Adjuvant nivolumab versus ipilimumab (CheckMate 238 trial): Reassessment of 4-year efficacy outcomes in patients with stage III melanoma per AJCC-8 staging criteria

Efficacy of adjuvant therapy in patients with stage IIIA cutaneous melanoma

BACKGROUND

Patients with resected American Joint Committee on Cancer eighth edition (AJCC v8) stage IIIA melanoma have been underrepresented in clinical trials of adjuvant drug therapy. The benefit of adjuvant targeted therapy and immunotherapy in this population is unclear.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this multicentre, retrospective study, patients with stage IIIA melanoma (AJCC v8) who received adjuvant pembrolizumab or nivolumab [anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1)], BRAF/MEK-targeted therapy dabrafenib + trametinib (TT) or no adjuvant treatment [observation (OBS)] were included. Recurrence-free survival (RFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and toxicity rates were examined.

RESULTS

A total of 628 patients from 34 centres across Australia, Europe and the United States were identified-256 in anti-PD-1, 80 in TT and 292 in OBS. The median follow-up was 2.6 years (interquartile range 1.6-3.4 years). The presence of some key poor prognostic variables was significantly higher in anti-PD-1 compared with OBS. The 2-year RFS was 79.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 74.1% to 84.8%] for anti-PD-1, 98.6% (95% CI 96.0% to 100%) for TT and 84.3% (95% CI 79.9% to 89.0%) for OBS. The 2-year DMFS was 88.4% (95% CI 84.3% to 92.8%) in anti-PD-1, 100% in TT and 91.1% (95% CI 87.7% to 94.7%) in OBS. Higher Breslow thickness and higher mitotic rate were associated with higher risk of recurrence in anti-PD-1 and OBS (P < 0.05). Rates of ≥grade 3 toxicities were 10.9% with anti-PD-1 and 17.5% with TT; discontinuation due to toxicity occurred in 13.3% and 21.2%, respectively. Rates of unresolved toxicity at last follow-up were 26.9% in the anti-PD-1 group and 12.5% in the TT group.

CONCLUSIONS

Stage IIIA melanoma has a modest risk of recurrence. Adjuvant anti-PD-1 did not significantly improve RFS or DMFS compared with OBS alone. Adjuvant TT appears promising over anti-PD-1 or OBS. Outcomes after adjuvant therapy in this population needs further study in larger datasets with longer follow-up or prospective randomised trials.

Real-Life Cohort of Patients With Resected High-Risk Melanoma Treated by Adjuvant Anti-PD1 Therapy

BACKGROUND

Programmed cell death protein-1 (PD1) antibodies are currently the standard treatment for resected high-risk melanoma, yet recurrence rate remains high.

OBJECTIVES

This real-life observational study aimed to describe the outcomes of patients with resected high-risk melanoma following adjuvant anti-PD1 immunotherapy and identify factors associated with recurrence risk.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 235 patients with resected stage III/IV melanoma treated with adjuvant nivolumab or pembrolizumab were included. Imaging scans and cerebral imaging were performed every 12 weeks to detect recurrences. Adverse events were collected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictive factors of recurrence. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were estimated.

RESULTS

Among the 235 patients, 103 experienced at least one recurrence (43%); first recurrences were predominantly locoregional (47%). The predictive factor for recurrence identified by multivariate analysis was ulceration (RR 2,03, 95% CI [1,20; 2,86]). RFS was estimated at 75% [70-81] at 12 months and at 64% [58-71] at 24 months. RFS at 12 months was significantly lower in patients with ulcerations (RFS at 83%) compared to those without ulceration (RFS at 66%), p < 0.01. Overall survival (OS) was estimated at 91% [87%-94%] at 12 months and 84% [79%-89%] at 24 months. The OS after a first recurrence was estimated at 69% [60%-80%] at 12 months and decreased to 43% [32%-57%] at 24 months. After a first locoregional recurrence, surgery with a year of adjuvant immunotherapy (40%) was the favoured therapeutic approach. For distant recurrences, clinical trial enrolment was preferred (21%). Double curative immunotherapy was the preferred strategy for cerebral recurrences (30%).

