Jeffrey A. Sosman, MD

Jeffrey A. Sosman, MD, professor of medicine, director, Melanoma and Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, discusses the use of checkpoint inhibitors in cancer care.

In addition to other immunotherapies, Sosman says he is interested in

Articles

Jeffrey A. Sosman, MD, from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, discusses the use of checkpoint inhibitors in cancer care.

Checkpoint Inhibitors in Cancer Care

Jeffrey A. Sosman, MD, professor of medicine, director, Melanoma and Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, discusses immune response in renal cell carcinoma.

The treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains a major challenge for clinicians.

Immune Response in Patients with RCC

Jeffrey A. Sosman, MD, professor of medicine, director, Melanoma and Tumor Immunotherpay Program, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, discusses how immunotherapies work in patients with melanoma or renal cancer.

Sosman says that though response rates to interferon and interleukin-2 are low, these responses are long-lasting. In this scenario, Sosman believes, the patient&rsquo;s immune response is gaining memory.

Patients with renal cancer that have been treated with interleukin-2 and have gone into a complete remission are less likely to relapse compared to a patient who has been free of disease after a nephrectomy, Sosman says.

The best example of the change in immune response memory, Sosman says, is seen in patients with melanoma who develop vitiligo after responding to treatment. Those responses remain consistent, suggesting that the memory has been induced.

Although response rates to interferon and interleukin-2 are low, these responses are long-lasting

Patients with renal cancer that have been treated with interleukin-2 and have gone into a complete remission are less likely to relapse compared with a patient who has been free of disease after a nephrectomy

The best example of the change in immune response memory is seen in patients with melanoma who develop vitiligo after responding to treatment

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Jeffrey A. Sosman, MD, discusses how immunotherapies work in patients with melanoma or renal cancer.

Immunotherapy Treatment for Melanoma and Renal Cancer

Jeffrey A. Sosman, MD, Professor of Medicine, Director, Melanoma and Tumor Immunotherapy Program, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, discusses a trial comparing two dosages of ipilimumab for patients with metastatic melanoma.

The trial, which compared 3 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of ipilimumab, was completed quickly because of the high rate of patient accrual in Europe, Sosman says. At the time of the trial, ipilimumab had been approved in the U.S. but not in Europe.

Sosman expects the results from this trial to reveal a sense of the toxicity difference between two doses of ipilimumab.

A trial comparing 3 mg/kg of ipilimumab and 10 mg/kg of ipilimumab in patients with metastatic melanoma has been completed

Data will reveal a sense of the toxicity difference between two doses of ipilimumab

Jeffrey A. Sosman, MD, from the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, discusses a trial comparing two doses of ipilimumab for patients with metastatic melanoma.

Ipilimumab 3 mg/kg vs 10 mg/kg in Metastatic Melanoma 

at the 11th Annual International Congress on Targeted Therapies in Cancer.

Jeffrey A. Sosman, MD, Professor of Medicine, Director, Melanoma and Tumor Immunotherpay Program, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, discusses drug sequencing for patients with melanoma

In the practical sense, the questions regarding drug sequencing and selection are very important, Sosman says. Many in the oncology community believe that some patients will have a better chance at long term durable response if they are treated with immunotherapy first.

Sometimes, when a patient treated with targeted therapies relapses, they do so with fairly aggressive disease and may not respond to immunotherapy. Sosman says that treatment for melanoma remains a judgment call for an individual patient and oncologist.

There remains a need to determine the best drug sequence and selection in melanoma

Some patients who relapse do so with fairly aggressive disease and may not respond to immunotherapy at that time

In certain groups of patients, it would be better to treat with immunotherapy first

Jeffrey A. Sosman, MD, from the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, discusses drug sequencing for patients with melanoma at the 11th Annual International Congress on Targeted Therapies in Cancer.

Jeffrey A. Sosman, MD | Authors

Articles

Checkpoint Inhibitors in Cancer Care

Immune Response in Patients with RCC

Immunotherapy Treatment for Melanoma and Renal Cancer

Ipilimumab 3 mg/kg vs 10 mg/kg in Metastatic Melanoma

Drug Sequencing in Melanoma