Advanced Melanoma Patients Research Articles

A phase 3 trial of fixed dose combinations of fianlimab (anti–LAG-3) + cemiplimab (anti–PD-1) versus relatlimab + nivolumab in patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma.

TPS9611 Background: Fianlimab (anti–lymphocyte activation gene 3 [LAG-3]) and cemiplimab (anti–programmed cell death-1 [PD-1]) are high-affinity, fully human, immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibodies. Concurrent LAG-3 blockade may enhance the efficacy of anti–PD-1 therapies. Relatlimab (anti–LAG-3) + nivolumab (anti–PD-1) monoclonal antibodies demonstrated benefit in progression-free survival (PFS) in advanced melanoma (Mel) patients compared with nivolumab alone in the RELATIVITY-047 study. In a multicohort Phase 1 study (NCT03005782), fianlimab + cemiplimab demonstrated reproducibly high clinical activity (objective response rate [ORR]: 61%, N=98) in three independent cohorts of advanced PD-(L)1–naïve metastatic Mel patients with an acceptable safety profile. Methods: This is a randomized, open-label, multicenter Phase 3 study (NCT06246916) comparing the fixed dose combination (FDC) of fianlimab + cemiplimab to the FDC of relatlimab + nivolumab in patients with unresectable or metastatic Mel. The primary objective is to demonstrate superiority of fianlimab + cemiplimab compared with relatlimab + nivolumab as measured by ORR assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR). This study will be conducted at approximately 80 sites across North America. Key inclusion criteria are: (1) aged ≥18 years; (2) histologically confirmed unresectable stage III or IV (metastatic) Mel; (3) no prior systemic therapy for unresectable or metastatic Mel; patients with adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant systemic therapies are eligible with a treatment-free and disease-free interval of >6 months; (4) measurable disease per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1; (5) Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of ≤1; (6) adequate bone marrow, hepatic, and kidney function. Approximately 560 patients will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to two treatment arms: Arm A: FDC of fianlimab (Dose 1) + cemiplimab (Dose 2) every 3 weeks intravenously (IV); Arm B: FDC of relatlimab 160 mg + nivolumab 480 mg every 4 weeks IV. All patients will be stratified based on metastatic stage (stage III vs M1a–b vs M1c–d), baseline lactate dehydrogenase level (≤ vs > upper limit of normal), and prior adjuvant and/or neoadjuvant systemic therapy. Patients will receive treatment until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, withdrawal of consent, a study withdrawal criterion is met, or the sponsor terminates the study. The primary endpoint is ORR and key secondary endpoints are PFS and overall survival. Additional secondary endpoints are duration of response, disease control rate, investigator-assessed ORR and PFS, safety, pharmacokinetics, and immunogenicity. Clinical trial information: NCT06246916 .

Treatment-free survival after immunotherapy discontinuation in advanced melanoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis of real-world studies.

e21523 Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have altered the treatment landscape of advanced melanoma with remarkable improvements in progression-free survival (PFS). Durable responses to ICI cessation have been shown in early clinical trials for ICI usage in melanoma, although the optimal duration of immunotherapy remains unclear. Treatment-free survival (TFS) after immunotherapy cessation for patients with complete response (CR), partial response (PR), and stable disease (SD) has been reported in real-world studies and may help to guide discontinuation of ICI therapy. Methods: A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library to identify real-world studies reporting TFS after immunotherapy in advanced cutaneous melanoma patients with CR, PR, and SD at 12 and 24 months. Discontinuation due to iRAEs were included. Effect sizes were pooled using a random-effects model using the meta and metafor packages in R after logit transformation. Inter-study heterogeneity was quantified using I2 statistic. Results: Systematic review yielded 34 studies investigating TFS in prospective and retrospective studies. Of these, three retrospective cohort studies reported real-world TFS at 12 and 24 months. Overall, 738 patients with advanced melanoma were included in this meta-analysis, with 384 patients in CR, 278 patients in PR, and 76 patients in SD at time of ICI discontinuation. Mean patient age was 66.4 and 61.9% of patients were male. Pooled 12 and 24-month TFS proportions were higher for patients with CR than PR and for patients with PR than SD. Pooled 24-month TFS was statistically significantly greater in patients with CR compared to SD. I2 statistics showed considerable heterogeneity between studies ( > 80% in CR and PR subgroups). Conclusions: 12 and 24-month TFS after ICI discontinuation was significant for patients with CR and PR to therapy, suggesting the feasibility of ICI discontinuation in patients after therapy response. Pooled 12-month TFS for patients with SD was 66%, although with decline to 36% at 24 months. Limitations of this meta-analysis include a limited number of included studies. Further research is needed to determine the optimal duration of ICI therapy for patients with advanced melanoma depending on best overall therapy response. [Table: see text]

A phase III, open-label, multicenter, randomized controlled trial of tunlametinib versus investigator-selected chemotherapy in patients with advanced NRAS-mutant melanoma who had previously received immunotherapy.

