ESMO congress 2024

Barcelona, September 13-17, 2024
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MPNE (Melanoma Patient Network Europe) attended the ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) Congress in Barcelona, Spain, with Benni Löffler representing Naevus Global. ESMO is one of the largest oncology congresses, larger even than the EADV, featuring a wide range of sessions and presentations focusing on melanoma, rare cancers, and advances in cancer treatment.
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Introduction

A key reason for attending the congress was to see the iToBoS, a highly anticipated tool for the early detection of melanoma. Unfortunately, the device was not yet ready for demonstration.

iToBoS (Intelligent Total Body Scanner)

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Patient Advocacy Sessions

Patient advocacy was a key theme at the congress, with sessions focused on improving the role of patient organizations in cancer research and healthcare. It was emphasized that patient organizations should be involved in research and decision-making, as their insights and experiences are invaluable. However, this involvement is often not fully realized as it should be in practice. There was also a Patient Advocates Reception, which provided a valuable networking opportunity for patient advocates from various organizations.
Key takeaways from these sessions included the following:

  • Involvement of patient organizations: Patient organizations should play an essential role in the cancer treatment landscape, but full integration into healthcare systems and research is still lacking.
  • Challenges of patient engagement in research: Advocates must understand the purpose of their participation in research consortia to avoid becoming just a “tick-box” presence. Meaningful involvement requires planning, tools, and time to ensure that diverse patient voices are properly heard.
  • Side effects and toxicity management in immunotherapy: Although rare, the side effects of immunotherapy—such as thyroid dysfunction—require careful management by multidisciplinary teams. Prompt and coordinated care is vital, especially since some side effects require steroid treatment, which can reduce the overall effectiveness of the therapy.
  • Doctor-patient communication: Good communication between healthcare providers and patients is crucial. Aligning treatment plans with patient preferences leads to better outcomes, and institutions need to enhance communication pathways to improve patient satisfaction and engagement in their care.

Rare Cancers

Discussions on rare cancers highlighted the challenges these diseases face, with nearly 300 types of rare cancers recognized. Patients with rare cancers encounter similar issues to those with rare diseases, such as outdated guidelines, limited access to clinical trials, and difficulty finding specialized care. Two key European initiatives aim to address these challenges:

  • Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan, which tackles the entire cancer care pathway, from prevention and early detection to treatment and quality of life.
  • The EU Mission on Cancer, which is built around understanding, prevention, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment, with a focus on improving quality of life. Childhood cancer is a specific priority within this mission.

The upcoming ESMO Congress for Rare Cancers, scheduled for March 20-22, 2025, in Lugano, Switzerland, could be an important opportunity for further engagement and learning on these topics, particularly around advocacy for rare cancers.

Poster area

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Immunotherapy Developments

One of the central topics in the melanoma sessions was the comparison between Adjuvant Immunotherapy (immunotherapy after surgery) and Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy (starting immunotherapy before surgery and continuing afterward). It was revealed that Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy significantly improves survival rates compared to adjuvant approaches, marking a significant advancement in the treatment of melanoma.

Conclusion

The ESMO Congress provided valuable insights into the latest advances in melanoma and rare cancer treatment, particularly around immunotherapy. While progress has been made, especially in improving survival rates through Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy, challenges remain in ensuring that patient organizations are more fully integrated into healthcare decision-making processes.

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