Association of NRAS mutations and tertiary lymphoid structure formation with clinical outcomes of adjuvant PD-1 inhibitors for acral melanoma

Adjuvant Therapy in Acral Melanoma: A Systematic Review

Background

Acral melanoma presents distinct biological characteristics compared to cutaneous melanoma. While adjuvant therapeutic strategies for high-risk resected acral melanoma closely resemble those for cutaneous melanoma, the evidence supporting the clinical application of adjuvant therapy for acral melanoma remains inadequate. Our aim was to systematically analyze the efficacy and safety profile of adjuvant therapy in acral melanoma.

Methods

This systematic review adhered to a pre-registered protocol. We comprehensively searched four electronic databases and reference lists of included articles to identify eligible studies. The primary outcome was therapeutic efficacy, and the secondary outcome was adverse events (AEs).

Results

This systematic review included 11 studies with 758 acral melanoma patients undergoing adjuvant therapy. High-dose interferon α-2b (IFN) regimens showed no significant difference in recurrence-free survival (RFS), though the longer regimen was linked to increased hepatotoxicity. Adjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy demonstrated varying efficacy, with improved RFS in patients who experienced immune-related AEs. Targeted therapy with dabrafenib plus trametinib achieved high 12-month RFS in patients with BRAF-mutated acral melanoma. Comparative studies suggested that adjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy is similarly effective to IFN in prolonging survival for high-risk acral melanoma patients. Additionally, prior treatment with pegylated IFN enhanced RFS in patients receiving adjuvant pembrolizumab.

Conclusion

High-dose IFN was widely used as adjuvant therapy for acral melanoma, but serious AEs prompted the search for alternatives. Adjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy shows promise, though it may be less effective than in non-acral melanoma. Further prospective studies are needed to determine the optimal adjuvant treatment for acral melanoma.

Association between tertiary lymphoid structures and clinical outcomes in cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors: an updated meta-analysis

Background

Although numerous studies have reported the association between tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) and clinical outcomes in cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), there remains a lack of a newer and more comprehensive meta-analysis. The main objective of this study is to explore prognostic biomarkers in immunotherapy-related patients, through analyzing the associations between tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) and clinical outcomes in cancer patients treated with ICIs, so as to investigate their prognostic value in cancer patients treated with ICIs.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted until February 2024 across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library databases to identify relevant studies evaluating the association between tertiary lymphoid structures and clinical outcomes in cancer patients treated with ICIs. The clinical outcomes were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rate (ORR).

Results

Thirteen studies were incorporated in this meta-analysis, among which nine evaluated the prognostic value of TLSs. The results showed the high levels of TLSs predicted a significantly prolonged OS (pooled HR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.24-0.53, p < 0.001) and PFS (pooled HR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.31-0.72, p < 0.001), while lower ORR (pooled OR = 3.78, 95% CI: 2.26-6.33, p < 0.001) in cancer patients treated with ICIs.

Conclusion

Our results indicated that high levels of TLSs could predict a favorable prognosis for cancer patients treated with ICIs and have the potential to become a prognostic biomarker of immunotherapy-related patients.

Deciphering the role of adjuvant therapy in melanoma and its actual benefits

Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated a significant improvement in recurrence-free survival among melanoma patients receiving high-dose interferon-α, immune checkpoint inhibitors (pembrolizumab, nivolumab), and BRAF/MEK inhibitors (dabrafenib-trametinib). This study aimed to investigate whether these findings hold true in real-world conditions for patients with stage III and IV melanoma. In particular, the study explores the efficacy and side effects of adjuvant therapies, focusing on anti-PD-1 antibodies and BRAF/MEK inhibitors. While clinical trials have shown comparable efficacy, differences in side-effect profiles, especially the persistence of immune-related adverse events with anti-PD-1 antibodies, highlight the need for careful consideration in adjuvant settings. In the absence of established biomarkers for guiding adjuvant therapy decisions, it becomes imperative to transparently communicate the advantages and disadvantages of drug administration to patients. The study also delved into the impact of melanoma subtype and BRAF mutation status on the effectiveness of adjuvant therapy, emphasizing the need for further investigation.