TPS9606 Background: NRAS-mutant melanoma is an aggressive subtype with worse prognosis. However, no targeted therapy has been approved to date worldwide. Tunlametinib (HL-085) has showed an encouraging efficacy (confirmed ORR:34.8%, mPFS:4.2 months) with a manageable safety profile in phase II pivotal registrational study, which was published in ASCO 2023 annal meeting (NO.:9510). Here, we present the design of phase III randomized controlled study. Methods: This is a multicenter, two-arm, open-label, randomized controlled phase III confirmatory clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tunlametinib in comparison with the combination chemotherapy of investigator's choice in advanced NRAS-mutant melanoma patients who had previously received immunotherapy. A total of 165 subjects from about 12 sites in China will be included and randomly assigned to the corresponding treatment group in 2:1 ratio. Two stratification factors before randomization: LDH level and whether have received chemotherapy. The key inclusion criteria included: a) Patients with unresectable stage III or metastatic IV melanoma confirmed by histology or cytology; b) History of immunotherapy failure or could not tolerate immunotherapy; c) Be able to provide NRAS mutation positive test report at baseline and provide sufficient histological specimens for NRAS mutation confirmation by central laboratory. Experimental group subjects will receive continuous administration of tunlametinib 12mg BID, 28 days per cycle. Control group subjects will receive one of the following regimens which according to investigator's choice (paclitaxel plus carboplatin, or temozolomide plus cisplatin, or dacarbazine plus cisplatin) , 28 days per cycle. The two groups will receive continuous therapy until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. The primary endpoint is progression-free survival which assessed by independent radiology review committee. Secondary endpoints included overall survival, objective response rate, disease control rate, duration of response, safety, pharmacokinetics and exposure-response. Exploratory endpoints are to evaluate quality of life between two groups and to development a companion diagnostic kit for NRAS gene mutations detection. This study is currently open for enrollment. Clinical trial information: NCT06008106 .

FCN-159, a MEK1/2 inhibitor, in patients with advanced melanoma harboring NRAS or NF1mutations: A phase 1B dose-expansion study.

3095 Background: In phase 1A dose-escalation study, preliminary anti-tumor activity of FCN-159 was observed in advanced melanoma patients harboring NRAS mutations (ORR: 19.0%, mPFS: 3.8 months) with tolerable safety profile, which was posted during AACR 2022 (No.: 22-LB-7398-AACR). Here, we report the results from phase 1B dose-expansion study in advanced NRAS- or NF1-mutant melanoma patients at RP2D predetermined at 12 mg. Methods: This open-label, dose-expansion, phase 1B study (NCT03932253) consists of two cohorts, which enrolled patients with unresectable stage III/IV melanoma harboring NRAS or NF1 mutations, respectively. Patients received FCN-159 orally at 12 mg once daily (QD) continuously in 28-day cycles. The primary endpoint was anti-tumor activity. Results: As of July 17, 2023, 46 patients (32 patients with NRASmutations in Cohort 1 and 14 patients with NF1mutations in Cohort 2) were enrolled and received 12 mg FCN-159 QD. The median follow-up time was 8.6 months. Among 25 patients who failed in previous anti-PD-1 therapy in Cohort 1, 6 had confirmed partial responses (ORR, 24.0%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 9.4–45.1). Median DOR was 6.5 months (95% CI, 2.7–NE). Median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 3.6 months (95% CI, 1.8–5.5). Among 14 patients in Cohort 2, 1 had PR (ORR, 7.1%; 95% CI, 0.2-33.9) and mPFS was 2.8 months (95% CI, 1.8-5.5) (Table). Grade≥3 FCN-159-related treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were reported in 10 (21.7%) patients in both cohorts; the most common was blood creatine phosphokinase increased (13.0%). FCN-159–related serious AEs (SAEs) were reported in 3 (6.5%) patients, which were edema lower limb, cellulitis and pneumonia. Two (4.3%) patients discontinued treatment due to FCN-159 related TEAEs, including serous retinal detachment and herpes zoster. No FCN-159-related TEAEs led to death. Conclusions: FCN-159 showed encouraging efficacy data with well tolerated safety profile in patients with NRAS-mutant advanced melanoma, especially those who failed in previous anti-PD-1 therapy. Clinical trial information: NCT03932253 . [Table: see text]

Enhanced dacarbazine efficacy in advanced melanoma patients previously treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors in Korea.

