Association between History of Viral Infections and Melanoma Mortality

Abstract

BackgroundViral infections (VIs) have been linked to T-cell exhaustion, a state that impacts the immune system’s ability to mount an effective anti-tumor response. This immunosuppressive effect may potentially worsen outcomes in melanoma patients. This study investigates the relationship between a history of VIs and melanoma-specific mortality, with the goal of understanding whether prior history of Vis contribute to an increased risk of mortality in melanoma patients. Materials and MethodsA retrospective review of patients in the Utah Population Database (1997-2020) was done. There were 17,754 eligible melanoma patients, with 2,286 also having a history of viral infections. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the effect of VI on melanoma-specific mortality. ResultsHistory of VI was associated with a higher risk of melanoma-specific mortality (HR= 1.33, 95% CI: 1.07-1.65, P=0.01). No differences were observed in mortality among patients undergoing surgery and adjuvant immunotherapy. ConclusionsA history of viral infections was associated with higher melanoma-specific mortality. The mechanism of this association and relationship with different types of viral infections and duration of infections remain to be elucidated.