The latest dermato-oncological studies on prevention, diagnosis and therapy were the subject of the German Skin Cancer Congress. There are promising developments in melanoma therapy, in the treatment of basal cell carcinoma, actinic keratoses, cutaneous lymphomas and other skin cancers.
What special focus and emphasis did you place on this year’s skin cancer congress in Ludwigshafen?
Prof. Dr. med. Edgar Dippel:
In the field of dermato-oncology, decisive developments have taken place in recent years and decades that are increasingly finding their way into practice. As the extremely diverse, practice-oriented program clearly shows, our annual conference not only represents the current state of knowledge in the field, but also presents new strategies in diagnostics and therapy in skin cancer. Looking ahead to ASCO 2019, the world’s largest cancer congress of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which just took place in Chicago in early June, the latest findings in dermato-oncology will be presented. The focus will be on long-term results in the therapy of metastatic melanoma, new results of adjuvant therapies and further results of systemic therapy in squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous lymphoma.
What are the top issues? In which areas do you expect new impetus? What data and insights are you most excited about?
Top topics at our skin cancer congress are current research results, diagnostic developments and treatment options for various types of skin cancer. We expect new impulses in our interdisciplinary cooperation with thematically related professional societies; this has proven successful in recent years and is now established at our annual congresses. I am, of course, eager to hear the latest scientific studies presented and discussed by experienced clinicians and recognized scientists.
Highlights are the keynote lectures by Prof. Dr. Stefan W. Hell on microscopy of molecular structures. I am looking forward to the special “Meet the Expert” where congress participants can take the opportunity to discuss with the well-known Nobel laureate. I am particularly looking forward to the presentations on cell-based therapies by Prof. Dr. John Haanen from Amsterdam and on the prospects of melanoma prevention by Prof. Dr. Alexander J. Stratigos from Athens.
After the groundbreaking new treatment approaches in dermato-oncology in recent years – what new developments are expected?
In any case, current data will be presented on evolved strategy options for melanoma and other skin tumors using targeted therapies, immunotherapy with checkpoint inibitors, and combination therapies. Differentiated studies show that the development is indeed continuing up to the use in adjuvant therapy to reduce the risk of recurrence. However, new drugs have also been approved for the rarer tumors, such as cutaneous lymphomas, and initial experience has shown them to be very encouraging.
What important new developments will be presented that are already benefiting patients in treatment?
Here would be a few things to mention. For example, on advanced squamous cell carcinoma, the second deadliest skin cancer after melanoma, and antibody-based therapy for advanced cutaneous lymphoma. The ADO, the Working Group Dermatologic Oncology of the German Cancer Society, develops diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines for malignant melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma and cutaneous lymphomas. We are very keen to promote scientific collaboration – also within the framework of the German Skin Cancer Congress – and to improve the quality of dermato-oncological patient care in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. So, of course, our goal is to ensure that our skin cancer patients benefit from new developments as soon as possible and to update the guidelines accordingly.”
Despite immense advances in therapy, the incidence of skin cancer is expected to double by 2030. How can this be explained? In which areas does something need to change?
In fact, despite immense medical advances, skin cancer is still the most common cancer with the greatest rate of increase. The further increase in skin cancer cases can be traced back to the overly careless use of the sun in recent decades. Intensive sun exposure in childhood and adolescence is certainly partly responsible for UV-related skin damage and cancers such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma. In the coming years and decades, people whose skin has been exposed to the sun’s rays for too many years without adequate protection will fall ill. In principle, a number of things have to be done here to ensure that a counteracting effect actually occurs. Awareness of how we behave in the sun needs to change across the board. Looking at Australia, we see that it is quite possible to see the need for effective skin protection to be implemented within a few years. We can also look forward to the continuing discussion on the use of skin cancer screening, which to date is only used by one in three people. If more people take advantage of this early detection option, it will help to ensure that in the long run – that is, over the next few decades – skin cancer rates do not continue to rise.
Source: Interview “New diagnostic and therapeutic strategies in dermato-oncology – progress in the fight against skin cancer,” Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dermatologische Onkologie der Deutschen Krebsgesellschaft, Aug. 20, 2019.
InFo ONCOLOGY & HEMATOLOGY 2019; 7(4): 36 (published 9/20/19, ahead of print).
