New mRNA Skin Cancer Therapy Shows Early Promise in Swedish Clinical Trial

A new mRNA treatment gives hope to people with severe skin cancer in Sweden. The therapy slows tumor growth and reduces cancer spread in clinical trials.

Swedish patients are currently taking part in an ongoing global study. Professor Lars Ny leads the Swedish portion at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg.

The treatment works as a tailored vaccine for existing skin cancer patients. Doctors send a piece of the tumor to the United States. US labs map the tumor mutations to create a personalized vaccine. The custom vaccine arrives back in Sweden within one month. It trains the patient's immune system to attack new cancer cells.

Patients receive the vaccine alongside an immunotherapy drug called a PD-1 inhibitor. Phase two results showed the combination slowed cancer recurrence and spread. Patients reported only mild side effects like fatigue and arm stiffness.

Drug companies Merck and Moderna developed the mRNA cancer therapy. Around 1,100 patients are participating in the larger global trial. Researchers hope this approach will also work against pancreatic and bladder cancers.

Malignant melanoma cases continue to rise across Sweden and globally. Sun exposure and UV radiation remain the main cause of skin cancer. About 5,200 people in Sweden received a melanoma diagnosis in 2024. Another 5,200 people were diagnosed with pre-stages of the disease. Melanoma causes around 500 deaths in Sweden every year. This research offers hope for improved cancer care in Sweden's health system. The report was first published by Sweden Herald.