For the first time, a cell therapy strategy using reprogrammed T lymphocytes has shown encouraging signs of effectiveness against a solid tumor, according to a trial presented at the major congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology on Monday, October 20, in Berlin.
Inspiring results were presented on Monday, October 20, at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) congress in Berlin. They illustrate two realities. On one hand, the ingenuity of researchers and doctors in designing and developing innovative treatments for a rare cancer, ocular melanoma. On the other hand, the potential destructive power of cell therapy against solid tumors, whereas until now, this type of approach had only proven effective against blood cancers.
A sign of the high expectations in this field, these results were presented in a “presidential” session, which highlights the major announcements of the congress. This was, however, a small trial, including sixteen patients with advanced or metastatic ocular melanoma that had become refractory to standard treatments. Yet, in 67% of them, the tumor responded to this cell therapy, with “promising results in terms of survival” and a “favorable” safety profile.