ESMO 2024 Findings: Pembrolizumab's Role in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
ESMO 2024: Pembrolizumab's Impact on Early-Stage TNBC
Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) combined with chemotherapy has proven to improve prognosis significantly for patients suffering from early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The recent findings presented at the 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress revealed that this treatment method reduces mortality risks.
Key Findings from the KEYNOTE-522 Trial
- Overall survival rates improved: The study indicated a remarkable 34% reduction in the risk of death for patients undergoing the pembrolizumab regimen compared to the placebo group.
- Five-year survival rates: Patients on pembrolizumab boasted a 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of 86.6% in contrast to 81.7% for those receiving a placebo.
- Pathological complete response (pCR): The pembrolizumab cohort achieved a pCR rate of 64.8% compared to 51.2% in the placebo arm.
Study lead Dr. Peter Schmid emphasized that the dual primary endpoints—short-term pathological complete response and event-free survival—were successfully met, marking this trial as essential in advancing treatment strategies for TNBC.
Trial Overview
- Patients were randomly assigned to receive either pembrolizumab or placebo during neoadjuvant treatment.
- The therapy included multiple cycles of pembrolizumab combined with various chemotherapeutics.
- Results after a median follow-up of approximately 75 months confirmed the sustained benefits of the pembrolizumab treatment.
This pivotal data underscores the viability of pembrolizumab as a key player in enhancing survival outcomes for early-stage TNBC patients.
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