Strong preclinical evidence suggested PCSK9 inhibitors may overcome immunotherapy resistance by preventing tumor cells from evading the immune system.In patients with lung cancer, melanoma, or kidney cancer, use of PCSK9 inhibitors, in addition to immunotherapy, was associated with better survival in this matched-cohort study.The survival benefit was independent of cardiovascular outcomes, suggesting an alternative biological pathway.
Use of a PCSK9 inhibitor to lower lipid levels was linked with significantly better survival in patients with certain cancers treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), a matched-cohort study showed.
Treatment with a PCSK9 inhibitor was associated with a 31% reduction in the hazard for overall survival (OS) among patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), melanoma, or renal cell cancer (RCC). The frequency of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) did not differ between the groups. Patients who used PCSK9 inhibitors -- evolocumab (Repatha) or alirocumab (Praluent) -- also made fewer emergency department visits, had fewer hospitalizations, and required less critical care service.
The dissociation between the survival benefit and cardiovascular outcomes stands out, reported Changchuan Jiang, MD, MPH, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, and colleagues in JAMA Network Open.