e21528 Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionized advanced malignant melanoma treatment. But the lack of effective options post-ICI failure presents a significant challenge. Despite its modest efficacy, chemotherapy with dacarbazine remains practical choice in metastatic melanoma patients after ICI failure. Researchers suggested an increased efficacy of chemotherapy in melanoma patients previously treated with ICI. In this study, we aimed to assess the efficacy of dacarbazine of patients with or without prior ICI treatment. Methods: 71 patients with histologically confirmed malignant melanoma, who diagnosed and underwent chemotherapy between 2011 and 2023 at the Kyungpook National University Chilgok Hospital (Daegu, Korea) were included in this retrospective study. We included patients who had received either dacarbazine single or CVD(Cisplatin, Vinblastine, Dacarbazine) regimen for an unresectable stage IIIC, IIID or IV acral, cutaneous, mucosal melanoma according to American Joint Committee on Cancer(AJCC) 8th edition. Results: Among a total of 71 individuals, there were 16 patients who had not previously received pembrolizumab treatment (DTI-only group). There were 55 patients in the pembrolizumab (pem-DTI group) experienced group. The median PFS was 2.3 months in the DTI-only group and 3.9 months in the pem-DTI group, reflecting a significant PFS difference of 1.6 months. And the median OS was 6.8 months in the DTI-only group and 19.0 months in the pem-DTI group, demonstrating a statistically significant difference. In the univariate and multivariate analysis for PFS, the use of pembrolizumab was advantageous compared to non-use (HR 0.246, 95% CI 0.106-0.576, p= 0.001). The only favorable condition in the univariate analysis for OS was the use of pembrolizumab compared to non-use (HR 0.198, 95% CI 0.068-0.574, p= 0.003). The mean duration of response for the DTI-only group was 4.64 months, while for the pem-DTI group, it was 8.11 months, indicating that the pem-DTI group exhibited a longer duration. Conclusions: We have demonstrated superior PFS and OS in the group of metastatic melanoma patients who received dacarbazine after prior treatment with pembrolizumab compared to those treated with dacarbazine alone. Dacarbazine may still be a valid option after failure of ICI +/- targeted treatment. Future studies should focus on the immunomodulatory effects of dacarbazine on the tumor microenvironment, which could be harnessed to potentially enhance sensitivity to immune checkpoint-based therapy.

Immune mechanisms and predictive biomarkers related to neoadjuvant immunotherapy response in stage III melanoma

The treatment for stage III melanoma has advanced significantly, nevertheless, a substantial proportion of patients experience relapse. Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockade has emerged as a promising approach, allowing early micrometastatic disease treatment, reduction of tumor burden before surgery, and enhanced tumor-specific T-cell responses. However, not all patients respond to treatment, highlighting the need for understanding immune mechanisms behind failure and identification of predictive markers. Here we performed a robust evaluation of systemic and tumoral immune profiles in a well-defined cohort of advanced melanoma patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Elevated CTACK and CXCL9 chemokines pre-treatment suggested their potential as predictive tools for treatment response. Furthermore, CD95 expression in CD8+ T lymphocytes surfaced as a favorable prognostic indicator, while PD-1, CD161, and PD-L2 exhibited correlations with worst outcomes. These findings shed light on the intricate interplay between immune markers and melanoma response to neoadjuvant immune checkpoint therapy, offering insights into personalized treatment strategies.

Alantolactone enhances the sensitivity of melanoma to MAPK pathway inhibitors by targeting inhibition of STAT3 activation and down-regulating stem cell markers

Mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitors (MAPKi) were the first line drugs for advanced melanoma patients with BRAF mutation. Targeted therapies have significant therapeutic effects; however, drug resistance hinders their long-term efficacy. Therefore, the development of new therapeutic strategies against MAPKi resistance is critical. Our previous results showed that MAPKi promote feedback activation of STAT3 signaling in BRAF-mutated cancer cells. Studies have shown that alantolactone inhibited the activation of STAT3 in a variety of tumor cells. Our results confirmed that alantolactone suppressed cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis by inhibiting STAT3 feedback activation induced by MAPKi and downregulating the expression of downstream Oct4 and Sox2. The inhibitory effect of alantolactone combined with a MAPKi on melanoma cells was significantly stronger than that on normal cells. In vivo and in vitro experiments showed that combination treatment was effective against drug-resistant melanomas. Our research indicates a potential novel combination therapy (alantolactone and MAPKi) for patients with BRAF-mutated melanoma.

Loss of p14 diminishes immunogenicity in melanoma via non-canonical Wnt signaling by reducing the peptide surface density.

