Video

Dr. Kudchadkar on Immunotherapy in Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Ragini Kudchadkar, MD, assistant professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, associate director, Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship Program-Clinical/Service, Emory University School of Medicine, discusses immunotherapy in Merkel cell carcinoma.

Ragini Kudchadkar, MD, assistant professor, Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, associate director, Hematology and Medical Oncology Fellowship Program-Clinical/Service, Emory University School of Medicine, Winship Cancer Institute, discusses immunotherapy in Merkel cell carcinoma.

Merkel cell carcinoma has traditionally been treated with chemotherapy, says Kudchadker. The discovery of Merkel cell polyomavirus led to the development of immunotherapy, as it allows for clinicians to see PD-L1 staining and exhausted T cells.

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), nivolumab (Opdivo), and avelumab (Bavencio) are all used for the treatment of Merkel cell carcinoma, and are demonstrating durable responses previously unseen in this disease.

Avelumab was approved by the FDA in March 2017 based on the data from the phase II JAVELIN Merkel 200 study. In the open-label trial, the objective response rate (ORR) with avelumab was 33% (95% CI, 23.3%-43.8%), which included an 11.4% (95% CI, 6.6%-19.9%) complete response rate and a 21.6% (95% CI, 13.5%-31.7%) partial response rate.

Newsletter

Stay up to date on the most recent and practice-changing oncology data

Latest CME

View All
Tumor Board: Expert Insights on Managing Classical 𝘌𝘎𝘍𝘙 Mutations, 𝘌𝘎𝘍𝘙 Exon 20 Insertions, and Atypical 𝘌𝘎𝘍𝘙 Mutations in Metastatic NSCLC
Video

Tumor Board: Expert Insights on Managing Classical 𝘌𝘎𝘍𝘙 Mutations, 𝘌𝘎𝘍𝘙 Exon 20 Insertions, and Atypical 𝘌𝘎𝘍𝘙 Mutations in Metastatic NSCLC

Jun 6th 2025 - Jul 12th 2025

online-activity
Medical Crossfire®: Expert Perspectives on Targeting c-Met Overexpression and 𝘔𝘌𝘛 Genomic Alterations in NSCLC – Unveiling the Complexities of 𝘔𝘌𝘛 Dysregulation
Video

Medical Crossfire®: Expert Perspectives on Targeting c-Met Overexpression and 𝘔𝘌𝘛 Genomic Alterations in NSCLC – Unveiling the Complexities of 𝘔𝘌𝘛 Dysregulation

Jun 6th 2025 - Jul 12th 2025

online-activity
Evolving Treatment Strategies in Pancreatic Cancer: Current Standards, Emerging Targets, and the Role of Molecular Testing
Video

Evolving Treatment Strategies in Pancreatic Cancer: Current Standards, Emerging Targets, and the Role of Molecular Testing

Jun 5th 2025 - Jul 12th 2025

online-activity