Dr. Raffit Hassan on Avelumab in Unresectable Mesothelioma

Raffit Hassan, MD, Co-Chief Thoracic and Gastrointestinal Oncology Branch, Senior Investigator Head, Thoracic and Solid Tumor Immunotherapy Section at the Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, discusses a recent phase IB trial investigating avelumab in unresectable mesothelioma.

Avelumab was found to be well-tolerated, with minimal, manageable grade one and two toxicities, said Hassan.

There were also hints of activity seen, with 15% of patients experiencing an objective partial response, and 45% of patients experiencing stable disease. There was an overall disease control rate of 60%, which was a very exciting result, said Hassan.