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort, nearly half of the patients underwent recurrences and RFS at 24 months was 64%. The RFS and OS data were comparable o those reported in the pivotal study Ulceration was the only significant predictive factor for recurrence, associated with decreased RFS at 24 months.

Predictors of survival in immunotherapy-based treatments in advanced melanoma: a meta-analysis

The introduction of immunotherapy-based strategies has significantly improved the prognosis for melanoma patients. Nevertheless, some patients still have dismal outcomes, emphasizing the significance of survival predictive indicators in immunotherapy-based approaches. We systematically searched randomized controlled clinical trials investigating dual immunotherapy or chemoimmunotherapy versus placebo or mono-immunotherapy or chemotherapy alone in advanced melanoma patients. R version 4.3.0. was employed to perform all analyses. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on a total of 13,809 patients with advanced melanoma from 19 randomized clinical trials. Immunotherapy-based strategies (alone or in combination) could significantly lengthen the overall survival(OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) compared with corresponding controls. Mono-immunotherapy improved RFS and OS in PD-L1 positive patients, in stage AJCC IIIC, and with 4 or more positive lymph nodes, compared with chemotherapy. Combined immunotherapy statistically improved RFS and OS in those aged < 65, with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) status of 0, and LDH ≤ ULN at baseline compared with single treatment alone. Our findings indicated that certain clinicopathological and molecular features could assist in choosing appropriate melanoma patients for immune-based treatments.

Influence of adjuvant therapies on organ-specific recurrence of cutaneous melanoma: A multicenter study on 1383 patients of the prospective DeCOG registry ADOReg

This study investigated whether adjuvant treatments in stage III cutaneous melanoma (CM) influenced patterns of recurrence. Patients with primary (n = 1033) or relapsed CM (n = 350) who received adjuvant therapies with Nivolumab (N), Pembrolizumab (P), or Dabrafenib and Trametinib (D + T) were extracted from the prospective multicenter real-world skin cancer registry ADOReg. Endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), organ-specific DMFS, and overall survival (OS). For primary cases, D + T indicated an improved PFS (1- and 2-year PFS: 90.9%; 82.7%) as compared to P (81.0%, 73.9%; p = .0208), or N (83.8%, 75.2%; p = .0539). BRAF-mutated(mut) CM demonstrated significantly lower PFS (p = .0022) and decreased DMFS (p = .0580) when treated with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) instead of D + T. Besides, NRAS-mut CM tended to perform worse than wt CM upon ICI (PFS: p = .1349; DMFS: p = .0540). OS was similar between the groups. Relapsed cases showed decreased PFS, DMFS, and OS in comparison to primary (all: p < .001), without significant differences between the subgroups. Organ-specific DMFS was significantly altered for primary cases with bone (p = .0367) or brain metastases (p = .0202). In relapsed CM, the frequency of liver (D + T: 1.5%; P: 12%; N: 9%) and LN metastases (D + T: 1.5%; P: 12%; N: 10.2%) was significantly lower with adjuvant D + T than ICI. NRAS-mut CM showed increased recurrence in primary and relapsed cases. These data show that adjuvant D + T is superior to ICI in primary BRAF-mut CM.

Neoadjuvant in Situ and Systemic Immunotherapy with Lymph Node Cryoablation in Resectable Stage III Melanoma Metastasis: a Proof-of-Concept Study

PURPOSE

Complete lymph node dissection is the recommended treatment for clinically detectable lymph nodes in stage III melanoma. This surgery is associated with substantial morbidity. We hypothesize that combining percutaneous imaging-guided cryoablation of locoregional lymph nodes metastases with neoadjuvant in situ and systemic immunotherapy could allow disease control and evaluate the feasibility of this combination in this proof-of-concept study.

