Important study on melanoma in Italy

Jun 13, 2011 by admin

A few days ago, the FDA (Food and Drug Administration, the American institution that controls food and drug safety) approved the use of Ipilimumab, a drug based on a monoclonal antibody, which has yielded encouraging results in the fight against melanoma.

During the testing phase of this antibody, the survival of patients has increased significantly: it has almost doubled at one year, rising from 25% to 46%, and has increased from 5% to 20% at 5 years. Based on these results, the testing was extended to cases of lung and prostate cancer.

Michele Maio, a University of Naples medical graduate, member of the scientific board of the Sbarro Health Research Organization (SHRO), non-profit institute for scientific research in Philadelphia, USA, that is working in collaboration with researchers from Human Health Onlus Foundation (HHF) of Spoleto, and director of the Center for Cancer Immunotherapy of Siena, led the project Nibit M1, using for the first time Ipilimumab in combination with a chemotherapeutic agent (fotemustine) to combat cancer.

For some time, Maio and his team have been studying immunotherapy as a potential innovative path to the definitive fight against cancer, now also in combination with traditional treatments, like chemotherapy.

Maio points out that “The monoclonal antibody, in combination with chemotherapy, activates the immune system, thus acting indirectly on the tumor. While some antibodies directly affect the tumor, this combination also activates the immune system. We have treated over one hundred patients with melanoma in different clinical trials. “

In the past, these two treatments, immunotherapy and chemotherapy, were considered antithetical, but, if the effectiveness of this new approach is confirmed, the fight against cancer could benefit from an additional weapon to fight the disease.

Melanoma is a cancer of the skin that over the years has become increasingly aggressive, particularly in advanced stages.

Many experts suggest that exposure to the sun ultraviolet radiation (made more and more dangerous by pollution that has progressively reduced the ozone levels), and to the tanning lamps, are among the major causes.

The study involved several research centers, including the Pascale Institute for the treatment of cancer of Naples.

Dr. Pierpaolo Basso