Skin cancer drug trial cause for optimism

A RECENT drug trial at the Bendigo Cancer Centre involving six local patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma has shown promising results.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma often occurs in sun-affected areas of the head and neck and is the leading cause of non-melanoma skin cancer deaths.

Following treatment with the immunotherapy drug Cemiplimab – which stimulates the immune system to eradicate microscopic cancer cells left after surgery – participants had a 13 per cent risk of their cancer returning, compared to approximately 35 per cent in the control group.

Centre oncologist Dr Sam Harris said it’s vital that trials such as these are conducted in regional centres like Bendigo and emphasised the gravity of the results on the rest of the world.

“We were very happy to be involved in the trial here in Bendigo because it gives access to our patients to treatments they wouldn’t have had otherwise,” he said.

“It’s very rewarding, I want what’s best for (them) and it’s great to be able to offer them ground-breaking treatment without them having to travel to Melbourne.

“The fact that it was published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows the quality of the results.

“(It’s) one of the most prestigious medical journals in the world.”

He said he was confident the success of the trial will mean the drug will eventually be available via the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

“I have no doubt that the drug company will put an application into firstly the TGA and then the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee to get PBS listing for this drug, so it becomes the new standard of care in years to come,” he said.