METHODS

We enrolled 15 patients with stage IIIB/IIIC melanoma. Patients were treated as follows: a single 240 mg flat dose infusion of nivolumab on day 1, cryoablation under local anesthesia using CT on day 2, and a single intralesional injection of 10-20 mg of ipilimumab into the lymphadenopathy treated by cryotherapy on day 3. Five-eight weeks after this procedure, complete lymph node dissection was performed according to routine care. The primary outcome measure of this study was feasibility, measured as the number of failures (i.e., inability to complete the entire procedure).

RESULTS

The procedure was carried out successfully in 15 out of 15 patients with an observed number of failures of 0. The Bayesian analysis showed an estimated failure rate of 4.2% [0.2-20.6]. Eight patients (53%) had adverse events secondary to either immunotherapy or cryotherapy. Grade 3/4 events occurred in three patients, but all resolved quickly and patients could proceed to surgery as scheduled. Eight patients (53%) had a pathological complete or near complete response.

CONCLUSION

Combining percutaneous cryotherapy with in situ ipilimumab and systemic nivolumab for stage III resectable melanoma is feasible with tolerable toxicity.

The Next Chapter in Immunotherapy and Radiation Combination Therapy: Cancer-Specific Perspectives

Immunotherapeutic agents have revolutionized cancer treatment over the past decade. However, most patients fail to respond to immunotherapy alone. A growing body of preclinical studies highlights the potential for synergy between radiation therapy and immunotherapy, but the outcomes of clinical studies have been mixed. This review summarizes the current state of immunotherapy and radiation combination therapy across cancers, highlighting existing challenges and promising areas for future investigation.

Impaired activation of plasmacytoid dendritic cells via toll-like receptor 7/9 and STING is mediated by melanoma-derived immunosuppressive cytokines and metabolic drift

Introduction

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) infiltrate a large set of human cancers. Interferon alpha (IFN-α) produced by pDCs induces growth arrest and apoptosis in tumor cells and modulates innate and adaptive immune cells involved in anti-cancer immunity. Moreover, effector molecules exert tumor cell killing. However, the activation state and clinical relevance of pDCs infiltration in cancer is still largely controversial. In Primary Cutaneous Melanoma (PCM), pDCs density decreases over disease progression and collapses in metastatic melanoma (MM). Moreover, the residual circulating pDC compartment is defective in IFN-α production.

Methods

The activation of tumor-associated pDCs was evaluated by in silico and microscopic analysis. The expression of human myxovirus resistant protein 1 (MxA), as surrogate of IFN-α production, and proximity ligation assay (PLA) to test dsDNA-cGAS activation were performed on human melanoma biopsies. Moreover, IFN-α and CXCL10 production by in vitro stimulated (i.e. with R848, CpG-A, ADU-S100) pDCs exposed to melanoma cell lines supernatants (SN-mel) was tested by intracellular flow cytometry and ELISA. We also performed a bulk RNA-sequencing on SN-mel-exposed pDCs, resting or stimulated with R848. Glycolytic rate assay was performed on SN-mel-exposed pDCs using the Seahorse XFe24 Extracellular Flux Analyzer.

Results

Based on a set of microscopic, functional and in silico analyses, we demonstrated that the melanoma milieu directly impairs IFN-α and CXCL10 production by pDCs via TLR-7/9 and cGAS-STING signaling pathways. Melanoma-derived immunosuppressive cytokines and a metabolic drift represent relevant mechanisms enforcing pDC-mediated melanoma escape.

Discussion

These findings propose a new window of intervention for novel immunotherapy approaches to amplify the antitumor innate immune response in cutaneous melanoma (CM).

Efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies in resected melanoma: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Background: Multiple immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and targeted therapies have been widely used as adjuvant treatments for high-risk resected melanoma, with unclear comparative efficacy and safety. Methods: PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched from database inception until 6 June 2023. We included RCTs that assess adjuvant ICIs or targeted therapies in high-risk resected melanoma. Frequentist random-effect network meta-analyses (NMA) were performed. The primary outcome was recurrence-free survival (RFS). Results: Eleven trials including 10,712 patients and comparing 10 treatments (nivolumab [Nivo], ipilimumab 3 mg/kg [Ipi3], Ipi10, pembrolizumab [Pemb], vemurafenib [Vemu], bevacizumab [Beva], Nivo + Ipi1, Nivo + Ipi3, dabrafenib plus trametinib [Dab + Tram], and placebo/observation [Pla/Obs]) were included. NMA showed that all treatments showed RFS benefit over placebo/observation except Ipi3 (hazard ratio [HR], 0.78; 95% CI, 0.58-1.05). Combination therapy of Nivo + Ipi3 was the most effective treatment, which significantly improved RFS compared with other treatments. NMA also showed that all treatments were associated with an increased risk of grade 3-5 adverse events over placebo/observation except Nivo (HR, 1.25; 95% CI, 0.87-1.80). NMA suggested that Nivo and Pemb were the two safest treatments except for placebo/observation. Although three combination therapies ranked as the top three in terms of RFS, they did not show significant overall survival benefits compared to monotherapies including Pemb, Nivo, Ipi3, and Ipi10. Conclusion: In this NMA, adjuvant Nivo and Pemb are the preferred options in patients with resected melanoma considering the benefits and harms. Combination therapy of Nivo + Ipi3 may be a promising strategy, but more evidence from phase 3 trials is needed. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=438667, PROSPERO (CRD42023438667).

Survival impact of immediate complete lymph node dissection for Chinese acral and cutaneous melanoma with micrometastasis in sentinel nodes: a retrospective study

Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) has become a critical part of standard surgical treatment for melanoma with no clinical metastatic evidence. However, for patients with a positive sentinel node, the MSLT-II and DeCOG-SLT trials have shown that immediate complete lymph node dissection (CLND) does not bring further survival benefits. There is still an argument among the Chinese population dominated by acral subtypes on whether CLND can be omitted. Thus, this study aims to investigate the impact of immediate CLND on relapse-free survival (RFS) in Chinese melanoma patients with a positive sentinel node. Patients with acral or cutaneous melanoma of clinical Stages I-II who received SNB procedure and were detected with nodal micrometastasis were retrospectively collected at Fudan University Cancer Center (FUSCC) from January 2017 to December 2021. The clinicopathologic features and prognostic factors for RFS were analyzed. Out of 381 patients who received SNB in the past 5 years, 130 (34%) cases with SN micrometastasis detected were included in this study. Ninety-nine patients underwent immediate CLND while the other 31 patients received observation alone. Among patients who received CLND, the non-SN(NSN)-positive rate was 22.2%. Most of the clinicopathologic factors were balanced well between the CLND and non-CLND groups. However, more patients in the CLND group were detected with BRAF and NRAS mutation (P = 0.006) and received adjuvant PD-1 monotherapy (P = 0.042) as well. There were slightly fewer N1 patients in the CLND group, although the difference did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.075). The study found no significant difference in RFS between the two groups (P = 0.184). Even for patients with the acral subtype (P = 0.925), primary T4 lesion (P = 0.769), or presence of ulceration (P = 0.249), immediate CLND did not bring more survival benefits. Immediate CLND did not bring further RFS benefit for Chinese melanoma patients with SN micrometastasis in real-world clinical practice, even for patients with acral subtype or more tumor burden such as thick Breslow invasion and ulceration.

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

PURPOSE

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.

METHODS

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 5 years they would require to tolerate defined side-effects.

RESULTS

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 5 years 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%).

CONCLUSION

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.

Real-World Effectiveness, Safety, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients Receiving Adjuvant Nivolumab for Melanoma in Belgium and Luxembourg: Results of PRESERV MEL

BACKGROUND

Nivolumab, an anti-programmed cell death 1 immuno-oncology therapy, is approved as an adjuvant treatment for patients with completely resected stage III or stage IV melanoma. PRESERV MEL (Prospective and REtrospective Study of nivolumab thERapy in adjuVant MELanoma) is a real-world observational study evaluating the effectiveness and safety of adjuvant nivolumab in patients with completely resected stage III or stage IV melanoma in clinical practice in Belgium and Luxembourg.

