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Updated: Jun 21, 2025

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Cell Population Analyses During Skin Carcinogenesis
Published on: August 21, 2013
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Hedgehog Pathway and Programmed Cell Death Protein-1 Inhibitors for Advanced Basal Cell Carcinoma
Babette J A Verkouteren1,2, An K L Reyners3, Maureen J B Aarts2,4
1Department of Dermatology, Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Case Reports in Dermatology
|July 17, 2024
Summary
Advanced basal cell carcinoma (aBCC) resistant to vismodegib showed partial response or stable disease with PD-1 inhibitors. Combining hedgehog and PD-1 inhibitors may prolong treatment response in advanced BCC.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Dermatology
- Genetics
Background:
- Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) can progress to locally advanced or metastatic forms if untreated.
- Treatment failure with vismodegib necessitates alternative therapeutic strategies for advanced BCC (aBCC).
Observation:
- Three patients with complex aBCC, post-vismodegib failure, underwent molecular profiling via next-generation DNA sequencing.
- Patients were enrolled in the Drug Rediscovery Protocol (DRUP) trial, receiving targeted therapies based on tumor molecular profiles.
Findings:
- Second-line treatment with PD-1 inhibitors resulted in partial response or stable disease in all patients.
- The average duration of response to PD-1 inhibitors was 12.3 months.
- Immunotherapy offers a treatment option for aBCC resistant to hedgehog pathway inhibitors, but response duration can be variable.
Implications:
- Sequential or combination therapy with hedgehog inhibitors and PD-1 inhibitors may enhance and prolong treatment response in advanced BCC.
- Molecular profiling is crucial for guiding targeted therapy selection in refractory aBCC.
- Further research into combination immunotherapy strategies is warranted for improving outcomes in advanced BCC.
Keywords:
Basal cell carcinomaCheckpoint inhibitorsHedgehog pathway inhibitorLocally advanced basal cell carcinomaMetastatic diseaseProgrammed cell death protein-1 inhibitorsMore Related Videos
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