Immunotherapy has achieved tremendous success in melanoma. However, only around 50% of advanced melanoma patients benefit from immunotherapy. Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 2A (CDKN2A), encoding the two tumor-suppressor proteins p14ARF and p16INK4a, belongs to the most frequently inactivated gene loci in melanoma and leads to decreased Tcell infiltration. While the role of p16INK4a has been extensively investigated, knowledge about p14ARF in melanoma is scarce. In this study, we elucidate the impact of reduced p14ARF expression on melanoma immunogenicity. Knockdown of p14ARF in melanoma cell lines diminished their recognition and killing by melanoma differentiation antigen (MDA)-specific Tcells. Resistance was caused by a reduction of the peptide surface density of presented MDAs. Immunopeptidomic analyses revealed that antigen presentation via human leukocyte antigen class I (HLA-I) molecules was enhanced upon p14ARF downregulation in general, but absolute and relative expression of cognate peptides was decreased. However, this phenotype is associated with a favorable outcome for melanoma patients. Limiting Wnt5a signaling reverted this phenotype, suggesting an involvement of non-canonical Wnt signaling. Taken together, our data indicate a new mechanism limiting MDA-specific Tcell responses by decreasing both absolute and relative MDA-peptide presentation in melanoma.

Regorafenib in patients with pretreated advanced melanoma: a single-center case series.

Melanoma patients failing all approved treatment options have a poor prognosis. The antimelanoma activity of regorafenib (REGO), a multitargeted kinase inhibitor, has not been investigated in this patient population. The objective response rate and safety of REGO treatment in advanced melanoma patients was investigated retrospectively. Twenty-seven patients received REGO treatment. All patients had progressed on anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) checkpoint inhibition and BRAF/MEK inhibitors (in case of a BRAF V600 mutation). REGO was administered in continuous dosing and combined (upfront or sequentially) with nivolumab ( n = 5), trametinib ( n = 8), binimetinib ( n = 2), encorafenib ( n = 1), dabrafenib/trametinib ( n = 9), or encorafenib/binimetinib ( n = 7). The best overall response was partial response (PR) in five patients (18.5%) and stable disease in three patients (11.1%). Three of seven (42.8%) BRAF V600mut patients treated with REGO in combination with BRAF/MEK inhibitors obtained a PR (including regression of brain metastases in all three patients). In addition, PR was documented in a BRAF V600mut patient treated with REGO plus anti-PD-1, and a NRASQ61mut patient treated with REGO plus a MEK inhibitor. Common grade 3-4 treatment-related adverse events included arterial hypertension ( n = 7), elevated transaminase levels ( n = 5), abdominal pain ( n = 3), colitis ( n = 2), anorexia ( n = 1), diarrhea ( n = 1), fever ( n = 1), duodenal perforation ( n = 1), and colonic bleeding ( n = 1). Median progression-free survival was 11.0 weeks (95% confidence interval, 7.1-14.9); median overall survival was 23.1 weeks (95% confidence interval, 13.0-33.3). REGO has a manageable safety profile in advanced melanoma patients, in monotherapy as well as combined with BRAF/MEK inhibitors or PD-1 blocking monoclonal antibodies. The triplet combination of REGO with BRAF/MEK inhibitors appears most active, particularly in the BRAF V600mut patients.

Immune Regulation and Immune Therapy in Melanoma: Review with Emphasis on CD155 Signalling.

Melanoma is commonly diagnosed in a younger population than most other solid malignancies and, in Australia and most of the world, is the leading cause of skin-cancer-related death. Melanoma is a cancer type with high immunogenicity; thus, immunotherapies are used as first-line treatment for advanced melanoma patients. Although immunotherapies are working well, not all the patients are benefitting from them. A lack of a comprehensive understanding of immune regulation in the melanoma tumour microenvironment is a major challenge of patient stratification. Overexpression of CD155 has been reported as a key factor in melanoma immune regulation for the development of therapy resistance. A more thorough understanding of the actions of current immunotherapy strategies, their effects on immune cell subsets, and the roles that CD155 plays are essential for a rational design of novel targets of anti-cancer immunotherapies. In this review, we comprehensively discuss current anti-melanoma immunotherapy strategies and the immune response contribution of different cell lineages, including tumour endothelial cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, cytotoxic T cells, cancer-associated fibroblast, and nature killer cells. Finally, we explore the impact of CD155 and its receptors DNAM-1, TIGIT, and CD96 on immune cells, especially in the context of the melanoma tumour microenvironment and anti-cancer immunotherapies.