METHODS

Patients were enrolled prospectively and retrospectively during a 2-year period (January 2019-January 2021), and will be followed for 5 years. The results reported here are for the second interim analysis (cutoff date 31 December 2021). The index date was the date of first administration of adjuvant nivolumab. Patients received nivolumab for up to 12 months per label. Outcomes included relapse-free survival (RFS), adverse events (AEs)/treatment-related AEs (TRAEs), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL; assessed in prospectively enrolled patients using the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30), Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Melanoma (FACT-M), and EQ-5D-3L instruments). HRQoL was evaluated at group level (mean change in scores from baseline based on minimally important differences) and individual patient level (percentage of patients with clinically important scores based on threshold of clinical importance). Outcomes were analyzed descriptively.

RESULTS

The study enrolled 152 patients (125 prospective, 27 retrospective) at 15 hospitals in Belgium and Luxembourg. Minimum potential follow-up at time of analysis was 11.4 months. Median age was 60 years (range 29-85), and 53% of patients were male. At 12 and 18 months, the RFS rates were 74.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 66.9-80.9) and 68.4% (95% CI: 60.0-75.5), respectively. Median RFS was not reached. Grade 3 or 4 TRAEs were reported in 14% of patients. AEs led to treatment discontinuation in 23% of patients. Deaths occurred in 3% of patients and were not related to treatment. Questionnaire completion rates for HRQoL were high at baseline (90-94%) and at 24 months (78-81%). In the group-level analysis for HRQoL, mean changes in scores from baseline remained stable and did not exceed prespecified thresholds for minimally important differences during and after treatment, except for a clinically meaningful improvement in FACT-M surgery subscale scores. In the individual patient-level analysis for EORTC QLQ-C30 subscales, the percentages of patients who reported clinically relevant scores for fatigue and cognitive impairment increased during treatment (at 9 months) compared with baseline. After treatment cessation (at 18 months), the percentage of patients who reported clinically relevant scores for fatigue decreased. However, the percentages of patients who reported clinically relevant scores for emotional, cognitive, and social impairment increased at 18 months compared with during treatment. Most patients with emotional impairment at 9 and 18 months did not experience disease recurrence (91% and 89%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

These results confirm the real-world effectiveness and safety of nivolumab as an adjuvant treatment for patients with completely resected stage III or stage IV melanoma. Cancer-specific, disease-specific, and generic HRQoL were maintained during and after treatment. The percentage of patients reporting emotional and cognitive impairment increased after treatment cessation, emphasizing the need for further investigation and tailored supportive care in these patients.

Prediction of survival and immunotherapy response by the combined classifier of G protein-coupled receptors and tumor microenvironment in melanoma

BACKGROUND

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin tumor, and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play crucial roles in its carcinogenesis. Furthermore, the tumor microenvironment (TME) affects the overall survival (OS) and the response to immunotherapy. The combination of GPCRs and TME from a multi-omics perspective may help to predict the survival of the melanoma patients and their response to immunotherapy.

METHODS

Bulk-seq, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), gene mutations, immunotherapy responses, and clinicopathologic feature data were downloaded from public databases, and prognostic GPCRs and immune cells were screened using multiple machine learning algorithms. The expression levels of GPCRs were detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in A375 and HaCaT cell lines. The GPCR-TME classifier was constructed and verified using different cohorts and multi-omics. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and tracking tumor immunophenotype (TIP) were used to identify the key biological pathways among the GPCR-TME subgroups. Then, tumor mutational burden (TMB), vital mutant genes, antigen presentation genes, and immune checkpoints were compared among the subgroups. Finally, the differences in immunotherapy response rates among the GPCR-TME subgroups were investigated.

