Adjuvant Treatment Of Melanoma Research Articles

Outcomes of adjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in melanoma: a retrospective study

ABSTRACT Background Adjuvant treatment of malignant melanoma has improved the outcomes for patients. However, real-world data on efficacy and safety are limited. We investigated outcomes of melanoma patients treated with adjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in the Ghent University Hospital. Methods Patients with melanoma (stage III-IV), who received at least one cycle of ICI as adjuvant treatment between 2018 and 2021 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Primary outcomes were recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS). Other outcomes of interest were relapse patterns and safety. Results 59 patients were included, with a median follow-up of 36 months. Disease recurrence or death of any cause was observed in 25/59 (42.4%) of the patients. The median RFS was 56.0 months (95%CI 36.1–75.9 months). At 48 months, RFS and OS were 55.9% and 84%, respectively. 9/23 (39%) recurrences were locoregional and 14/23 (60.9%) patients developed distant metastasis as first recurrence, including 2 (3.4%) with brain metastasis. Median time to recurrence was 9 months (range 2–56 months). 35/59 (59.3%) completed one year of adjuvant treatment, 12/59 (20.3%) stopped because of recurrence and 10/59 (16.9% because of toxicity. Immune-related adverse events wereseen in 29/59 (49.4%) patients, 10/59 (16.9%) developed grade 3-4 toxicity. Conclusion This study confirms the real-world efficacy and safety of adjuvant ICI for melanoma, achieving RFS and OS comparableto the pivotal clinical trials. About 40% of patients develop arelapse, mainly during the adjuvant treatment. The outcomes ofpatients progressing during adjuvant ICI are poor, emphasizing the need of prospective and real-world studies on optimal management after progression on (neo)adjuvant treatment.

PD-1 inhibitors versus conventional therapies for adjuvant treatment of resected acral melanoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

e21555 Background: Acral melanoma (AM) is a rare and aggressive melanoma subtype with unique characteristics in western Caucasian population, but mostly prevalent in Asian population. FDA has approved pembrolizumab and nivolumab for the adjuvant treatment of melanoma. However, its role in AM is still unclear. In US and mainland of China, high-dose interferon alfa was once approved, while in other part of the world, there was no standard treatment for adjuvant therapy of AM. Thus, we performed a meta-analysis to summarize the efficacy of anti-PD-1 monotherapy in patients with AM in adjuvant setting and derive implications for early-stage AM management. Methods: A systematic review of electronic databases was conducted to identify studies that assessed relapse-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) between adjuvant PD-1 and conventional therapy (interferon (IFN) / chemotherapy) or observation alone in patients with AM. RFS was the primary endpoint, OS was the secondary endpoint. We estimated RFS/OS using the fixed-effect model. Statistical analyses in our study were carried out using Stata 12.0 (Stata Corp LP, College Station, TX, USA). Results: Five retrospective studies that totally involving 516 patients with AM were recruited, including 3 China studies and 2 non-China studies. Among them, there were 260 PD-1, 74 IFN, 178 OBS and 4 chemotherapy, respectively. Adjuvant PD-1 inhibitor achieved better efficacy than conventional therapy, showing significant improvement both in RFS (HR 0.76, 95%Cl 0.61-0.95) and OS (HR 0.57 0.37-0.88). This trend of RFS/OS benefit was observed in all subgroups, includes control treatment (OBS/IFN) or study region (China/non-China). Conclusions: Our data supports that patients with resected AM are more likely to derive benefit from adjuvant PD-1 comparing to conventional treatment or observation alone. Perspective studies are warranted to explore the role of adjuvant PD-1 in AM. [Table: see text]

Preferences of physicians for treatment-related toxicity vs. recurrence in melanoma (GERMELATOX-A): the doctors’ perspective

