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Shannon AB, Zager JS, Perez MC. Clinical Characteristics and Special Considerations in the Management of Rare Melanoma Subtypes. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2395. [PMID: 39001457 PMCID: PMC11240680 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16132395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/26/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Rare histologic subtypes of melanoma, including acral, mucosal, uveal, and desmoplastic melanomas, only make up 5% of all diagnosed melanomas and are often underrepresented in large, randomized trials. Recent advancements in systemic therapy have shown marked improvement in pathologic response rates, improving progression-free and overall survival among cutaneous melanoma patients, but there are limited data to demonstrate improved survival among rarer subtypes of melanoma. Acral melanoma has a poor response to immunotherapy and is associated with worse survival. Mucosal melanoma has a large variability in its presentation, a poor prognosis, and a low mutational burden. Uveal melanoma is associated with a high rate of liver metastasis; recent adoption of infusion and perfusion therapies has demonstrated improved survival among these patients. Desmoplastic melanoma, a high-risk cutaneous melanoma, is associated with high locoregional recurrence rates and mutational burden, suggesting this melanoma may have enhanced response to immunotherapy. While these variants of melanoma represent distinct disease entities, this review highlights the clinicopathologic characteristics and treatment recommendations for each of these rare melanomas and highlights the utility of modern therapies for each of them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne B Shannon
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Jonathan S Zager
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Matthew C Perez
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
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Bloem M, van Not OJ, Aarts MJB, van den Berkmortel FWPJ, Blank CU, Blokx WAM, Boers-Sonderen MJ, Bonenkamp JJ, de Groot JWB, Haanen JB, Hospers GAP, Kapiteijn EW, de Meza MM, Piersma D, van Rijn RS, Stevense-den Boer MAM, van der Veldt AAM, Vreugdenhil G, van den Eertwegh AJM, Suijkerbuijk KPM, Wouters MWJM. Adjuvant treatment with anti-PD-1 in acral melanoma: A nationwide study. Int J Cancer 2024. [PMID: 38922879 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.35060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Previous studies demonstrated limited efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in unresectable acral melanoma (AM); it remains unclear how this translates to the adjuvant setting. This study investigates clinical outcomes of acral compared to cutaneous melanoma (CM) patients treated with adjuvant anti-PD-1 after complete resection. All stages III-IV AM and CM patients receiving adjuvant anti-PD-1 after complete resection between 2018 and 2022 were included from the prospective nationwide Dutch Melanoma Treatment Registry. We analyzed recurrence-free survival (RFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival (OS). A multivariable Cox regression analysis of RFS was performed to adjust for potential confounders. We included 1958 (86 AM and 1872 CM) patients. At baseline, AM patients more frequently had KIT mutations, higher disease stages, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status, and fewer BRAF and NRAS mutations. Median RFS was 14.8 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 11.5-29.3) in AM and 37.4 months (95% CI: 34.6 to not reached) in CM (p = .002). After correcting for potential confounders, AM remained associated with a higher risk of recurrence (HRadj 1.53; 95% CI: 1.07-2.17; p = .019). Two-year DMFS tended to be worse for AM than for CM: 64.5% versus 79.7% (p = .050). Two-year OS was significantly lower in AM (71.5% vs. 84.3%; p = .027). The results of this study suggest a poorer outcome of adjuvant-treated AM compared to CM. Studies assessing the added value of adjuvant treatment in AM are needed. Future research should investigate alternative treatment strategies to improve outcomes of high-risk AM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manja Bloem
- Scientific Bureau, Dutch Institute for Clinical Auditing, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Olivier J van Not
- Scientific Bureau, Dutch Institute for Clinical Auditing, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Maureen J B Aarts
- Department of Medical Oncology, GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Centre, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Christian U Blank
- Department of Medical Oncology and Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Willeke A M Blokx
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Marye J Boers-Sonderen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Johannes J Bonenkamp
- Department of Surgery, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | | | - John B Haanen
- Department of Medical Oncology and Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Geke A P Hospers
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ellen W Kapiteijn
- Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Melissa M de Meza
- Scientific Bureau, Dutch Institute for Clinical Auditing, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Djura Piersma
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Rozemarijn S van Rijn
- Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Centre Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Astrid A M van der Veldt
- Department of Medical Oncology, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gerard Vreugdenhil
- Department of Internal Medicine, Maxima Medical Centre, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Alfons J M van den Eertwegh
- Department of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Karijn P M Suijkerbuijk
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Michel W J M Wouters