RESULTS

A total of 12 GPCRs and five immune cell types were screened to establish the GPCR-TME classifier. No significant differences in the expression levels of the 12 GPCRs were found in the two cell lines. Patients with high GPCR score or low TME score had a poor OS; thus, the GPCRlow/TMEhigh subgroup had the most favorable OS. The scRNA-seq result revealed that immune cells had a higher GPCR score than tumor and stromal cells. The GPCR-TME classifier acted as an independent prognostic factor for melanoma. GSEA, WGCNA, and TIP demonstrated that the GPCRlow/TMEhigh subgroup was related to the activation and recruitment of anti-tumor immune cells and the positive regulation of the immune response. From a genomic perspective, the GPCRlow/TMEhigh subgroup had higher TMB, and different mutant genes. Ultimately, higher expression levels of antigen presentation genes and immune checkpoints were observed in the GPCRlow/TMEhigh subgroup, and the melanoma immunotherapy cohorts confirmed that the response rate was highest in the GPCRlow/TMEhigh cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

We have developed a GPCR-TME classifier that could predict the OS and immunotherapy response of patients with melanoma highly effectively based on multi-omics analysis.

Adjuvant treatment and outcome of stage III melanoma patients: Results of a multicenter real-world German Dermatologic Cooperative Oncology Group (DeCOG) study

PURPOSE

Clinical trials demonstrated significantly improved recurrence-free survival (RFS) of melanoma patients receiving adjuvant treatment. As data from controlled trials are based on selected populations, we investigated adjuvantly treated stage III melanoma patients under real-world conditions.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a prior multicenter cohort study, stage III-IV melanoma patients were analysed for their choice of adjuvant therapy. In this follow-up study, we examined RFS, overall and melanoma-specific survival (MSS) and response to the subsequent treatment of 589 stage III patients (232 BRAF-mutated) receiving adjuvant PD-1 inhibitors (PD1; n = 479) or targeted therapy (TT; n = 110).

RESULTS

The median follow-up of the total cohort was 25.7 months. The main reason for premature discontinuation of adjuvant therapy was disease progression in PD1- (28.8%, n = 138/479) and adverse events in TT-treated patients (28.2%, n = 31/110). Among BRAF-mutated patients, RFS at 24 months was 49% (95% CI 40.6-59.0%) for PD1- and 67% (95% CI 58-77%) for TT-treated patients. The risk of recurrence was higher for BRAF-mutated PD1 than TT (hazard ratio 1.99; 95% CI 1.34-2.96; hazard ratio adjusted for age, sex and tumour stage, 2.21; 95% CI 1.48-3.30). Twenty-four months MSS was 87% (95% CI 81.0-94.1) for PD1 and 92% (95% CI 86.6-97.0) for TT. Response to subsequent systemic treatment for unresectable disease was 22% for all PD1- and 16% for TT-treated patients.

CONCLUSIONS

PD1-treated patients had more and earlier recurrences than TT patients. In BRAF-mutated patients, adjuvant TT might prevent early recurrences more effectively than PD1 treatment. Management of recurrence despite adjuvant treatment is challenging, with low response to current therapeutic options.

Italian nivolumab Expanded Access Programme in melanoma adjuvant setting: patient outcomes and safety profile

INTRODUCTION

The CheckMate 238 randomised study demonstrated the relevant benefit in terms of recurrence-free survival (RFS) of nivolumab versus ipilimumab in resected stage IIIB-C or IV melanoma patients with a tolerable safety profile.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From November 2018 to June 2019, 611 patients with stage III and IV resected melanoma were enroled to receive nivolumab as part of an Italian Expanded Access Programme (EAP). According to stages, 77% were stage III while 141 (23%) were stage IV with no evidence of disease (NED). Among stage III, 121 patients had IIIA (19.8%).