IntroductionAdjuvant treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as PD1-antibodies (ICI) ± CTLA4-antibodies (cICI) or targeted therapy with BRAF/MEK inhibitors (TT), has shown a significant improvement in disease-free survival (DFS) for high-risk melanoma patients. However, due to specific side effects, the choice of treatment is often influenced by the risk of toxicity. Therefore, the role of physicians in treatment decisions of patients is crucial. This study investigated for the first time in a multicenter setting the attitudes and preferences of dermatooncologists in Germany and Switzerland regarding adjuvant treatment with (c)ICI and TT.MethodsIn the GERMELATOX-A study, 108 physicians (median age: 32 yrs, 67.6% female) from 11 skin cancer centers were surveyed to rate typical side effect scenarios of (c)ICI and TT treatments and then compared to patients’ ratings evaluated in a previous analysis from the same centers. The scenarios described mild-to-moderate or severe toxicity and included melanoma relapse leading to death. The physicians were asked about the level of side effects they would tolerate in exchange for a reduction in melanoma relapse and an increase in survival at 5 years.ResultsThe preferences of physicians and patients revealed significant differences regarding adjuvant melanoma treatment with (c)ICI and TT (p < 0.05). Compared to patients, physicians tend to value a melanoma relapse less severe, according to a visual analog scale. They were also less threatened by all scenarios of side effects during adjuvant treatment with (c)ICI or TT, compared to patients. Physicians required lower risk reductions for disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) for both ICI and TT and their drug-related side effects to accept these treatments. In case of severe side effects, physicians required similar 5-year DFS rates for ICI and TT (60–65%), while patients needed a 15% improvement of 5-year DFS for ICI compared to TT (80%/65%). For survival, physicians expected an OS improvement of + 10% for all three treatment modalities, whereas patients required a higher increase: + 18–22% for ICI and + 15% for TT.ConclusionOur study highlights the importance of understanding the patient’s perspective and a potential difference to the doctor’s view when making decisions about adjuvant melanoma treatment with (c)ICI and TT, especially as these treatments are increasingly being implemented in earlier stages.

Thyroid dysfunction after immune checkpoint inhibitors in a single-centre UK pan-cancer cohort: A retrospective study

PurposeThis study investigated thyroid dysfunction with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in terms of proportions affected, risk factors, thyroid sequelae, and overall survival (OS). MethodsAmong patients with normal baseline free T4 (fT4) and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) receiving ICIs at a large cancer centre, proportions of hyperthyroidism/hypothyroidism were determined (any, subclinical [normal fT4, abnormal TSH], overt [abnormal fT4, abnormal TSH], isolated hyperthyroxinaemia/hypothyroxinaemia and secondary) with onset times and subsequent thyroid statuses. Associations of overt dysfunction with OS were estimated using Cox regression and methods robust to immortal time bias (time-dependent Cox regression and 3- and 6-month landmark analyses). Associations of baseline variables with overt hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were estimated using Fine and Gray regression. ResultsOf 1349 patients, 34.2% developed hyperthyroidism (10.3% overt), including 54.9% receiving combination ICIs, while 28.2% developed hypothyroidism (overt 9.3%, secondary 0.5%). A third of overt hypothyroidism cases occurred without preceding hyperthyroidism. Subclinical thyroid dysfunction returned directly to normal in up to half. Overt hyperthyroidism progressed to overt hypothyroidism in 55.4% (median 1.6 months). Melanoma treatment in the adjuvant vs. advanced setting caused more overt hyperthyroidism (12.1% vs. 7.5%) and overt hypothyroidism (14.5% vs. 9.7%). Baseline eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 (HR=1.68, 1.07–2.63) was associated with overt hyperthyroidism and sex (HR=0.60, 0.42–0.87) and TSH (4th vs. 1st quartile HR=1.87, 1.10–3.19) with overt hypothyroidism. Overt dysfunction was associated with OS in the Cox analysis (HR=0.65, 0.50–0.85, median follow-up 22.2 months) but not in the time-dependent Cox (HR=0.79, 0.60–1.03) or landmark analyses (3-month HR=0.74, 0.51–1.07; 6-month HR=0.91, 0.66–1.24). ConclusionThyroid dysfunction affects up to half of patients receiving ICIs. The association with OS is unclear after considering immortal time bias. The clinical courses include recovery, thyrotoxicosis and de novo overt hypothyroidism. Adjuvant treatment for melanoma, where longer-term harms are of concern, causes more frequent/aggressive dysfunction.

