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A platinum/pemetrexed doublet has been the reflex answer to any question re: systemic therapy for mesothelioma for years. Not anymore. Mature results of the phase 3 Checkmate 743 were presented in abstract form this weekend at the European Society of Medical Oncology annual conference. Over 600 patients with mesothelioma were randomized to standard cisplatin/pemetrexed versus nivolumab/ipilimumab. A significant advantage in median overall survival from 14 → 18 months has already been reported leading to FDA approval of this regimen for this indication last year. Now at minimum follow-up just shy of 3 years, there is a continued increase in survival rate at 3 years from 15 → 23%. That’s because the rate of durable response at 3 years was increased from 0 → 23%. There’s still a lot of room for improvement, but ipi+nivo is well positioned as the new standard for first-line systemic therapy for mesothelioma. | ESMO 2021