Non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common type of cancer. NMSC treatment can be painful and cause scarring.
Rhenium-SCT® is a non-invasive treatment for NMSC. It requires a trained doctor using a device to apply a paste directly onto the area to be treated. The paste includes radioactive particles of rhenium-188. The radiation penetrates the skin efficiently, destroying NMSCs up to 3 mm deep in one session while sparing deeper layers of tissue. This innovative treatment provides doctors with another option to consider for their patients alongside other standards of care. As the body of evidence for this treatment grows, it’s being requested by more and more patients, particularly where a good cosmetic outcome is required, such as on the face.
The manufacturer, OncoBeta, has sponsored clinical studies to assess the effectiveness and benefits of the treatment.
In particular, the company commissioned the Rostock study and an international multi-centre study, EPIC-Skin; being conducted in Australia, Austria, Germany, United Kingdom and South Africa.
The studies assess efficacy, safety and quality of life.
ROSTOCK STUDY — PUBLISHED RESULTS
This 12-month study led by Prof Julia Tietze has been published in the journal Clinical Nuclear Medicine. The study focussed on clinical and cosmetic outcomes in 22 patients with 40 NMSC lesions.
The study reported a response rate of 95% after 12 months.
No adverse events (AEs) occurred during the application of Rhenium-SCT. After treatment, adverse events were assessed at 14 days, 4 months, and 12 months respectively. Most patients (62.5%) did not report any AE during the 12-month trial period.
The cosmetic outcomes were also evaluated, with the majority of lesions considered superior or comparable to surgery.
EPIC-SKIN MULTICENTRE STUDY — INTERIM RESULTS
The EPIC-Skin 6-month interim data has been recently published in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine. The 12-month study will have a 24-month follow-up. It recruited 177 patients with 182 lesions. This study’s primary endpoint is response rate, with secondary endpoints of quality of life, comfort and cosmetic outcomes. A safety endpoint exploring adverse events is also included.
A/Prof Sid Baxi, Medical Director of OncoBeta Australia says:
“This will provide the strongest follow-up data in a prospective study in the world.”
Both the Rostock and EPIC-Skin studies demonstrate a high level of efficacy and confirm the safety profile of Rhenium-SCT. The EPIC-Skin study specifically explored patients’ quality of life as well. Quality of life was measured prior to therapy and 6 months after therapy. It will be measured again at the 12-month mark.
The EPIC-Skin study used the Skin Cancer Index, — a standard scale which looks at quality of life in people with skin cancer — to evaluate patients’ skin-cancer related quality of life. Improvements were recorded for all three parameters measured: emotional, social and appearance.
Treatment comfort was also measured. Of those who completed the comfort-related questions, 100% reported no treatment pain or discomfort.
OncoBeta’s mission is to continuously improve the quality of life of patients diagnosed with non-melanoma skin cancer, the world’s most common cancer. These promising results should move them closer to achieving this aim.
Source: Sponsored by OncoBeta. For more information, view OncoBeta’s Company Showcase page here.
