International study with participation of MHH Professor Arndt Vogel shows improved overall survival with immunotherapy
Immunotherapies for cancer: The body's own immune defence is specifically supported or activated to seek out and attack cancer cells. Copyright: medJUNGE
17.04.2023
New cases of bile duct cancer, also known as biliary tumours, are increasing worldwide. The chances of cure are considered poor. The standard therapy for advanced bile duct cancer has so far been based on chemotherapy with the therapeutic agents gemcitabine and cisplatin; treatment with the body's own immune defence system has been researched for years for this type of cancer. An international research team with the participation of Professor Dr. Arndt Vogel from the Hannover Medical School (MHH) has now been able to prove in the KEYNOTE-966 study that the overall survival of patients is improved with the addition of the immune checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab. The results were published in the journal The Lancet.
"Our study shows a statistically clear improvement in overall survival and a manageable safety profile in patients with bile duct cancer," says Professor Dr Arndt Vogel from the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, Infectious Diseases and Endocrinology and corresponding last author of the study. "Pembrolizumab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin represents a new treatment option in first-line treatment for patients with previously untreated metastatic or unresectable bile duct cancer." KEYNOTE-966 showed efficacy in Caucasian patients in particular and confirms that immunotherapy will now be an integral part of systemic therapy for biliary tumours. The KEYNOTE-966 study was the largest global study ever conducted in biliary tumours.
The KEYNOTE-966 Phase 3 trial was conducted at 175 medical centres worldwide and included 1,069 patients. Study participants were randomised to receive either treatment with pembrolizumab plus gemcitabine and cisplatin or placebo plus gemcitabine and cisplatin. Such a procedure is considered the "gold standard" in science for obtaining reliable results.
The results were first presented on 16 April 2023 at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR).
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The original paper can be found here.