- Scientific Bureau, Dutch Institute for Clinical Auditing, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Schaper-Gerhardt K, Gutzmer R, Angela Y, Zimmer L, Livingstone E, Schadendorf D, Hassel JC, Weishaupt C, Remes B, Kubat L, Spassova I, Becker JC. The RANKL inhibitor denosumab in combination with dual checkpoint inhibition is associated with increased CXCL-13 serum concentrations. Eur J Cancer 2024; 202:113984. [PMID: 38479119 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2024.113984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent evidence suggests additional immunomodulatory properties of RANKL inhibition possibly boosting the clinical efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). METHODS We conducted a prospective, multicentre clinical trial in unresectable stage IV melanoma patients with bone metastases who received denosumab in parallel with dual ICI (BONEMET) and performed comprehensive immune monitoring at baseline and 4, 12, and 24 weeks after initiation of therapy. Secondary endpoints included tolerability and efficacy. For comparison, biospecimens from melanoma patients treated with dual ICI without denosumab were analyzed accordingly and served as retrospective reference cohort. RESULTS In both the BONEMET (n = 16) and the reference cohort (n = 18) serum levels of 17 cytokines, including IFNγ were significantly increased after 4 weeks of treatment. Patients who received ICI and denosumab showed a significantly higher increase in serum CXCL-13 and a significant decrease in VEGFc compared with the reference cohort. While no changes in T cell composition were observed at 4 weeks, patients in the BONEMET cohort showed a significant decrease in the peripheral naïve T-cell population and an increase in CD8+ effector cells after 12 weeks. Treatment-related adverse events occurred with comparable frequency (93.8% in the BONEMET cohort versus 83.3% in the reference cohort). 7/16 patients in the BONEMET cohort and 8/18 patients in the reference cohort achieved disease control. CONCLUSION Denosumab in combination with dual ICI modulates cytokine expression and T-cell composition in peripheral blood. The upregulation of CXCL-13, a key factor for initiating tertiary lymphoid structures, strengthens the hypothesis that denosumab indeed boost immunological effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrin Schaper-Gerhardt
- Department of Dermatology, Johannes Wesling Medical Center, Ruhr University Bochum, Campus Minden, Minden, Germany; Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany.
| | - Ralf Gutzmer
- Department of Dermatology, Johannes Wesling Medical Center, Ruhr University Bochum, Campus Minden, Minden, Germany; Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Yenny Angela
- Department of Dermatology, Johannes Wesling Medical Center, Ruhr University Bochum, Campus Minden, Minden, Germany; Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Medical School Hannover, Hannover, Germany
| | - Lisa Zimmer
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; Westdeutsches Tumorzentrum, Essen, Germany, & University Alliance Ruhr, Research Center One Health, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; German Cancer Consortium, Essen & National Center for Tumor Diseases, Campus Essen (NCT-West), Essen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Livingstone
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; Westdeutsches Tumorzentrum, Essen, Germany, & University Alliance Ruhr, Research Center One Health, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; German Cancer Consortium, Essen & National Center for Tumor Diseases, Campus Essen (NCT-West), Essen, Germany
| | - Dirk Schadendorf
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; Westdeutsches Tumorzentrum, Essen, Germany, & University Alliance Ruhr, Research Center One Health, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; German Cancer Consortium, Essen & National Center for Tumor Diseases, Campus Essen (NCT-West), Essen, Germany
| | - Jessica C Hassel
- Department of Dermatology and National Center for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carsten Weishaupt
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | | | - Linda Kubat
- Westdeutsches Tumorzentrum, Essen, Germany, & University Alliance Ruhr, Research Center One Health, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Translational Skin Cancer Research (TSCR), University Medicine Essen, Germany
| | - Ivelina Spassova
- Westdeutsches Tumorzentrum, Essen, Germany, & University Alliance Ruhr, Research Center One Health, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Translational Skin Cancer Research (TSCR), University Medicine Essen, Germany
| | - Jürgen C Becker
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; Westdeutsches Tumorzentrum, Essen, Germany, & University Alliance Ruhr, Research Center One Health, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany; Translational Skin Cancer Research (TSCR), University Medicine Essen, Germany
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Sobczuk P, Cholewiński M, Rutkowski P. Recent advances in tyrosine kinase inhibitors VEGFR 1-3 for the treatment of advanced metastatic melanoma. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2024; 25:501-510. [PMID: 38607407 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2024.2342403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Increasing evidence from preclinical and clinical studies suggests the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) signaling in melanoma progression, response to therapy, and overall survival. Moreover, the discovery of the potential involvement of the VEGF pathway in resistance to immunotherapy has led to new clinical trials with VEGFR inhibitors. AREAS COVERED We have reviewed recent literature, mainly published within the last 5 years, on VEGFR-targeted treatments for advanced melanoma, including mucosal, acral, and uveal melanoma. The VEGFR inhibitors were used as a single therapy or combined with either immunotherapy or chemotherapy, and they were employed in treatment for KIT-mutated cutaneous melanoma and for patients with brain metastases. EXPERT OPINION Trials involving monotherapy have been unsuccessful in demonstrating meaningful efficacy. Despite some activity, the combination of VEGFR-targeting tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in patients with ICI-resistant melanoma, the combination did not significantly improve outcomes compared to anti-PD-1 monotherapy in the first-line settings. On the contrary, some patients with mucosal, acral or KIT-mutant melanoma may benefit from TKI-based therapies. Further studies focused on biomarker discovery and randomized trials are necessary to better understand the role of VEGFR1-3 as a therapeutic target in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Sobczuk
