Immunotherapy Drug Shows Promise in Preventing Spread of Rare Skin Cancer

Immunotherapy Drug Shows Promise in Preventing Spread of Rare Skin Cancer
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An immune-based cancer therapy may help prevent the spread of Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare but aggressive skin cancer, when given after surgery, ScienceDaily reported. Findings from the phase 3 STAMP trial (EA6174), conducted by the ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group, showed that patients treated with pembrolizumab had a lower risk of developing distant metastases — cancer spreading to organs such as the liver, lungs, or bones — compared with those who received no additional therapy.

After two years, 73% of patients who received pembrolizumab remained cancer-free, versus 66% in the control group. Although the difference in overall recurrence was not statistically significant, pembrolizumab reduced the risk of distant cancer spread by 42%. Lead investigator Dr. Janice M. Mehnert of NYU Langone Health said the study provides the first evidence that postoperative immunotherapy can help reduce disease progression in Merkel cell carcinoma.

The trial enrolled 293 patients across more than 500 hospitals through the U.S. National Cancer Institute’s network. Pembrolizumab, a PD-1 inhibitor already approved for advanced Merkel cell carcinoma, works by activating the immune system to attack cancer cells. Researchers continue to monitor long-term survival outcomes, with full results to be presented at the 2025 ESMO Congress in Berlin.