As the nice weather and summer days are approaching, putting on a layer of sunscreen before going out is important. Melanoma, a malignant tumor of pigment cells of skin and mucous membranes, is one of the most aggressive cancers in humans. Melanoma prevention is much easier than treatment, which includes surgery and radiation. Nevertheless, new research shows promising results in developing the first cancer vaccine – mRNA vaccine for melanoma!

Clinical studies

The results of the phase 2b clinical study, which involves a larger number of participants after safety is determined, are promising for the combination of the mRNA vaccine and anti-cancer drugs for melanoma treatment.

Using the combination of mRNA vaccine and pembrolizumab has been demonstrated to effectively improve relapse-free survival. In comparison to treatment with pembrolizumab alone, the risk of mortality and residual disease was reduced by 49%, while the risk of distant metastases was reduced by 62%! Even though these are not the final results from this phase of the study, the importance of the positive response to this revolutionary treatment is undeniable, based on the data collected over the past 3 years.

The participants in this randomized study are patients with stage III or IV melanoma who have already undergone surgical removal of a malignant tumor. Phase 3 of the study is currently in progress, and it is expected that the treatment could become available in 2025.

mRNA vaccine in melanoma treatment

Every year, 132.000 people are diagnosed with melanoma, making it the deadliest skin cancer. mRNA vaccine is an individualized neoantigen therapy. One shot inputs a code for 34 neoantigens, which activates the anti-tumor immunological response based on individual tumor mutations. To prepare the vaccine, it is necessary to take a sample of the patient’s tumor by biopsy, do DNA sequencing, and even use artificial intelligence. This procedure could be a great breakthrough in immunotherapy.

I am truly very excited. It is my best opportunity to stop a growing cancer’, said Steve Young (52), one of the first recipients of the personalized vaccine.

Side effects

The side effects reported were not significantly different from those of treatment with pembrolizumab alone. 25% of the participants reported experiencing side effects such as fatigue and pain at the injection site, which are common after any type of vaccine.

How to recognize melanoma – ABCDE

Skin cancer prevention is crucial, as is noticing any changes in the skin. The ABCDE abbreviation can help identify abnormal moles.

  • A – asymmetrical (is the mole asymmetrical?)
  • B – border (are the borders uneven?)
  • C – color (is the color uneven?)
  • D – diameter (is it bigger than the other moles?)
  • E – evolving (does its shape or texture keep changing?)

When are personalized vaccines going to be in use?

Several studies are currently underway to explore the use of mRNA vaccines in cancer therapy, involving different types of cancers and vaccine manufacturers. The promising results give hope for the use of these treatment options in the future! In addition, the Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency have granted this treatment combination the status of a revolutionary therapy and recognized it under the priority medicines scheme!

 

Translated by: Lara Mužević

 

Literature

1. Morović, S, Mišir Krpan A. Radiološka tehnologija u dijagnostici i liječenju melanoma. Radiološki vjesnik, 45 (1), 16-20, 2021.

2. British man tests first personalised melanoma vaccine, 2024. https://www.bbc.com/ Pristupljeno: 23. svibnja 2024.

3. Coming Soon: The First mRNA Vaccine for Melanoma?, 2024. https://www.medscape.com/ Pristupljeno: 23. svibnja 2024.

4. Klinička ispitivanja, 2022. https://www.roche.hr/ Pristupljeno: 23. svibnja 2024.

5. ‘Real hope’ for cancer cure as personal mRNA vaccine for melanoma trialled, 2024. https://www.theguardian.com/europe Pristupljeno: 23. svibnja 2024.

Photography source

@Nasekom via Canva.com