Onkológia 3/2021

Cemiplimab in the treatment of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

Non-melanoma skin cancers are the most frequent types of cancer in humans. They are represented by basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). High level of tumor mutation burden is associated with many types of cancer and efficiacy of PD1-PD-L1 has already been proved. Until now no standard systemic treatment treatment was approved. Among the most frequent therapies have been used cisplatin, 5-FU, or EGFR inhibitors. Cemiplimab is an antibody immunotherapy that stimulates an anti-cancer response via programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) blockade. Approval by FDA was based largely on positive results from the phase II EMPOWER-CSCC 1 trial in this patient population. In this pivotal trial, treatment with intravenous cemiplimab 3 mg/kg once every 2 weeks or 350 mg once every 3 weeks resulted in a clinically significant objective response rate across laCSCC and mCSCC patient groups. Furthermore, responses appear to be durable, as the median duration of response has not yet been reached. Similarly, the median overall survival has also not yet been reached as of the latest data cut-off date. The safety and tolerability profile of cemiplimab was acceptable, with most immune-related adverse events being clinically manageable with appropriate therapy or discontinuation of cemiplimab. As the first approved treatment for this indication, cemiplimab represents a welcome therapeutic advance for patients with advanced CSCC.

Keywords: skin cancers, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, treatment, cemiplimab