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research institute of Oncology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Michał Cholewiński
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research institute of Oncology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
- Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Rutkowski
- Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma, Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research institute of Oncology in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
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Dugan MM, Perez MC, Karapetyan L, Zager JS. Management of acral lentiginous melanoma: current updates and future directions. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1323933. [PMID: 38390259 PMCID: PMC10882087 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1323933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Acral lentiginous melanoma is a rare subtype of melanoma generally associated with poor outcomes, even when diagnosed at an early stage. The tumor genetic profile remains poorly understood, but it is known to have a suppressed immune environment compared to that of non-acral cutaneous melanomas, which limits therapy options. There is significant attention on the development of novel therapeutic approaches, although studies are limited due to disease rarity. For local disease, wide local excision remains the standard of care. Due to frequent under-staging on preoperative biopsy, wider margins and routine sentinel lymph node biopsy may be considered if morbidity would not be increased. For advanced disease, anti-PD1 monotherapy or combination therapy with anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 agents have been used as first-line treatment modalities. Anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 combination therapies have been shown to be particularly beneficial for patients with BRAF-mutant acral lentiginous melanoma. Other systemic combination regimens and targeted therapy options may be considered, although large studies with consistent results are lacking. Regional and intralesional therapies have shown promise for cutaneous melanomas, but studies generally have not reported results for specific histologic subtypes, especially for acral melanoma. Overall, the unique histologic and genetic characteristics of acral lentiginous melanoma make therapy options significantly more challenging. Furthermore, studies are limited, and data reporting has been inconsistent. However, more prospective studies are emerging, and alternative therapy pathways specific to acral lentiginous melanoma are being investigated. As further evidence is discovered, reliable treatment guidelines may be developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle M Dugan
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Matthew C Perez
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Lilit Karapetyan
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Oncologic Sciences, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, United States
| | - Jonathan S Zager
- Department of Cutaneous Oncology, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, United States
- Department of Oncologic Sciences, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL, United States
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Wang M, Yu F, Zhang Y, Li P. Programmed cell death in tumor immunity: mechanistic insights and clinical implications. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1309635. [PMID: 38283351 PMCID: PMC10811021 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1309635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Programmed cell death (PCD) is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of cell suicide that is controlled by various signaling pathways. PCD plays an important role in a multitude of biological processes, such as cell turnover, development, tissue homeostasis and immunity. Some forms of PCD, including apoptosis, autophagy-dependent cell death, pyroptosis, ferroptosis and necroptosis, contribute to carcinogenesis and cancer development, and thus have attracted increasing attention in the field of oncology. Recently, increasing research-based evidence has demonstrated that PCD acts as a critical modulator of tumor immunity. PCD can affect the function of innate and adaptive immune cells, which leads to distinct immunological consequences, such as the priming of tumor-specific T cells, immunosuppression and immune evasion. Targeting PCD alone or in combination with conventional immunotherapy may provide new options to enhance the clinical efficacy of anticancer therapeutics. In this review, we introduce the characteristics and mechanisms of ubiquitous PCD pathways (e.g., apoptosis, autophagy-dependent cell death, pyroptosis and ferroptosis) and explore the complex interaction between these cell death mechanisms and tumor immunity based on currently available evidence. We also discuss the therapeutic potential of PCD-based approaches by outlining clinical trials targeting PCD in cancer treatment. Elucidating the immune-related effects of PCD on cancer pathogenesis will likely contribute to an improved understanding of oncoimmunology and allow PCD to be exploited for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Wang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | | | | | - Peifeng Li
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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