Preferences of German and Swiss melanoma patients for toxicities versus melanoma recurrence during adjuvant treatment (GERMELATOX-A-trial).

Adjuvant treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors like PD1-antibodies (ICI) ± CTLA4-antibodies (cICI) or targeted therapy with BRAF/MEK inhibitors (TT) in high-risk melanoma patients demonstrate a significant improvement in disease-free survival (DFS). Due to specific side effects, the choice of treatment is very often driven by the risk for toxicity. This study addressed for the first time in a multicenter setting the attitudes and preferences of melanoma patients for adjuvant treatment with (c)ICI and TT. In this study ("GERMELATOX-A"), 136 low-risk melanoma patients from 11 skin cancer centers were asked to rate side effect scenarios typical for each (c)ICI and TT with mild-to-moderate or severe toxicity and melanoma recurrence leading to cancer death. We asked patients about the reduction in melanoma relapse and the survival increase at 5years they would require to tolerate defined side-effects. By VAS, patients on average valued melanoma relapse worse than all scenarios of side-effects during treatment with (c)ICI or TT. In case of severe side effects, patients required a 15% higher rate of DFS at 5years for (c)ICI (80%) compared to TT (65%). For survival, patients required an increase of 5-10% for melanoma survival during (c)ICI (85%/80%) compared to TT (75%). Our study demonstrated a pronounced variation of patient preferences for toxicity and outcomes and a clear preference for TT. As adjuvant melanoma treatment with (c)ICI and TT will be increasingly implemented in earlier stages, precise knowledge of the patient perspective can be helpful for decision making.

Minimal residual disease by circulating tumor DNA as a biomarker of recurrence free survival in resected high-risk melanoma patients treated with mRNA-4157/V940, a personalized cancer vaccine, and pembrolizumab.

LBA9515 Background: The combination of mRNA-4157/V940 and pembrolizumab improved recurrence free survival (RFS) compared to pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with resected high-risk stage III/IV cutaneous melanoma in the randomized Phase 2 mRNA-4157-P201/KEYNOTE-942 trial (RFS event rate of 22.4% (24/107) versus 40% (20/50); HR = 0.561; 95% CI: 0.309, 1.017). Across multiple cancer types and disease settings, detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) by circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assays in plasma identifies patients at higher risk of relapse and progression, and can monitor presence of disease throughout treatment. Herein, we report ctDNA analyses to explore the association between minimal residual disease and the probability of recurrence. Methods: In mRNA-4157-201, baseline tumor core biopsies and matched whole blood were subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES). The personalized amplicon-based NGS assay by Inivata (RaDaR) was used to identify and prioritize up to 48 patient-specific somatic variants to analyze ctDNA in longitudinal plasma samples for MRD detection. This method for ctDNA analysis is distinct from most prior studies in melanoma that report use of ddPCR for single mutations or fixed-gene panels. The association of MRD with RFS was evaluated with Kaplan Meier analyses and assessed with hazard ratio (95% CI) in ctDNApos and ctDNAneg subgroups and across study arms. Results: Of patients enrolled in this study with evaluable ctDNA, 88% (110/125) were ctDNAneg at start of treatment. Significantly longer RFS was observed in patients who were ctDNAneg compared to those with ctDNApos at baseline across study arms (RFS event rate of 20.9% (23/110) versus 80.0% (12/15); HR = 0.150; 95% CI: 0.073, 0.306). Within the mRNA-4157/V940 and pembrolizumab combination arm, significantly longer RFS was observed in patients with ctDNAneg compared to ctDNApos samples (RFS event rate of 10.4% (8/77) versus 76.9% (10/13); HR = 0.087; 95% CI: 0.034, 0.222). This trend was also observed in the pembrolizumab arm (RFS event rate of 45.5% (15/33) versus 100% (2/2); HR = 0.008; 95% CI: 0.001, 0.088) study arm, although the small sample size in pembrolizumab arm (n = 2) limits interpretation. Conclusions: MRD detection by plasma ctDNA assay at the start of adjuvant melanoma treatment is uncommon in mRNA4157-p201 but is associated with shorter RFS. Treatment with the combination of mRNA-4157/V940 and pembrolizumab was associated with prolonged RFS compared to pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with high-risk resectable melanoma, irrespective of MRD status Additional analyses including assessment of longitudinal ctDNA patterns are ongoing. The association between MRD and mRNA-4157/V940 treatment effect will be further explored in upcoming planned studies. Clinical trial information: NCT03897881 .

