NYU Langone Health Study Shows mRNA Vaccine Reduces Melanoma Recurrence by 49%
A recent study conducted by NYU Langone Health and its Perlmutter Cancer Center has demonstrated that a combination of an mRNA-based vaccine, intismeran, and the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab significantly reduces the risk of melanoma recurrence and death. The study involved 107 patients who had undergone melanoma surgery and were randomly selected to receive the combination therapy. Results showed a 49% reduction in the risk of cancer recurrence or death compared to a control group receiving only pembrolizumab. The study, known as KEYNOTE-942, was presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. The vaccine works by teaching the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells, utilizing T cells to target specific neoantigens produced by melanoma cells. 
