A study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology investigated the effectiveness of cemiplimab, a PD-1 inhibitor, in treating advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) in kidney transplant recipients. Historically, transplant recipients have been excluded from studies involving immunotherapy due to concerns about organ rejection. However, this study found that cemiplimab showed promise in this patient population, with no kidney rejection events noted.
The trial enrolled 12 adults who had a history of kidney transplant and advanced CSCC. Participants switched their immunosuppressive regimen to an mTOR inhibitor and received cemiplimab for up to 35 doses over a period of two years. The study revealed a median progression-free survival and overall survival of 22.5 months. Out of the 12 patients, 46% showed an objective response to the treatment, including three with a complete response and two with a partial response. The median duration of response was 11.4 months. No kidney allograft rejection events occurred during the study.
Although the study had a small sample size, the findings are significant in highlighting the potential effectiveness of cemiplimab in treating CSCC in kidney transplant recipients without compromising organ function. Further research is warranted to explore the use of immunotherapy in this patient population and to assess the long-term outcomes and safety profile of cemiplimab in larger trials.