The Evolution of the Sentinel Node Biopsy in Melanoma.

The growing repertoire of approved immune-checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapy has revolutionized the adjuvant treatment of melanoma. While the treatment of primary cutaneous melanoma remains wide local excision (WLE), the management of regional lymph nodes continues to evolve in light of practice-changing clinical trials and dramatically improved adjuvant therapy. With large multicenter studies reporting no benefit in overall survival for completion lymph node dissection (CLND) after a positive sentinel node biopsy (SLNB), controversy remains regarding patient selection and clinical decision-making. This review explores the evolution of the SLNB in cutaneous melanoma in the context of a rapidly changing adjuvant treatment landscape, summarizing the key clinical trials which shaped current practice guidelines.

812P Early experiences in adjuvant treatment of melanoma: Real-world data on tolerability, safety and efficacy

Nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and dabrafenib plus trametinib are registered as adjuvant melanoma treatments since 2018. Randomized controlled trial results may not fully represent the benefits and risks of treatments in clinical practice. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate real world experience with text-mining software on tolerability, safety and efficacy in patients treated for adjuvant melanoma.

Real-World nivolumab dosing patterns and safety outcomes in patients receiving adjuvant therapy for melanoma.

Nivolumab at a dose of 480 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W) is approved for the adjuvant treatment of melanoma. However, real-world data on this regimen are limited in this setting. This retrospective observational study utilized data from the US Oncology Network iKnowMed electronic health record database and patient medical charts. Eligible patients were diagnosed with melanoma and received adjuvant nivolumab monotherapy from March to August 2018. Patients were grouped by dosing regimen: cohort 1 (C1), de novo nivolumab 480 mg Q4W; cohort 2 (C2), switched to nivolumab 480 mg Q4W after nivolumab 240 mg or 3mg/kg every 2 weeks (Q2W); cohort 3 (C3), de novo nivolumab 3mg/kg Q2W; or cohort 4 (C4), de novo nivolumab 240 mg Q2W. Patients were followed for up to 12 months. Duration of therapy and safety/tolerability were assessed. One hundred ninety-one patients were included (C1, n=40; C2, n=74; C3, n=22; C4, n=55). Duration of therapy was relatively consistent across cohorts (median, 10.3months; range, 8.3-10.7). Likewise, proportions of patients experiencing treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were similar (range, 54.5%-60.1%), as were the most common events (fatigue, rash, diarrhea, hypothyroidism, nausea, and pruritus). However, proportions experiencing 'significant' TRAEs varied between cohorts. Proportions discontinuing treatment were relatively consistent across cohorts. Propensity score matching and sensitivity analyses generally supported the unadjusted findings. Real-world safety profiles of nivolumab 240 mg Q2W and 480 mg Q4W were similar, and both were comparable to the well-documented safety of weight-based dosing (3mg/kg Q2W), further supporting their approval and use in the adjuvant setting for melanoma.

The GERMELATOX-A (Dermatologic Cooperative Oncology Group): Study attitude of German melanoma patients towards toxicity during adjuvant treatment.