Anti-PD-1 alone or in combination with anti-CTLA-4 for advanced melanoma patients with liver metastases

BackgroundThe combination of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 has been associated with improvement in response and survival over anti-PD-1 monotherapy in unselected patients with advanced melanoma. Whether patients with liver metastases also benefit from the combination of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 over anti-PD-1, is unclear. In this study, we sought to assess whether the combination of anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 leads to better response, progression-free survival and overall survival, compared with anti-PD-1 monotherapy for patients with liver metastases. MethodsWe have conducted an international multicentre retrospective study. Patients with advanced melanoma with liver metastases treated with 1st line anti-PD1 monotherapy or with anti-CTLA-4 were included. The endpoints of this study were: objective response rate, progression-free survival and overall survival. ResultsWith a median follow-up from commencement of anti-PD-1 monotherapy or in combination with anti-CTLA-4 of 47 months (95% CI, 42–51), objective response rate was higher with combination therapy (47%) versus anti-PD-1 monotherapy (35%) (p = 0.0027), while progression-free survival and overall survival were not statistically different between both treatment groups. However, on multivariable analysis with multiple imputation for missing values and adjusting for predefined variables, combination of anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA-4 was associated with higher objective response (OR 2.21, 1.46 – 3.36; p < 0.001), progression-free survival (HR 0.73, 0.57 – 0.92; p = 0.009) and overall survival (HR 0.71, 0.54 – 0.94; p = 0.018) compared to anti-PD1 monotherapy. ConclusionsFindings from this study will help guide treatment selection for patients who present with liver metastases, suggesting that combination therapy should be considered for this group of patients.

Patient reported outcomes and patient experiences of immune checkpoint modulators for advanced or recurrent melanoma: a mixed methods study.

Little is known about late and long-term patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of immune checkpoint modulators (ICMs) outside clinical trials. We conducted a cross-sectional, mixed-methods study to describe long-term PROs among advanced melanoma patients who began standard of care treatment with ICMs at least 1year previously. All participants completed the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Immune Checkpoint Modulator (FACT-ICM), assessing 46 immune-related side effects on a 5-point Likert scale, and a subset completed individual interviews. Descriptive statistics were computed for quantitative data and applied thematic analysis was used to examine qualitative data. Participants (N = 80) had a mean age of 67years, and the majority were male (66%), non-Hispanic White (96%), and college graduates (61%). Single-agent nivolumab was the most common first (47%) and current/recent ICM (64%). On the FACT-ICM, 98% of participants reported at least one side effect, and 78% reported moderate or severe side effects. The most common moderate or severe side effects were aching joints (43%) and fatigue (38%). In interviews (n = 20), we identified five themes regarding patients' longer-term experiences after ICMs: lasting fatigue or decline in functioning, minimal side effects, manageable thyroid and pituitary dysfunction, skin conditions can be difficult to manage, and treating the cancer is worth the side effects. Nearly all patients reported side effects of ICMs at least 1year after starting treatment. Our findings suggest that ICM side effect screening and management-especially for aching joints and fatigue-are indicated during long-term care of people living with advanced melanoma.

Susceptibility of Melanoma Cells to Targeted Therapy Correlates with Protection by Blood Neutrophils.

Elevated levels of peripheral blood and tumor tissue neutrophils are associated with poorer clinical response and therapy resistance in melanoma. The underlying mechanism and the role of neutrophils in targeted therapy is still not fully understood. Serum samples of patients with advanced melanoma were collected and neutrophil-associated serum markers were measured and correlated with response to targeted therapy. Blood neutrophils from healthy donors and patients with advanced melanoma were isolated, and their phenotypes, as well as their in vitro functions, were compared. In vitro functional tests were conducted through nonadherent cocultures with melanoma cells. Protection of melanoma cell lines by neutrophils was assessed under MAPK inhibition. Blood neutrophils from advanced melanoma patients exhibited lower CD16 expression compared to healthy donors. In vitro, both healthy-donor- and patient-derived neutrophils prevented melanoma cell apoptosis upon dual MAPK inhibition. The effect depended on cell-cell contact and melanoma cell susceptibility to treatment. Interference with protease activity of neutrophils prevented melanoma cell protection during treatment in cocultures. The negative correlation between neutrophils and melanoma outcomes seems to be linked to a protumoral function of neutrophils. In vitro, neutrophils exert a direct protective effect on melanoma cells during dual MAPK inhibition. This study further hints at a crucial role of neutrophil-related protease activity in protection.

High Serum Levels of CCL20 Are Associated with Recurrence and Unfavorable Overall Survival in Advanced Melanoma Patients Receiving Immunotherapy.

