Dr. Contreras on Neoadjuvant Therapies in Basal Cell Carcinoma and Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Carlo Contreras, MD, surgical oncologist, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center (OSUCCC)–James, discusses areas of planned and ongoing research with neoadjuvant therapies in basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC).

Although unmet needs in BCC and CSCC lie in head-to-head, randomized clinical trials with hedgehog inhibitors, it is unlikely that that this will be explored in the future, Contreras explains. However, researchers are attempting to replicate promising results from earlier trials in new, larger trials for patients with CSCC and BCC.

Data on the use of neoadjuvant BRAF-directed therapy in melanoma demonstrate high pathologic complete response rates (pCRs), but also increased risk for short-term recurrence 2 years post-surgical resection, Contreras explains. Accordingly, evaluating long-term data from neoadjuvant trials in CSCC and BCC may reveal the risk of recurrence in this disease setting.

Overall, it is hoped that future research will result in more durable responses than what has been previously seen, he concludes.