e21597 Background: Trials of adjuvant treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors like PD1-antibodies (ICI) or targeted therapy with BRAF/MEK inhibitors (TT) in high-risk melanoma patients demonstrate a significant improvement in recurrence-free survival (RFS) with a very similar relative risk reduction. Both treatment modalities are characterized by specific side effects. Therefore the decision for or against a treatment modality is very often driven by the risk for toxicity. This study addressed for the first time the attitudes and preferences of German and Swiss patients and physicians for adjuvant treatment with ICI and TT. Methods: In this multicenter study („GERMELATOX-A“) patients with low-risk melanoma (pT1a, AJCC stage I, familiar with cancer diagnosis but no adjuvant treatment planned), and dermatooncologists from 11 German and 1 Swiss skin cancer centers were asked to fill out a questionnaire. Here, side effect scenarios typical for each ICI and TT with mild-to-moderate or severe toxicity and also melanoma recurrence leading to cancer death were described. We asked patients and physicians about the reduction in melanoma relapse (relapse-free survival, RFS) and the survival increase (overall survival, OS) at 5 yrs they would expect to tolerate defined side-effects. Results: Data were obtained from 136/107 patients/physicians, respectively (median age: 59 yrs/32 yrs, 56.2%/67.6% female).Overall, by visual analog scale, patients valued a melanoma relapse worse than all scenarios of side-effects during adjuvant treatment with ICI or TT. In general patients required higher risk reductions for DFS and OS for both ICI and TT and their drug related side effects compared to physicians to accept this treatment. In case of severe side effects, patients needed a 20% higher reduction of relapse rate at 5 yrs for ICI compared to TT (71.4%/50.0%). Physicians required identical relapse reduction rates for ICI and TT in case of severe side effects (42.9%). Conclusions: This study demonstrated a pronounced variation of German and Swiss patient preferences on adjuvant treatment related to drug class specific side effects and outcomes and a clear difference between patients' and physicians' attitudes. This difference might influence decision making for adjuvant treatment options and should therefore also be investigated in further trials for current adjuvant treatment modalities. As adjuvant melanoma treatment with ICI and TT will possibly be implemented in earlier stages soon, precise knowledge of the patient perspective can be helpful for the process of decision making.

POSC77 Incorporating Possibility of Cure into Cost Utility Analysis for Nivolumab in Adjuvant Treatment of Resected Stage III/IV Melanoma in France

Long-term plateaus and heterogeneity in survival due to the possibility of cure with immuno-oncologic therapies is often analyzed by mixture cure models (MCMs). This analysis aimed to demonstrate the impact of accounting for cured patients on the cost-effectiveness (CE) profile of nivolumab versus observation in adjuvant treatment of melanoma from a societal perspective in France.

Dabrafenib, Alone or in Combination with Trametinib, in Pediatric Patients with BRAF V600 Mutation-Positive Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis