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 23 months, the RFS in the Intention-to-Treat (ITT) population was 76.6% at 1 year and 59.6% at 2 years; 1- and 2-year distant metastasis-free survival were 83.7% and 71.2%, respectively. The overall survival rate in the ITT population was 93.8% at 1 year and 85.5% at 2 years. No significant differences in RFS were observed according to BRAF status. Treatment-related adverse events of grades 3-4 occurred in 11.5% of patients.

CONCLUSION

This paper reports the results of the Italian Nivolumab EAP in the adjuvant setting of stage III and IV NED melanoma patients. Our results confirm in a real-life setting the clinical activity and safety of nivolumab reported in the CheckMate238 registrative/pivotal. The enroled cohort of 611 patients highlights the relevant clinical need in this setting, also confirmed by the very short accrual time, representing one of the largest series reported as adjuvant EAP with the longest follow-up.

Adjuvant Nivolumab versus Ipilimumab in Resected Stage III/IV Melanoma: 5-Year Efficacy and Biomarker Results from CheckMate 238

PURPOSE

In the phase III CheckMate 238 study, adjuvant nivolumab significantly improved recurrence-free survival (RFS) and distant metastasis-free survival versus ipilimumab in patients with resected stage IIIB-C or stage IV melanoma, with benefit sustained at 4 years. We report updated 5-year efficacy and biomarker findings.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with resected stage IIIB-C/IV melanoma were stratified by stage and baseline programmed death cell ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and received nivolumab 3 mg/kg every 2 weeks or ipilimumab 10 mg/kg every 3 weeks for four doses and then every 12 weeks, both intravenously for 1 year until disease recurrence, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint was RFS.

RESULTS

At a minimum follow-up of 62 months, RFS with nivolumab remained superior to ipilimumab (HR = 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.60-0.86; 5-year rates of 50% vs. 39%). Five-year distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) rates were 58% with nivolumab versus 51% with ipilimumab. Five-year overall survival (OS) rates were 76% with nivolumab and 72% with ipilimumab (75% data maturity: 228 of 302 planned events). Higher levels of tumor mutational burden (TMB), tumor PD-L1, intratumoral CD8+ T cells and IFNγ-associated gene expression signature, and lower levels of peripheral serum C-reactive protein were associated with improved RFS and OS with both nivolumab and ipilimumab, albeit with limited clinically meaningful predictive value.

CONCLUSIONS

Nivolumab is a proven adjuvant treatment for resected melanoma at high risk of recurrence, with sustained, long-term improvement in RFS and DMFS compared with ipilimumab and high OS rates. Identification of additional biomarkers is needed to better predict treatment outcome. See related commentary by Augustin and Luke, p. 3253.

Melanoma Brain Metastases: A Systematic Review of Opportunities for Earlier Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Introduction: Melanoma continues to represent the most serious skin cancer worldwide. However, few attempts have been made to connect the body of research on advanced melanoma. In the present review, we report on strides made in the diagnosis and treatment of intracranial metastatic melanoma. Methods: Relevant Cochrane reviews and randomized-controlled trials published by November 2022 were systematically retrieved from the Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and PubMed databases (N = 27). Search and screening methods adhered to the 2020 revision of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Results: Although the research surrounding the earlier detection of melanoma brain metastasis is scarce, several studies have highlighted specific markers associated with MBM. Such factors include elevated BRAFV600 mutant ctDNA, high LDH concentration, and high IGF-1R. The approach to treating MBM is moving away from surgery and toward nonsurgical management, namely, a combination of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and immunotherapeutic agents. There is an abundance of emerging research seeking to identify and improve both novel and established treatment options and diagnostic approaches for MBM, however, more research is still needed to maximize the clinical efficacy, especially for new immunotherapeutics. Conclusions: Early detection is optimal for the efficacy of treatment and MBM prognosis. Current treatment utilizes chemotherapies and targeted therapies. Emerging approaches emphasize biomarkers and joint treatments. Further exploration toward preliminary identification, the timing of therapies, and methods to ameliorate adverse treatment effects are needed to advance MBM patient care.

