SGO 2019: Dendritic Cell–Based Immunotherapy in Combination With Chemotherapy in Recurrent Ovarian Cancer
Results from a clinical trial presented by Cibula et al at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology’s (SGO) 50th Annual Meeting on Women’s Cancer showed that a new immunotherapy treatment significantly prolongs survival in women with recurrent ovarian cancer when added to standard chemotherapy (Abstract 35).
The novel immunotherapy treatment is referred to as dendritic cell–based immunotherapy. It uses the patient’s own immune system to combat cancer and offers long-lasting antitumor immunity.
Study Findings
The randomized phase II trial compared overall survival of women who received chemotherapy with and without dendritic cell–based immunotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer. No significant difference was observed in median progression-free survival (11.3 months in patients treated with dendritic cell–based immunotherapy plus chemotherapy, or Arm A, and 10.1 months in patients treated with chemotherapy alone, Arm B). On the contrary, survival curves showed a significant difference in favor of the immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.38, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.20–0.74, P = .0032), corresponding to a 2-year survival of 72.4% and 40.9% in Arm A and B, respectively (difference 31.5%, 95% CI = 5.3–57.7%). Median overall survival reached 35.5 months in Arm A and 22.1 months in Arm B.
David Cibula, MD, PhD, a physician with Gynecologic Oncology Centre, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, presented the results at SGO. The most important objective of cancer treatment, said Dr. Cibula, is to prolong overall survival while maintaining a good quality of life during treatment. A major advantage of this immunotherapy, he added, is “an excellent safety profile and tolerance by patients thanks to an almost absence of any toxicity.”
“There are currently not many other alternatives in clinical development with such promising results,” concluded Dr. Cibula.
A larger phase III clinical trial is planned for 2019.
Disclosure: The study authors' full disclosures can be found at sgo.confex.com.
The content in this post has not been reviewed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc. (ASCO®) and does not necessarily reflect the ideas and opinions of ASCO®.