▪Introduction: Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare proliferative disorder associated with varied clinical presentations. Patients (pts) with advanced disease have frequent recurrences despite standard chemotherapy and a significant proportion experience long-term complications, including orthopaedic, endocrine, auditory, or neurodegenerative complications. BRAF V600 mutations have been reported in over 50% of LCH cases. The BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib in combination with the MEK inhibitor trametinib is approved for BRAF V600-mutation positive melanoma, NSCLC, and anaplastic thyroid cancer. Here we describe the pooled analysis of pts with LCH from two open-label phase I/II studies in pediatric pts with recurrent/refractory malignancies, treated with dabrafenib monotherapy (CDRB436A2102; NCT01677741) or dabrafenib plus trametinib (CTMT212X2101; NCT02124772).Results: At the data cut-off date of January 19, 2021, 13 pts with LCH had received dabrafenib monotherapy (n=2, escalation; n=11, expansion). Median age was 3 years (range, 1-11) and all pts had received prior chemotherapy (100%); one patient received prior immunoglobulin and prior anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody (8%). Median duration of exposure to dabrafenib was 51 months (range, 7-65); 7 pts continued treatment on a rollover study and 6 discontinued, due to adverse events (AE; n=2), investigator decision (n=3), or switch to combination therapy via compassionate use (n=1). All pts experienced AEs, regardless of relationship to treatment; 11 pts (85%) had grade ≥3 AEs. All pts experienced AEs, suspected to be related to treatment, most commonly vomiting (46%), increased creatinine (38%), dry skin, rash, and melanocytic naevus (each 30%). AEs led to treatment discontinuation in 2 pts (increased blood creatinine; Epstein-Barr virus associated lymphoma, not related to treatment); there were no on-treatment deaths. The overall response rate (ORR) was 77% (6 complete response [CR]; 4 regressive disease [RD]); median duration of response (DOR) was not reached (NR), the estimated 24-month DOR rate was 90% (95% CI, 40-100). Median PFS was NR; the estimated 24-month PFS rate was 90% (95% CI, 50-100).At the data cut-off date of February 10, 2021, 12 pts with LCH had received dabrafenib + trametinib combination (2, escalation; 10, expansion). Median age was 4 years (range, 2-13) and all pts had received prior chemotherapy (100%). Median duration of exposure to treatment was 22 months (range 1.8-35.9); 8 patients continued therapy on a rollover study and 4 discontinued, due to AEs (n=2), lack of efficacy (n=1), or long term CR (n=1). All pts experienced AEs; 9 pts (75%) had grade ≥3 AEs. All pts experienced AEs, suspected to be related to treatment, most commonly pyrexia (58%), diarrhoea, dry skin, decreased neutrophil count, and vomiting (each 42%). AEs led to treatment discontinuation in 2 pts (AST increased; ALT increased); there were no on-treatment deaths. The ORR was 58% (4 CR; 3 RD); median DOR was NR, the estimated 24-month DOR rate was 100% (95% CI, NR-NR). Median PFS was NR; the estimated 24-month PFS rate was 100% (95% CI, NR-NR).Conclusions: Dabrafenib, with or without trametinib, demonstrated durable efficacy in pediatric pts with relapsed/refractory BRAF V600E mutation-positive LCH, with 90-100% of responses ongoing at 24 months. Treatment was associated with acceptable tolerability and manageable toxicities; the safety profile was consistent with what has been seen in other pediatric indications and in adult studies. DisclosuresWhitlock: Sobi Pharmaceuticals: Consultancy; Novartis: Research Funding; Amgen; Jazz Pharmaceuticals: Honoraria. Roughton: Novartis Pharma AG: Current Employment. Choi: Novartis Pharmaceuticals: Current Employment. Osterloh: Novartis Farmacéutica S.A. Spain: Current Employment. Russo: Novartis: Current Employment, Current equity holder in publicly-traded company, Divested equity in a private or publicly-traded company in the past 24 months. Hargrave: AstraZeneca; Bayer; DayOne; Janssen; Novartis; Roche: Consultancy; AstraZeneca: Research Funding; AstraZeneca; Bayer; Novartis; Roche: Honoraria; Bayer: Speakers Bureau. OffLabel Disclosure:Trametinib in combination with dabrafenib is approved for the treatment of unresectable/metastatic melanoma with BRAF V600E or V600K mutations; adjuvant treatment for melanoma with BRAF V600E or V600K mutations; metastatic non-small cell lung cancer with BRAF V600E mutation; locally advanced/metastatic anaplastic thyroid cancer with BRAF V600E mutation.

The Role of the Vitamin D Receptor in the Pathogenesis, Prognosis, and Treatment of Cutaneous Melanoma.

Melanoma is the malignant transformation of melanocytes and represents the most lethal form of skin cancer. While early-stage melanoma localized to the skin can be cured with surgical excision, metastatic melanoma often requires a multi-pronged approach and even then can exhibit treatment resistance. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of melanoma could lead to novel diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic strategies to ultimately decrease morbidity and mortality. One emerging candidate that may have value as both a prognostic marker and in a therapeutic context is the vitamin D receptor (VDR). VDR is a nuclear steroid hormone receptor activated by 1,25 dihydroxy-vitamin D3 [calcitriol, 1,25(OH)2D3]. While 1,25 dihydroxy-vitamin D3 is typically thought of in relation to calcium metabolism, it also plays an important role in cell proliferation, differentiation, programmed-cell death as well as photoprotection. This review discusses the role of VDR in the crosstalk between keratinocytes and melanocytes during melanomagenesis and summarizes the clinical data regarding VDR polymorphisms, VDR as a prognostic marker, and potential uses of vitamin D and its analogs as an adjuvant treatment for melanoma.

