S15 Ep48: Multidisciplinary Teams Optimize Surgical and Therapeutic Roles in Advanced CSCC Care: With Eric Whitman, MD; and Vishal Patel, MD, FAAD, FACMS

In today’s episode, our discussion features Eric Whitman, MD; and Vishal Patel, MD, FAAD, FACMS. Dr Whitman is medical director of the oncology service line with Atlantic Health System in Morristown, New Jersey. Dr Patel is an associate professor of dermatology and medicine at the GW School of Medicine & Health Sciences, as well as the director of the Cutaneous Oncology Program at the GW Cancer Center in Washington, DC. In our exclusive interview, Drs Whitman and Patel discussed the evolving treatment paradigm for patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC), emphasizing the role of neoadjuvant and adjuvant immunotherapies like cemiplimab and pembrolizumab. They noted that key factors for surgical candidacy include tumor size, location, and patient factors like age and comorbidities. They also emphasized that multidisciplinary collaboration is crucial for optimal outcomes. Furthermore, they highlighted future directions for CSCC management, including personalized medicine, genetic testing for recurrence risk, and expanding immunotherapy use to immunosuppressed patients. They also noted that ongoing trials aim to optimize treatment doses and explore new immunotherapy combinations.