Immune checkpoint inhibition has revolutionized melanoma therapy, but many patients show primary or secondary resistance. Biomarkers are, therefore, urgently required to predict response prior to the initiation of therapy and to monitor disease progression. In this prospective study, we analyzed the serum C-C motif chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20) concentration using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Blood was obtained at baseline before the initiation of immunotherapy with anti-PD-1 monotherapy or Nivolumab and Ipilimumab in advanced melanoma patients (stages III and IV) enrolled at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf. The CCL20 levels were correlated with clinico-pathological parameters and disease-related outcomes. An increased C-C motif chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20) concentration (≥0.34 pg/mL) at baseline was associated with a significantly impaired progression-free survival (PFS) in the high-CCL20 group (3 months (95% CI: 2-6 months) vs. 11 months (95% CI: 6-26 months)) (p = 0.0033) and could be identified as an independent negative prognostic factor for PFS in univariate (Hazard Ratio (HR): 1.98, 95% CI 1.25-3.12, p = 0.004) and multivariate (HR: 1.99, 95% CI 1.21-3.29, p = 0.007) Cox regression analysis, which was associated with a higher risk than S100 (HR: 1.74). Moreover, high CCL20 levels were associated with impaired overall survival (median OS not reached for low-CCL20 group, p = 0.042) with an HR of 1.85 (95% CI 1.02-3.37, p = 0.043) in univariate analysis similar to the established prognostic marker S100 (HR: 1.99, 95% CI: 1.02-3.88, p = 0.043). CCL20 may represent a novel blood-based biomarker for the prediction of resistance to immunotherapy that can be used in combination with established strong clinical predictors (e.g., ECOG performance score) and laboratory markers (e.g., S100) in advanced melanoma patients. Future prospective randomized trials are needed to establish CCL20 as a liquid biopsy-based biomarker in advanced melanoma.

Automated Quantitative CD8+ Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and Tumor Mutation Burden as Independent Biomarkers in Melanoma Patients Receiving Front-Line Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy.

CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) predicts response to anti-PD-(L)1 therapy. However, there remains no standardized method to assess CD8+ TIL in melanoma, and developing a specific, cost-effective, reproducible, and clinically actionable biomarker to anti-PD-(L)1 remains elusive. We report on the development of automatic CD8+ TIL density quantification via whole slide image (WSI) analysis in advanced melanoma patients treated with front-line anti-PD-1 blockade, and correlation immunotherapy response. Seventy-eight patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors in the front-line setting between January 2015 and May 2023 at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute were included. CD8+ TIL density was quantified using an image analysis algorithm on digitized WSI. Targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed to determine tumor mutation burden (TMB) in a subset of 62 patients. ROC curves were used to determine biomarker cutoffs and response to therapy. Correlation between CD8+ TIL density and TMB cutoffs and response to therapy was studied. Higher CD8+ TIL density was significantly associated with improved response to front-line anti-PD-1 across all time points measured. CD8+ TIL density ≥222.9 cells/mm2 reliably segregated responders and non-responders to front-line anti-PD-1 therapy regardless of when response was measured. In a multivariate analysis, patients with CD8+ TIL density exceeding cutoff had significantly improved PFS with a trend toward improved OS. Similarly, increasing TMB was associated with improved response to anti-PD-1, and a cutoff of 14.70 Mut/Mb was associated with improved odds of response. The correlation between TMB and CD8+ TIL density was low, suggesting that each represented independent predictive biomarkers of response. An automatic digital analysis algorithm provides a standardized method to quantify CD8+ TIL density, which predicts response to front-line anti-PD-1 therapy. CD8+ TIL density and TMB are independent predictors of response to anti-PD-1 blockade.

Evaluation of colitis induced by immune-checkpoint inhibitors therapy in melanoma patients by an overall grading scale.

Colitis was the third most common immune-related adverse effect in melanoma patients treated with immune-checkpoint inhibitor (ICI). With the limitation of real-world data in the UK population, this study was conducted in a UK hospital where a fresh colitis guidance was introduced to evaluate the overall grading (OG) to assess colitis severity and guide the treatment. This study aimed to investigate colitis severity by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) grade and overall grade at time of presentation. Colitis treatment and outcome were evaluated to compare the impact of these two categories. A single-center, retrospective observational study was performed in melanoma patient developing colitis symptoms. A total of 44 advanced melanoma patient with colitis symptoms were included. Median time to colitis onset was 67 days (range 4-890). Majority of patients developed G1/ G2 of CTCAE scale (70.4%) but moderate or severe overall grade (84.1%). There were 65.9% of patients treated with steroids, and 38.2% with infliximab and 4.5% with vedolizumab. The median time of colitis resolution was 28 days (range 0-282). Both treatment modality and time to resolution were associated with severity of colitis assessed by complete OG(p&lt;0.0001) rather than CTCAE grading (p&gt;0.05). This study provided a comprehensive description about ICI-induced colitis management in a single center of the UK. The more completed OG was proposed to stratify colitis patient and guide the investigation and treatment decision at presenting time, replacing the old CTCAE grading.