Adjuvant treatment for melanoma in clinical practice – Trial versus reality

BackgroundLittle is known about outcomes of adjuvant-treated melanoma patients beyond the clinical trial setting. Since 2019, adjuvant-treated melanoma patients have been registered in the DMTR, a population-based registry to monitor the quality and safety of melanoma care in the Netherlands. This study aims to describe treatment patterns, relapse, and toxicity rates of adjuvant-treated melanoma patients beyond the clinical trial setting. MethodsAnalyses were performed on adjuvant-treated melanoma patients included in the DMTR. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse patient-, and treatment characteristics. A baseline registration completeness analysis was performed, and an analysis on trial eligibility in clinical practice patients. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) at 12-months was estimated with the Kaplan–Meier method. ResultsA total of 641 patients were treated with adjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy. RFS at 12-months was 70.6% (95% CI, 66.9–74.6) with a median follow-up of 12.8 months. Sex, stage of disease and Breslow thickness were associated with a higher hazard for RFS. Eighteen per cent of the anti-PD-1-treated patients developed grade ≥3 toxicity. Sixty-one per cent of patients prematurely discontinued anti-PD-1 therapy. ConclusionAdjuvant anti-PD-1 treatment of resected stage III/IV melanoma in daily practice showed slightly higher toxicity rates and more frequent premature discontinuation but similar RFS rates compared to trials.

Is adjuvant treatment for melanoma in clinical practice comparable to trials? The first population-based results.

e21523 Background: Little is known about the outcome of adjuvant therapy in melanoma patients beyond the clinical trial setting. The Dutch Melanoma treatment Registry (DMTR) is a population-based registry, set up in July 2013 to monitor the safety and quality of melanoma care. Since 2019, adjuvant treated melanoma patients have also been registered in the DMTR, following approval and reimbursement of adjuvant treatment in the Netherlands in December 2018. Methods: Analyses were performed on melanoma patients treated with adjuvant anti-PD1 therapy included in the DMTR between 01-07-2018 and 31-12-2019. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze patient-, and treatment characteristics, and death as well as relapse rates. Results: Six hundred and fifty-seven patients treated with adjuvant systemic therapy were included in the DMTR. The majority (94%) of these patients was treated with anti-PD1. Twenty percent of the anti-PD1-treated patients developed grade ≥3 toxicity. Of the 279 patients with a minimum follow-up of one year after start of anti-PD1, 170 (61%) prematurely discontinued therapy. Relapse and death occurred in respectively, 38% and 12% of patients within one year of follow-up. Relapse was significantly more frequent in older patients, with high Breslow thickness and ulcerated melanomas. Conclusions: These data show more frequent premature discontinuation of adjuvant anti-PD1 in daily clinical practice than reported in the registration trials. Moreover, incidence of severe toxicity, relapse and death during adjuvant treatment appears higher in the real-world setting.

A Pilot Study of Short-course Nivolumab and Low-dose Ipilimumab for Adjuvant Treatment of Melanoma: Brown University Oncology Research Group Trial, BrUOG 324.

Combined cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 and programmed death 1 inhibitor blockade is a promising strategy in advanced melanoma and other solid tumors. This pilot study assessed the safety and toxicity of nivolumab plus low-dose ipilimumab in patients with high-risk completely resected melanoma. Patients received ipilimumab, 1 mg/kg every 6 weeks, and nivolumab, 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks, for a total of 24 weeks (4 cycles). The primary objective was to assess the toxicity of the combined regimen. Twenty-one patients with resected melanoma were enrolled. One patient was stage IIC, 16 patients were stage III and 4 patients had resected stage 4 disease. Ten of 21 (48%) had grade 3 treatment-related toxicities but there was no grade 4 or grade 5 toxicities. The rate of grade 3 nonhematologic toxicities exceeded the toxicity limits defined by the study. Fifteen of 21 patients (71%) completed all 4 cycles of therapy. The median follow-up is 41 months. The 2-year recurrence-free survival is 85.7% and the 2-year overall survival is 90.5%. A 6-month course of nivolumab and low-dose ipilimumab may be a promising adjuvant treatment for patients with resected melanoma. Further studies of this regimen are indicated.

