by Marie Kauna – EMTV Online, Port Moresby
The increasing demand for effective treatment for diseases and sicknesses has increased the level of research and establishment of new ideas into finding appropriate solutions to treatment.
Cancer, amongst other diseases, affects many today. Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer.
In finding new solutions to the disease from existing drugs, a study was conducted comparing two different immunotherapies. The study has shown that Merck & Co’s new drug called Keytruda, when comparing with Yervoy, has shown positive feedback. A total of eight hundred and thirty patients living with advanced melanoma were tested.
The results have shown that more than 70 per cent of the tested victims survived and lived longer while the remaining 30 per cent didn’t work out. Associate Professor, Georgina Long, from Melanoma Institute of Australia said “we are now looking at why those patients don’t respond”.
Professor Long added that the results are the world’s first and is a ground breaking development for melanoma and cancer patients. In addition, Cancer Expert Professor, Rick Kefford, from the Macquire University also said the results are one of the biggest break-throughs in treating melanoma disease.
The new study showing Keytruda’s advantage to Yervoy is expected to change the treatment scape for melanoma, says Suzanne Topalian, Director of the Melanoma Program at Johns Kimmel Cancer Centre.
