Combination immunotherapy improved overall survival in patients with metastatic melanoma

CHICAGO— Overall survival improved by more than two-thirds in patients with metastatic melanoma randomised to have GM-CSF added to their ipilimumab therapy. A phase II study in 245 previously treated patients — comparing the effect of ipilumumab with or without the growth factor — also found side effects were lower among those receiving the combination. At the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s 2013 meeting in Chicago, Sarah Maxwell heard from Dr. Stephen Hodi, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Harvard Cancer Center, Boston and Dr. Lynn Schuchter Chief of Hematolgy/Oncology at the Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.