Pembrolizumab in the adjuvant treatment of melanoma: efficacy and safety

ABSTRACT Introduction: Regional or distant metastases from melanoma may be surgically resected but remain at high-risk of recurrence. Over the last few years, several treatments have been approved to mitigate this risk. These include anti-PD-1 agents, specifically pembrolizumab and nivolumab. Areas covered: Herein, we will discuss the landscape of pembrolizumab safety and efficacy used in the adjuvant setting for high-risk, resected melanoma. We place this in context with other available adjuvant therapies, and discuss subgroup analyses. Expert opinion: Anti-PD-1 therapy with either pembrolizumab or nivolumab has become a standard of care for patients with resected stage III or IV melanoma. In our practice, we generally offer these agents (which have comparable safety and efficacy profiles) to patients with resected stage IIIb–IV melanoma regardless of BRAF mutation status.

Topical Imiquimod for Lentigo Maligna: Survival Analysis of 103 Cases With 17 Years Follow-up.

Topical imiquimod 5% cream has been investigated as off-label primary or adjuvant treatment for melanoma in situ, lentigo maligna type (LM). Herein, we present the largest known case series of lentigo maligna treated with topical imiquimod, with up to 17 years of follow-up, and include a recurrence-free survival analysis. In this case series, 103 lesions were retrospectively evaluated for treatment response and recurrence following a course of topical imiquimod with or without tazarotene gel 0.1% pretreatment between January 1, 2002 and March 31, 2019, and prospectively followed through November 15, 2019. Over median follow-up of 5.1 years (mean = 6.2 years, S = 5.2 years, range, 0.08&ndash;17.1 years), including 29.1% LM with &gt;10 years follow-up, we observed a response rate of 97.1% (100/103), with 8 local recurrences (8/100, 8.0%) developing at mean 2.9 years (SD: 2.7 years). Local recurrence was significantly associated with a history of failed excision (P= 0.001), &lt;60 applications of imiquimod (P= 0.04) and partial clinical clearance (P= 0.0003). Recurrence-free survival analysis demonstrated significant risk-stratification for low and high-risk groups (P= 0.0001). Long term risk for recurrence showed significant differences among low- and high-risk cases, with low-risk cases demonstrating favorable long-term outcomes, comparable to conventional and staged surgery. Our observed low recurrence in a large case series with long-term follow-up suggests the efficacy of topical 5% imiquimod for LM and emphasizes the need for randomized control trials comparing imiquimod with, or as an adjunct to, surgical treatment. J Drugs Dermatol. 2021;20(3):346-348. doi:10.36849/JDD.5660.

Immune Checkpoint Myocarditis from Adjuvant Treatment of Melanoma

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are effective therapy for many metastatic cancers and are now being used as adjuvant treatment for many stage III cancers to reduce the high risk of reoccurrence. ICIs activate a patient’s own T-cells to fight cancer, but in some cases, immune-related adverse events (irAEs) with inflammation of many organs can occur. Rare cases of myocarditis have been reported. More data is needed to improve our ability to monitor, diagnose and treat irAEs.

Review of Adjuvant Therapies in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Evidence to Date.

In 2018, there were 400,000 new cases of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) globally, with 175,000 deaths attributable to the disease. Three quarters of patients have potentially curable localised disease at diagnosis; however, recurrence rates are as high as 40% following surgery. There are currently no adjuvant therapies in routine clinical use which reliably improve outcomes. Effective adjuvant therapy is an urgent unmet need to reduce recurrence risk and improve outcomes. Early efforts explored chemotherapy, radiotherapy, cytokine therapy, hormonal treatments and tumour cell vaccines as adjuvant therapies, however, have yielded disappointing results. More recently, interest shifted to evaluating tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in the adjuvant setting, as they improve outcomes in metastatic disease. Five phase III clinical trials testing adjuvant use of a range of TKIs have been performed, with the results of a sixth trial awaited. Unfortunately, these studies have thus far yielded conflicting and disappointing results, and there is currently no strong evidence for routine adjuvant TKI therapy. In parallel, novel immunotherapy treatment approaches have recently been developed, transforming the management of a range of malignancies, particularly through immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). These approaches are well established in the metastatic context in RCC, as well as in the adjuvant treatment of melanoma. On this basis, five phase III trials are currently ongoing to test the efficacy of a range of ICIs in adjuvant RCC patients, with initial results expected over the next few years. In this article, we review the current evidence for adjuvant therapies in RCC, discuss ongoing clinical trials and suggest directions for future work to address this unmet need.