Landmark Study Finds Half of Metastatic Melanoma Patients Survive 10 Years with Immune Therapy

A study by Weill Cornell Medicine and Dana-Farber Cancer Centre reveals that nearly 50% of metastatic melanoma patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors survive cancer-free for 10 years. This finding concludes the phase 3 CheckMate 067 trial and demonstrates the long-term efficacy and safety of the treatment.

A groundbreaking study by Weill Cornell Medicine and Dana-Farber Cancer Centre has revealed that approximately half of patients with metastatic melanoma treated with a combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors can survive cancer-free for 10 years or more. The research, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, concludes the phase 3 CheckMate 067 trial, which monitored 945 patients across 21 countries.

The trial showed that the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab, which target distinct immune checkpoint proteins, significantly improved survival rates for a condition previously deemed nearly always fatal. "This was a practice-changing trial," stated Dr. Jedd Wolchok, professor at Weill Cornell Medicine. Median survival for this patient population has now extended to over six years, a marked improvement from just six and a half months in 2011.

Dr. F. Stephen Hodi of Dana-Farber emphasized the trial's role in informing patients about the lasting benefits of immune checkpoint therapy. The 10-year analysis also found no new safety concerns, alleviating fears of long-term toxicity. The data suggest a strong likelihood of favorable long-term outcomes for patients surviving three to five years post-treatment, potentially transforming metastatic melanoma into a manageable condition.

(With inputs from agencies.)