Photo Credit: Malikov Aleksandr
The following is a summary of “An Updated Review of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Cutaneous Oncology: Beyond Melanoma,” published in the January 2025 issue of Oncology by Pham et al.
Over the past decade, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have emerged as a cornerstone in the treatment of various cancers, revolutionizing modern oncology. Their efficacy in managing advanced melanoma is well-documented, making them a standard treatment option in this domain. However, recent studies and emerging data have shown that the utility of ICIs extends far beyond melanoma, revealing their potential effectiveness in treating a broader spectrum of non-melanoma cutaneous malignancies, including squamous cell carcinoma, Merkel cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma, among others.
This review synthesizes the latest findings from clinical trials, real-world analyses, and translational research conducted over the past three years, focusing on the evolving role of ICIs in non-melanoma skin cancers. It highlights several critical areas that warrant further investigation to optimize the use of ICIs in these malignancies. One such area is the inclusion of underrepresented or excluded populations, such as patients with comorbid conditions or those from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, in clinical trials. Expanding trial demographics could provide more comprehensive data on the efficacy and safety of ICIs across different patient groups.
Additionally, the review explores the application of ICIs in novel treatment settings beyond metastatic disease, such as in the adjuvant or neoadjuvant setting, where early intervention could improve outcomes. The potential of innovative combination therapies, where ICIs are used alongside other treatments like radiation or targeted therapies, is also discussed as a promising avenue to enhance therapeutic efficacy.
Another pressing need identified is the development of reliable predictive biomarkers that can help tailor treatments to individual patients by predicting their likelihood of responding to ICIs. This precision medicine approach could significantly enhance patient outcomes and reduce unnecessary exposure to potentially ineffective treatments.
Overall, advancing the treatment of advanced cutaneous malignancies with ICIs requires a multidisciplinary approach. The collaboration between oncologists, dermatologists, and dermatological surgeons is crucial to translating these findings into clinical practice, ultimately improving patient care and outcomes in this expanding field of oncology.
Source: sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959804924017283
