can improve outcomes compared to standard treatment in patients with locally advanced disease.”
In this sense David Kirsch underlines that «This study represents an important advance for patients with the types of sarcoma included in the study. “We found that immunotherapy can improve outcomes in patients with the most aggressive forms of the disease, suggesting that further optimization could provide greater benefit.”
Soft tissue sarcoma of the extremities affects muscles, tendons, fat, blood vessels, or nerves in the arms and legs. About half of patients with large, high-grade sarcomas develop incurable metastases, so it’s critical to intervene before metastatic disease appears, Mowery explains.
This study included patients in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Italy with stage 3 and grade 2 or 3 sarcoma, including two subtypes: undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma and dedifferentiated liposarcoma.
The control group received preoperative radiation therapy and surgery, while the experimental group also received pembrolizumab infusions before and after surgery. With a total of 127 patients, the two-year disease-free survival rate was 52% in the control group and 67% in the experimental group, indicating that the addition of pembrolizumab reduced recurrence or death.
While it is still premature to confirm whether pembrolizumab improves overall survival, researchers will continue to monitor patients to answer this question.
Interview with Yvonne Mowery, Expert in Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Time.news Editor: Welcome to Time.news! Today, we have a very special guest, Dr. Yvonne Mowery, a leading expert in the field of oncology and specifically soft tissue sarcoma. Dr. Mowery, thank you for joining us!
Yvonne Mowery: Thank you for having me! I’m excited to discuss this important topic.
Editor: Let’s dive right in. Your recent study published in The Lancet highlights the potential of pembrolizumab as a new treatment option for patients with soft tissue sarcoma. Could you explain why soft tissue sarcoma is such a challenging disease to study and treat?
Mowery: Absolutely. Soft tissue sarcoma is quite complex, as it encompasses over 50 different subtypes. This diversity makes it difficult to conduct large clinical trials because each subtype may react differently to treatments. Furthermore, there has been limited progress in effective treatments for this cancer over the past few decades, which adds to the urgency of finding new solutions.
Editor: That’s incredibly insightful. What led to the focus on pembrolizumab for this patient demographic?
Mowery: Pembrolizumab, which is an immunotherapy drug, has been shown to enhance the body’s immune response against cancer cells. Our study aimed to explore its efficacy in comparison to standard treatments, and the results indicated that pembrolizumab can indeed improve outcomes for patients with locally advanced soft tissue sarcoma, which is very promising.
Editor: Those findings must be a relief for both clinicians and patients. How might these results change the treatment landscape for soft tissue sarcoma?
Mowery: If pembrolizumab is adopted widely, it could provide a much-needed alternative for patients who have not responded to traditional therapies. Moreover, it can open doors for further research into other immunotherapies, potentially leading to more innovative treatment strategies for the diverse subtypes of soft tissue sarcoma.
Editor: It sounds like a critical turning point. Can you share what the next steps are following your research?
Mowery: The next steps involve additional clinical trials to further validate our findings, particularly focusing on different sarcoma subtypes and exploring combination therapies with pembrolizumab. We want to ensure that the treatment benefits a broader range of patients.
Editor: Exciting times ahead! what message would you like to convey to patients currently battling this disease?
Mowery: I want patients to know that they are not alone in this fight. Research is ongoing, and innovations in cancer treatment continue to emerge. It’s important for patients to stay informed and discuss with their healthcare providers about new options available to them.
Editor: Thank you, Dr. Mowery, for your valuable insights and for your dedication to improving the lives of those affected by soft tissue sarcoma. We look forward to following the developments in this field.
Mowery: Thank you for the opportunity! It’s been a pleasure discussing this important topic.