Uveal melanoma is the most common eye cancer in adults. In one in three patients, it progresses to the stage of metastases, most often localized in the liver. Scientists from the Institut Curie have just demonstrated the effectiveness of a new immunotherapy molecule.
A new immunotherapy
The Institut Curie centers its missions around cancer research. Each year, the foundation takes care of roughly two-thirds of new patients with uveal melanoma. The Institut Curie is, in fact, the reference center for this cancer, because its vocation is to provide better care for patients. This is also the reason that prompted Dr Sophie Piperno-Neumann, medical oncologist at the Institut Curie and her team, to conduct a phase 3 clinical study on the efficacy of a new molecule against metastatic forms of cancer. uveal. The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, are very encouraging.
The researchers recruited 378 patients with metastatic uveal melanoma. The treatment being tested is immunotherapy, called tebentafusp. This protein is said ” bispecific », It is able to stimulate a targeted immune reaction against the glycoprotein gp100 and to decrease tumor growth. It has been shown, through this scientific study, that tebentafusp significantly increased patient survival: one-year survival is 73% compared to 59% for diseases that did not receive this treatment. Besides, ” 31% of patients who received tebentafusp did not relapse at 6 months, compared to 19% of patients in [l’autre] group. ”
According to Institut Curie, the drug should be available in the coming months for patients with metastases, because for the time being, it only has a Temporary Authorization for Use (ATU) within the framework of the study. It is therefore a great medical advance, because until then, “ there was no really effective therapy to treat these metastases “.
The most common eye cancer
The skin and the eyes have a similarity: they are made up of melanocytes, cells whose role is the production of melanin to protect from the sun. Regarding the eye, these specific cells are found in the uvea, which is located in the middle part of the organ. Although melanoma of the skin is the most common, it happens that it occurs in the uvea of the eyes, it is the uveal melanoma. Each year, 500 to 600 new cases appear in France. Usually, the tumor appears in people between the ages of 50 and 70, with a risk two to three times higher in those with light eyes (blue, gray or green). It is quite difficult to prevent this type of cancer. However, research does not show a link between the onset of uveal melanoma and sun exposure. Treatments are available, such as brachytherapy or eye surgery.
