By Joe Gorelick, MSN, FNP-C
What’s new in the treatment of advanced melanoma? A second-generation melanoma vaccine appears to provide greater benefit than a first-generation vaccine, according to data from UVA Cancer Center, where the new vaccine was developed. The updated vaccine stimulates killer T cells to target both melanoma and specific melanoma proteins.
Fifteen years after the last participant was enrolled in the trial, researchers say overall survival rates were encouraging with both vaccine approaches, but overall survival was better for those with the second-generation vaccine. Men–especially younger men with earlier-stage melanoma–responded best to the vaccine.
The researchers are not sure why the approach was more effective in men, but biologic sex is emerging as an important factor in outcomes of patients with melanoma, in particular with immune therapies. It’s important for clinicians to have some awareness of immune targeted therapies for our patients with advanced melanoma as these therapies may be offered as treatment options.
“The differences in benefit based on age and biologic sex highlight the need to understand reasons for those differences so that we can provide the same benefit for all patients,” said vaccine developer Craig L. Slingluff, Jr., MD. “We are excited to build on these exciting findings.”
The study appears in Nature Communications.