Melanoma recurrence patterns and management after adjuvant targeted therapy: a multicentre analysis

Prachi Bhave, Lalit Pallan, Georgina V. Long, Alexander M. Menzies, Victoria Atkinson, Justine V. Cohen, Ryan J. Sullivan, Vanna Chiarion-Sileni, Marta Nyakas, Katharina Kahler, Axel Hauschild, Ruth Plummer, Claudia Trojaniello, Paolo A. Ascierto, Lisa Zimmer, Dirk Schadendorf, Clara Allayous, Celeste Lebbe, Andrea Maurichi, Mario SantinamiSeverine Roy, Caroline Robert, Thierry Lesimple, Sapna Patel, Judith M. Versluis, Christian U. Blank, Adnan Khattak, Andre Van der Westhuizen, Matteo S. Carlino, Mark Shackleton, Andrew Haydon

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    34 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Background: Adjuvant targeted therapy (TT) improves relapse free survival in patients with resected BRAF mutant stage III melanoma. The outcomes and optimal management of patients who relapse after adjuvant TT is unknown. Methods: Patients from twenty-one centres with recurrent melanoma after adjuvant TT were included. Disease characteristics, adjuvant therapy, recurrence, treatment at relapse and outcomes were examined. Results: Eighty-five patients developed recurrent melanoma; nineteen (22%) during adjuvant TT. Median time to first recurrence was 18 months and median follow-up from first recurrence was 31 months. Fifty-eight (68%) patients received immunotherapy (IT) or TT as 1st line systemic therapy at either first or subsequent recurrence and had disease that was assessable for response. Response to anti-PD-1 (±trial agent), combination ipilimumab-nivolumab, TT rechallenge and ipilimumab monotherapy was 63%, 62% 25% and 10% respectively. Twenty-eight (33%) patients had died at census, all from melanoma. Two-year OS was 84% for anti-PD-1 therapy (±trial agent), 92% for combination ipilimumab and nivolumab, 49% for TT and 45% for ipilimumab monotherapy (p = 0.028). Conclusions: Patients who relapse after adjuvant TT respond well to subsequent anti-PD-1 based therapy and have outcomes similar to those seen when first line anti-PD-1 therapy is used in stage IV melanoma.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)574-580
    Number of pages7
    JournalBritish Journal of Cancer
    Volume124
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2 Feb 2021

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