According to a story from Business Wire, the biopharma company Incyte recently announced that the results from its phase 3 trial designated POD1UM-303/InterAACT2 indicated that retifanlimab (marketed as Zynyz®), when used in combination with platinum chemotherapy, was able to achieve significant gains in progression-free survival in the treatment of squamous cell anal carcinoma. The combination was evaluated in adult patients whose disease metastatic or locally recurrent and inoperable.
The findings were presented at the 2024 meeting of the European Society of Medical Oncology. The combination resulted in a 37% decrease in risk of death or disease progression. There were also important milestones in certain secondary endpoints, such as a six-month boost in overall survival versus the placebo group and improvements in overall response rate and duration of response.
The combination was relatively well tolerated, with the most common adverse events being anemia, nausea, and alopecia.
Squamous cell anal carcinoma is an uncommon disease, but its prevalence has been increasing and there has been no real advancement in treatment for decades. The results from this trial could help change that.
About Squamous Cell Anal Carcinoma
Squamous cell anal carcinoma, sometimes just called anal cancer, is a malignant tumor arising from the tissue of the anus. This is a generally uncommon cancer. Risk factors can include HPV, HIV/AIDs, having a large number of sexual partners, smoking, and receptive anal sex. Symptoms include pressure or pain affecting the anus or rectum, rectal bleeding, a lump near the anus, itching, and discharge. Treatment for squamous cell anal carcinoma includes surgery, which can be curative in early stages. However, this involves removal of the anal sphincters, resulting in incontinence and the need for a colostomy. As a result, many patients opt for a combination of chemo and radiation in order to preserve the anal sphincters. Metastatic disease is much tougher to treat and requires more intensive chemotherapy. Outcomes vary greatly, with five-year survival ranging from 82% to 42% depending on extent of spread and other factors. To learn more about squamous cell anal carcinoma, click here.
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Last modified: October 18, 2024
