A new clinical study led by Dr. David Kirsch of the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre has found that adding an innovative immunotherapy treatment to standard radiation and surgery significantly improves outcomes for patients with high-risk soft tissue sarcomas. This breakthrough, published in The Lancet, offers new hope for patients with limb sarcomas, a type of cancer that historically has had limited treatment options.
The study, part of a randomized clinical trial, found that an immunotherapeutic drug called pembrolizumab improved the chances of patients staying cancer-free by 15%. "The combination of immunotherapy, radiation, and surgery has shown promising results, especially in patients who face a high risk of recurrence," explains Dr. Kirsch. "This could mark a significant shift in how we approach treatment for these patients."
Soft tissue sarcoma is a rare and complex cancer, with over 50 different subtypes, making it challenging to treat. For decades, progress has been slow in finding effective therapies, but this new trial is a breakthrough. "It’s truly exciting to see the potential of immunotherapy in improving outcomes for these patients," says Dr. Kirsch.
The trial demonstrated that combining pembrolizumab with standard treatments reduced the risk of disease recurrence at 2 years by 15%. While the treatment’s safety profile is generally favourable, there were side effects in the experimental group, which are common with immunotherapies. Nevertheless, this research could redefine the standard care for high-risk soft tissue sarcoma patients.
Dr. David Kirsch is the Head of the Radiation Medicine Program (RMP) at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Much of this research was conducted while Dr. Kirsch was the Barbara Levine University Professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Duke University School of Medicine.
This work was supported by Stand Up to Cancer, Merck Sharp & Dohme, and The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation.
Mowery YM, Ballman KV, Hong AM, Schuetze SM, Wagner AJ, Monga V, Heise RS, Attia S, Choy E, Burgess MA, Bae S, Pryor DI, Van Tine BA, Tinoco G, Chmielowski B, Freeman C, Gronchi A, Meyer CF, Dickson MA, Hartner L, Davis LE, Powers BC, Moding EJ, Weinhold KJ, van de Rijn M, Brigman BE, Riedel RF, Kirsch DG. Safety and efficacy of pembrolizumab, radiation therapy, and surgery versus radiation therapy and surgery for stage III soft tissue sarcoma of the extremity (SU2C-SARC032): an open-label, randomised clinical trial. Lancet. 2024 Nov 12:S0140-6736(24)01812-9. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01812-9. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39547252.