Dichotomous Nitric Oxide–Dependent Post-Translational Modifications of STAT1 Are Associated with Ipilimumab Benefits in Melanoma

Although Ipilimumab (anti-CTLA-4) is FDA-approved for stage III/IV melanoma adjuvant treatment, it is not used clinically in first-line therapy, given the superior relapse-free survival (RFS)/toxicity benefits of anti-PD-1 therapy. However, it is important to understand anti-CTLA-4’s mechanistic contribution to combination anti-PD-1/CTLA-4 therapy and investigate anti-CTLA-4 therapy for BRAF-wild type melanoma cases reresected after previous adjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy. Our group published that nitric oxide (NO) increased within the immune effector cells among patients with longer RFS after adjuvant ipilimumab, whereas NO increased within the immune suppressor cells among patients with shorter RFS. Herein, we measured the post-translational modifications of STAT1 (nitration-nSTAT1 and phosphorylation-pSTAT1) that are important for regulating its activity via flow cytometry and mass spectrometry approaches. PBMCs were analyzed from 35 patients undergoing adjuvant ipilimumab treatment. Shorter RFS was associated with higher pSTAT1 levels before (p = 0.007) and after (p = 0.036) ipilimumab. Ipilimumab-treated patients with high nSTAT1 levels before and after therapy in PBMCs experienced decreased RFS, but the change in nSTAT1 levels before and after ipilimumab therapy was associated with longer RFS (p = 0.01). The measurement of post-translational modifications in STAT1 may distinguish patients with prolonged RFS from ipilimumab and provide mechanistic insight into responses to ipilimumab combination regimens.

Immunotherapy for older patients with cancer

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW

The aim of this review is to describe the clinical use and tolerability of immune checkpoint inhibitors in older adults with solid tumors, where there is an abundance of evidence with recent updates including subgroups of older patients.

RECENT FINDINGS

Studies with updated analyses and subgroups of older patients show that in general older patients benefit as well as younger patients and tolerate immunotherapy very well. However, in some instances of combination therapies which may expose patients to more toxicity, the benefits are reduced, and careful selection of older patients, including adjunctive assessments such as geriatric assessment, can help to identify the appropriate treatment for an individual patient.

SUMMARY

Older adults remain underrepresented in clinical trials, including those involving immunotherapy. Therefore, efforts must be made to include more older patients in trials and to assess real-world evidence to inform decision-making.

Adjuvant Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy versus Conventional Therapy for Stage III Melanoma: A Real-World Retrospective Cohort Study

The use of adjuvant therapy has provided survival benefits in patients with advanced melanoma. This study aimed to explore the recurrence and prognosis of the PD-1 inhibitor, conventional interferon (IFN), or observation (OBS) on resected stage III acral and cutaneous melanoma patients through a retrospective analysis. Patients with resected stage III melanoma at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from 2017 to 2021 were enrolled with all of their clinicopathologic characteristics collected. They were divided into three groups: PD-1 inhibitor, IFN, and OBS. Survival analyses were performed to indicate the significance of different adjuvant therapies. A total of 199 patients were enrolled (PD-1 n = 126; IFN n = 31; and OBS n = 42), with their median follow-up times being 21 months, 24 months, and 49 months, respectively. The PD-1 inhibitor significantly improved relapse-free survival (p = 0.027) and overall survival (p = 0.033) compared with conventional treatment (IFN+OBS). The superiority of the PD-1 inhibitor was witnessed in stage IIIC/D (p = 0.000) acral (p = 0.05) melanoma patients with ulceration (p = 0.011) or lymph node macrometastasis (p = 0.010). The PD-1 inhibitor significantly reduced local recurrence and systemic metastasis compared with conventional therapy (p = 0.002). In conclusion, adjuvant anti-PD-1 immunotherapy can achieve better survival outcomes in acral and cutaneous melanoma patients compared with conventional treatment, without considering adverse events. More clinical benefits were seen in later-stage acral melanoma patients with ulceration or lymph node macrometastasis.