Immunotherapy opens up new options for treating skin cancer
A new study indicates that the combination of two medications may improve the control of an aggressive type of skin cancer. The research was conducted on people with advanced-stage cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) — a cancer that can spread to other parts of the body and is difficult to treat with current methods.
cSCC is the second most common type of skin cancer in the world. In most cases, it can be cured with surgery. However, when it reaches more advanced stages and spreads, treatment options become more limited, and doctors look for alternatives that can offer patients more time and a better quality of life.
Researchers in the United States compared two groups of patients with advanced cSCC: one group received the drug avelumab, already used in immunotherapy; the other received avelumab combined with cetuximab, another drug that works differently on the immune system.
The analysis showed that patients who took both medications together were able to keep the disease under control for a longer period: about 11 months, compared to 3 months for those who received only avelumab.
The study suggests that the two medications work in a complementary way. While avelumab helps the body’s defense system recognize and attack cancer cells, cetuximab appears to enhance this response by stimulating other types of immune cells.
Previous laboratory research had already indicated that this type of combination could work well. Now, for the first time, a clinical study conducted with patients has confirmed the benefit of this strategy.
The study also allowed patients who initially started with avelumab alone to receive both medications if their condition worsened. These patients also achieved, on average, an additional 11 months of disease control after switching — a duration similar to that of those who received the combination from the beginning.
The combination caused more side effects than the use of avelumab alone, especially skin reactions and issues at the time of drug administration. However, the researchers did not report any unexpected serious problems, and the treatment was considered safe within the expected range for this type of medication.
Despite the promising results, the researchers caution that the study is still in phase II and involved a relatively small number of participants (57 in total). Therefore, they recommend conducting a larger and more comprehensive study to confirm the effects of the combination and compare it with the most commonly used treatments today.
Even so, the data suggest that this new approach could be a useful alternative, especially for patients who do not respond well to current therapies.
Additional study details: Zandberg DP, Allred JB, Rosenberg AJ, et al. Phase II Randomized Trial of Avelumab Plus Cetuximab Versus Avelumab Alone in Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Journal of Clinical Oncology. Published on May 31, 2025. DOI: 10.1200/JCO-25-00759
