The efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade for melanoma in-transit with or without nodal metastases - A multicenter cohort study.

Guidelines addressing melanoma in-transit metastasis (ITM) recommend immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) as a first-line treatment option, despite the fact that there are no efficacy data available from prospective trials for exclusively ITM disease. The study aims to analyze the outcome of patients with ITM treated with ICI based on data from a large cohort of patients treated at international referral clinics. A multicenter retrospective cohort study of patients treated between January 2015 and December 2020 from Australia, Europe, and the USA, evaluating treatment with ICI for ITM with or without nodal involvement (AJCC8 N1c, N2c, and N3c) and without distant disease (M0). Treatment was with PD-1 inhibitor (nivolumab or pembrolizumab) and/or CTLA-4 inhibitor (ipilimumab). The response was evaluated according to the RECIST criteria modified for cutaneous lesions. A total of 287 patients from 21 institutions in eight countries were included. Immunotherapy was first-line treatment in 64 (22%) patients. PD-1 or CTLA-4 inhibitor monotherapy was given in 233 (81%) and 23 (8%) patients, respectively, while 31 (11%) received both in combination. The overall response rate was 56%, complete response (CR) rate was 36%, and progressive disease (PD) rate was 32%. Median PFS was ten months (95% CI 7.4-12.6 months) with a one-, two-, and five-year PFS rate of 48%, 33%, and 18%, respectively. Median MSS was not reached, and the one-, two-, and five-year MSS rates were 95%, 83%, and 71%, respectively. Systemic immunotherapy is an effective treatment for melanoma ITM. Future studies should evaluate the role of systemic immunotherapy in the context of multimodality therapy, including locoregional treatments such as surgery, intralesional therapy, and regional therapies.

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Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Conflict of interest statement The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: R Olofsson Bagge: Advisory boards for Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dhome, Novartis, Roche, and Sanofi Genzyme. Speaker honorarium from Roche and Pfizer. Institutional research grant from Astra Zeneca and SkylineDx. L Ny: Consultant/advisory role for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dhome, Novartis, Pierre Fabre, Sanofi Genzyme and Zealth. Speaker honorarium from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Leo Pharma, Merck Sharp & Dhome, Novartis, and Pfizer. Institutional research support from Merck Sharp & Dhome and Syndax Pharmaceuticals. T Hieken: Institutional research funding from Genentech and SkylineDx. M Block: Advisory Boards TILT Biotherapeutics, Viewpoint Molecular Targeting and Sorrento Therapeutics. Grant/Research support from: Genentech, Marker Therapeutics, Immune Design, Pharmacyclics, Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Transgene, Viewpoint Molecular Targeting and Sorrento Therapeutics. F Dimitriou: Honoraria and travel support from Merck Sharp & Dohme and Sun Pharma. AM Menzies: Advisory boards for Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dhome, Novartis, Roche, Pierre-Fabre and Qbiotics. RPM Saw: Honoraria for advisory board participation from Merck Sharp & Dhome, Novartis and Qbiotics, and speaking honoraria from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Novartis. A Rogiers: Speaker fee from Merck Sharpe and Dohme. G Karakousis: Investigator intitated research trial institutional support from Merck. L Pallan: Speakers fees and travel support from Bristol-Myers Squibb. Conference attendance support from Eli-Lilly. JT Vetto: Speakers fee from CastleBiosciences. D Gyorki: Advisory board Amgen, Provectus and Bayer. Speaker fees Bristol-Myers Squibb and Merck Sharp & Dhome. PA Ascierto: Consultant/advisory role for Bristol Myers Squibb, Roche-Genentech, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Novartis, Merck Serono, Pierre-Fabre, AstraZeneca, Sun Pharma, Sanofi, Idera, Sandoz, Immunocore, 4SC, Italfarmaco, Nektar, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Eisai, Regeneron, Daiichi Sankyo, Pfizer, Oncosec, Nouscom, Lunaphore, Seagen and iTeos. Research funding from Bristol Myers Squibb, Roche-Genentech, Pfizer and Sanofi. R Dummer: intermittent, project focused consulting and/or advisory relationships with Novartis, Merck Sharp & Dhome, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Roche, Amgen, Takeda, Pierre Fabre, Sun Pharma, Sanofi, Catalym, Second Genome, Regeneron, Alligator, T3 Pharma, MaxiVAX SA and touchIME outside the submitted work. J Schachter: Advisory board Merck Sharp & Dhome. Speaker honoraria Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dhome, Novartis and Medison. N Asher: Advisory boards for Medison, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dhome, Novartis, Roche, and Sanofi. Speaker honoraria from Medison, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dhome, Novartis, and Sanofi. Institutional research grants from Medison and Novartis. H Helgadottir: Advisory boards for Merck Sharp & Dhome and Novartis. Speaker honorarium from Bristol-Myers Squibb. MS Carlino: Advisory board member for Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eisai, Ideaya, Merck Sharp & Dhome, Nektar, Novartis, Oncosec, Pierre-Fabre, Qbiotics, Regeneron, Roche, Merck and Sanofi, and honoraria from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dhome, and Novartis. J Weber: Consult for Merck, Genentech, Astra Zeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, Nektar, Celldex, Incyte, Biond, ImCheck, Sellas, Evaxion and EMD Serono. Advisory board member Bristol-Myers Squibb. Equity in Biond, Evaxion, Instil Bio and Neximmune. Scientific advisory boards for CytoMx, Incyte, ImCheck, Biond, Sellas, Instil Bio OncoC4 and Neximmune. Institutional research support from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, Moderna, Pfizer, Novartis and Astra Zeneca. Named on patents from Moffitt Cancer Center and Biodesix. D Ollila: Advisory boards and/or Consulting for Philogen, Merck, Novartis and Castle Biosciences. Medical Advisory Bopard - Delcath Systems. Speaker honorarium from Sun Pharma and Pfizer. Institutional research funding from Neracare, Castle Biosciences, Delcath Systems, Philogen and Provectus, GV Long: Consultant advisor for Aduro Biotech Inc, Amgen Inc, Array Biopharma inc, Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Evaxion Biotech A/S, Hexel AG, Highlight Therapeutics S.L., Merck Sharpe & Dohme, Novartis Pharma AG, OncoSec, Pierre Fabre, QBiotics Group Limited, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, SkylineDX B.V. and Specialised Therapeutics Australia Pty Ltd. J Zager: Advisory boards and/or Consulting for Philogen, Merck, Novartis and Castle Biosciences. Medical Advisory Board Delcath Systems. Speaker honorarium from Sun Pharma and Pfizer. Institutional research funding from Neracare, Castle Biosciences, Delcath Systems, Philogen and Provectus. A van Akkooi: Advisory Board and Consultancy Honoraria from Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis, Merck Sharp & Dhome, Merck, Pfizer, Pierre Fabre, Sanofi, Sirius Medical and 4SC. Research grants from Amgen, Merck and Pfizer. All unrelated to current work and paid to institute. The funding bodies had no part in the design of the study, the collection of data, in the analysis of data or in writing the manuscript.