Pretreatment CD8 + PD-1 + to CD4 + PD-1 + ratio is associated with the prognosis of advanced melanoma patients treated with PD-1 inhibitors.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the pretreatment CD8 + PD-1 + to CD4 + PD-1 + (PERLS) ratio is an independent risk prognostic factor of advanced melanoma patients. We retrospectively analyzed the efficacy and flow cytometry data from advanced melanoma patients who received PD-1 inhibitor as monotherapy between January 1, 2018 and January 26, 2022. Fifty-nine patients were enrolled, the PERLS cutoff was 1.125. PERLS did not correlate with clinical characteristics but were significantly associated with baseline CD8 + , CD4 + , and CD8 + PD-1 + T cells. The mean overall survival and the progression-free survival were 45.8 and 17.1 months for the low PERLS group (n = 39), compared with 29.9 ( P = 0.001) and 9.7 ( P = 0.003) months for the high PERLS group ( n = 20), respectively. Pretreatment PERLS might contribute to selecting patients before receiving anti-PD-1 therapy.

Abstract 5160: Evaluation of circulating microRNAs as predictive and prognostic biomarkers for advanced melanoma patients

Abstract Introduction Metastatic melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer whose incidence has been rising dramatically over the last few decades. The advent of Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has strongly improved the survival of melanoma patients. However, a high fraction of patients shows primary resistance or will develop secondary resistance during therapy. For these reasons, it is of utmost importance to develop biomarkers that could predict response or resistance to therapies. Among the most promising biomarkers analyzed in peripheral blood there are circulating microRNAs (miRNAs). The aim of this study is to identify a miRNA signature able to predict prognosis and clinical relapse in advanced melanoma patients treated with ICIs. Methodology We collected longitudinal blood draws from metastatic melanoma patients treated with ICIs at Bologna University-Hospital (Italy). We separated plasma from whole blood, extracted RNA and determined the absolute levels of miR-155-5p, miR-424-5p and miR-320a using EvaGreen-based droplet digital PCR. Moreover, in the subset of first-line anti-PD-1 treated patients, we performed cytofluorimetric leukocyte analysis. Results and discussion We found that patients with pre-therapy (baseline) high expression of circulating miR-155-5p, miR-320a and mir-424-5p had longer progression-free survival (PFS), and overall-survival (OS). In patients treated with anti PD-1 as first-line treatment, we found that baseline miR-155-5p levels were significantly higher in patients who responded to therapy, and therefore miR-155-5p could have a predictive value. Moreover, using a flow cytometric approach, we noted that baseline miR-155-5p levels correlated with CD4+Naïve (r:-0.91, p:0.027) and CD4+PD1+ T-cells (r:0.94, p:0.015) in patients treated with first-line anti-PD-1 treatment. Conclusion These preliminary findings propose baseline circulating miRNAs as potential predictive and prognostic biomarkers in the setting of advanced melanoma patients treated with immunotherapy. Citation Format: Giorgio Durante, Francesca Comito, Maria Naddeo, Serena De Matteis, Massimiliano Bonafè, Emi Dika, Andrea Ardizzoni, Manuela Ferracin. Evaluation of circulating microRNAs as predictive and prognostic biomarkers for advanced melanoma patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 5160.

Abstract 6558: Ultra-sensitive ctDNA detection predicts response to immune checkpoint inhibition in advanced melanoma patients

Abstract Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) provides clinical benefit to a subset of cancer patients. Monitoring circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in peripheral blood may allow clinicians to predict ICI response or resistance earlier than imaging and track response more frequently. In this study, melanoma patients receiving ICI were profiled using an ultra-sensitive, tumor-informed ctDNA detection platform, and the findings were correlated with clinical outcome. In this retrospective study, 188 plasma samples were collected from 23 advanced melanoma patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment, spanning a period of up to 40 months. Levels of ctDNA were then profiled using the NeXT Personal® assay. NeXT Personal is a liquid biopsy platform that utilizes whole-genome sequencing of tumor and normal samples to create a customized panel for each patient, encompassing up to 1,800 genetic somatic variants. This enables the detection of molecular residual disease (MRD) down to a limit of detection (LOD) of 1-3 parts per million (PPM). We subsequently compared the results obtained through NeXT Personal with RECIST-defined measurements and clinical outcomes. Ultra-sensitive ctDNA detection was achieved across a wide dynamic range, spanning from 2.3 PPM to over 130,000 PPM (median LOD = 2 PPM). A significant number of detections were attained at low PPM levels, with 30% (31/105) occurring below 100 PPM and 25% (26/105) occurring below 50 PPM. 94% (17/18) of baseline samples were ctDNA+ among patients without recent second-line therapy, including all patients who progressed. All ctDNA+ detections aligned with imaging results that indicated the presence of tumor. Likewise, all plasma timepoints corresponding to complete responses (CR) assessed via RECIST were ctDNA-. Early increase in ctDNA from baseline to treatment cycle 3 significantly predicted PFS (log-rank 0.003; Wald p=0.01, HR=8.35, 95% CI 1.62-43.15). Survival was predicted by both imaging CR (log-rank p=0.018) and ctDNA clearance (log-rank p=0.003). Molecular progression, defined as a 20% increase in ctDNA, significantly predicted OS (log-rank p=0.023), whereas imaging PD status did not predict OS (log-rank p=0.09). We achieved detection of ctDNA with an LOD down to 1.3 PPM in this cohort, with nearly a third of detections occurring below 100 PPM, suggesting the importance of an ultra-sensitive ctDNA approach even in late stage patients. Our findings suggest that ctDNA changes arepredictive of ICI response in late stage melanoma. These results highlight the potential for patient-specific ctDNA monitoring to inform patient management and for clincal trial design. Citation Format: Christoffer Gebhardt, Laura Keller, Isabel Heidrich, Julian Koett, Glenn Geidel, Daniel J. Smit, Ronald Simon, Stefan W. Schneider, Jason Pugh, Charles W. Abbott, Sean Boyle, Richard O. Chen, Klaus Pantel. Ultra-sensitive ctDNA detection predicts response to immune checkpoint inhibition in advanced melanoma patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 6558.

Abstract 2415: Resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in metastatic melanoma is revealed by deep circulating tumor DNA tracking in concert with tumor immune profiling

Abstract Monitoring clinically actionable and emerging mutations in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may be crucial for guiding treatment, but adoption has been slow due to the narrow scope and reproducibility of current approaches. Here, we investigate melanoma patients receiving ICI over several years, beginning with extensive tumor mutational and immune profiling followed by deep, whole-exome ctDNA monitoring.Here, 66 plasma samples from 23 advanced stage melanoma patients that were collected throughout ICI treatment (up to 40 months) were profiled using the NeXT Liquid Biopsy® platform (NeXT LB). NeXT LB monitors exome-wide ctDNA by leveraging a patient’s tumor, PBMCs and plasma samples, detecting both tumor-derived and emerging mutations. In addition to ctDNA tracking, we also used the ImmunoID NeXT Platform® to immunologically profile tumor tissue; including gene expression quantification, HLA profiling (typing, mutation, and loss of heterozygosity), T-cell receptor and tumor microenvironment profiling, and neoantigen prediction. ctDNA dynamics and tumor immunity were correlated with clinical outcome. Patients who progressed had lower tumor mutational burden (TMB, Mann-Whitney (MW); p=0.03), and lower neoantigen burden (MW; p=0.04). Responding tumors were enriched for interferon gamma and inflammatory signaling (Wald; adjusted p&amp;lt;0.01) and myeloid dendritic cells (MW; p=0.01), as measured by baseline RNA expression profiling. With an average coverage of 2260X SD +/-157, plasma samples yielded from 4 to 4081 variants. The number of on-treatment tumor variants detected in plasma predicted increased OS hazard (HR=2.95, Wald p=0.03; Kaplan-Meier (KM) p=0.0003) and progression hazard (HR=1.74, Wald p=0.04; KM p=0.0003). Overall, 10% (4277) of all variants were novel mutations observed only in the plasma. Novel variants were less likely to emerge in genes conferring sensitivity to ICI therapy (mixed-model; p&amp;lt;0.001). Dynamic shifts in allelic fraction between baseline and the first available on-treatment timepoint predicted increased OS hazard (HR=3.02, Wald p=0.05) and progression hazard (HR=2.90, Wald p=0.02). In ctDNA clonal phylogenies, 100% of BRAF and NRAS mutations belonged to the dominant clone. By combining immune and ctDNA features, a multivariable model predicted resistance to ICI treatment (log-likelihood p=0.002; c-index=0.89). Using a single liquid biopsy platform, we profiled tumor immunity and tracked existing and emerging ctDNA variants over the course of ICI treatment. We demonstrate that, even though counts of on-treatment ctDNA variants were sufficient for significant survival models, deep profiling of both tumor immunity and ctDNA dynamics provided deeper understanding of ICI resistance. Subsequent studies will determine if ctDNA-guided intervention can improve clinical outcomes. Citation Format: Charles W. Abbott, Laura Keller, Isabel Heidrich, Julian Kött, Glenn Geidel, Daniel J. Smit, Ronald Simon, Stefan Schneider, Jason Pugh, Sean M. Boyle, Richard O. Chen, Klaus Pantel, Christoffer Gebhardt. Resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in metastatic melanoma is revealed by deep circulating tumor DNA tracking in concert with tumor immune profiling [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 2415.