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Kakish H, Xu K, Ahmed FA, Loftus AW, Elshami M, Hoehn RS, Ammori JB, Mangla A, Rothermel LD. Preoperative therapy in melanoma: Evolving perspectives in clinical trials. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2024; 193:104193. [PMID: 37926375 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2023.104193] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We reviewed phase II and III trials beginning after 2010 studying preoperative therapy in melanoma (61 trials). Compared to standard adjuvant treatment, neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) show improved outcomes with approximately 70-80% recurrence free survival at 2 years. Several biomarkers demonstrate predictive value for pathological response (higher PD-L1 expression) and survival (IFN-γ signatures, CD8 + cell density). A number of 'non-standard' treatment mechanisms are being studied in combination with ICI therapies such as TLR-9 agonists, and anti-LAG3 checkpoint inhibitors, which show promise for alternative therapy options in the neoadjuvant setting. Finally, trials for advanced unresectable melanomas show improved survival compared to definitive systemic treatment when upfront systemic therapies lead to resectability. To conclude, in the preoperative setting for melanoma, ICIs have potential to improve outcomes for patients, and will likely change the standard treatment approach for advanced resectable disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanna Kakish
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Kevin Xu
- Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, 9501 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Fasih A Ahmed
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Alexander W Loftus
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Mohamedraed Elshami
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Richard S Hoehn
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - John B Ammori
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Ankit Mangla
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Luke D Rothermel
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, 11100 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
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Pavlick AC, Ariyan CE, Buchbinder EI, Davar D, Gibney GT, Hamid O, Hieken TJ, Izar B, Johnson DB, Kulkarni RP, Luke JJ, Mitchell TC, Mooradian MJ, Rubin KM, Salama AK, Shirai K, Taube JM, Tawbi HA, Tolley JK, Valdueza C, Weiss SA, Wong MK, Sullivan RJ. Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) clinical practice guideline on immunotherapy for the treatment of melanoma, version 3.0. J Immunother Cancer 2023; 11:e006947. [PMID: 37852736 PMCID: PMC10603365 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-006947] [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] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the first approval for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for the treatment of cutaneous melanoma more than a decade ago, immunotherapy has completely transformed the treatment landscape of this chemotherapy-resistant disease. Combination regimens including ICIs directed against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) with anti-cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) agents or, more recently, anti-lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3) agents, have gained regulatory approvals for the treatment of metastatic cutaneous melanoma, with long-term follow-up data suggesting the possibility of cure for some patients with advanced disease. In the resectable setting, adjuvant ICIs prolong recurrence-free survival, and neoadjuvant strategies are an active area of investigation. Other immunotherapy strategies, such as oncolytic virotherapy for injectable cutaneous melanoma and bispecific T-cell engager therapy for HLA-A*02:01 genotype-positive uveal melanoma, are also available to patients. Despite the remarkable efficacy of these regimens for many patients with cutaneous melanoma, traditional immunotherapy biomarkers (ie, programmed death-ligand 1 expression, tumor mutational burden, T-cell infiltrate and/or microsatellite stability) have failed to reliably predict response. Furthermore, ICIs are associated with unique toxicity profiles, particularly for the highly active combination of anti-PD-1 plus anti-CTLA-4 agents. The Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) convened a panel of experts to develop this clinical practice guideline on immunotherapy for the treatment of melanoma, including rare subtypes of the disease (eg, uveal, mucosal), with the goal of improving patient care by providing guidance to the oncology community. Drawing from published data and clinical experience, the Expert Panel developed evidence- and consensus-based recommendations for healthcare professionals using immunotherapy to treat melanoma, with topics including therapy selection in the advanced and perioperative settings, intratumoral immunotherapy, when to use immunotherapy for patients with BRAFV600-mutated disease, management of patients with brain metastases, evaluation of treatment response, special patient populations, patient education, quality of life, and survivorship, among others.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Charlotte E Ariyan
- Department of Surgery Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Diwakar Davar
- Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburg Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Geoffrey T Gibney
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Omid Hamid
- The Angeles Clinic and Research Institute, A Cedars-Sinai Affiliate, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Tina J Hieken
- Department of Surgery and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Benjamin Izar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Douglas B Johnson
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Rajan P Kulkarni
- Departments of Dermatology, Oncological Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, and Center for Cancer Early Detection Advanced Research, Knight Cancer Institute, OHSU, Portland, Oregon, USA
- Operative Care Division, VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS), Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Jason J Luke
- Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tara C Mitchell
- Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Meghan J Mooradian
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Krista M Rubin
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - April Ks Salama
- Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, Duke University, Durham, Carolina, USA
| | - Keisuke Shirai
- Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Janis M Taube
- Department of Dermatology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Hussein A Tawbi
- Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - J Keith Tolley
- Patient Advocate, Melanoma Research Alliance, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Caressa Valdueza
- Cutaneous Oncology Program, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sarah A Weiss
- Department of Medical Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Michael K Wong
- Patient Advocate, Melanoma Research Alliance, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ryan J Sullivan
- Cancer Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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3
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Gorry C, McCullagh L, O'Donnell H, Barrett S, Schmitz S, Barry M, Curtin K, Beausang E, Barry R, Coyne I. Neoadjuvant treatment for stage III and IV cutaneous melanoma. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2023; 1:CD012974. [PMID: 36648215 PMCID: PMC9844053 DOI: 10.1002/14651858.cd012974.pub2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cutaneous melanoma is amongst the most aggressive of all skin cancers. Neoadjuvant treatment is a form of induction therapy, given to shrink a cancerous tumour prior to the main treatment (usually surgery). The purpose is to improve survival and surgical outcomes. This review systematically appraises the literature investigating the use of neoadjuvant treatment for stage III and IV cutaneous melanoma. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of neoadjuvant treatment in adults with stage III or stage IV melanoma according to the seventh edition American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system. SEARCH METHODS We searched the following databases up to 10 August 2021 inclusive: Cochrane Skin Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, LILACS and four trials registers, together with reference checking and contact with study authors to identify additional studies. We also handsearched proceedings from specific conferences from 2016 to 2020 inclusive. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of people with stage III and IV melanoma, comparing neoadjuvant treatment strategies (using targeted treatments, immunotherapies, radiotherapy, topical treatments or chemotherapy) with any of these agents or current standard of care (SOC), were eligible for inclusion. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We used standard Cochrane methods. Primary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and adverse effects (AEs). Secondary outcomes included time to recurrence (TTR), quality of life (QOL), and overall response rate (ORR). We used GRADE to evaluate the certainty of the evidence. MAIN RESULTS We included eight RCTs involving 402 participants. Studies enrolled adults, mostly with stage III melanoma, investigated immunotherapies, chemotherapy, or targeted treatments, and compared these with surgical excision with or without adjuvant treatment. Duration of follow-up and therapeutic regimens varied, which, combined with heterogeneity in the population and definitions of the endpoints, precluded meta-analysis of all identified studies. We performed a meta-analysis including three studies. We are very uncertain if neoadjuvant treatment increases OS when compared to no neoadjuvant treatment (hazard ratio (HR) 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.15 to 1.21; 2 studies, 171 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Neoadjuvant treatment may increase the rate of AEs, but the evidence is very uncertain (26% versus 16%, risk ratio (RR) 1.58, 95% CI 0.97 to 2.55; 2 studies, 162 participants; very low-certainty evidence). We are very uncertain if neoadjuvant treatment increases TTR (HR 0.51, 95% CI 0.22 to 1.17; 2 studies, 171 participants; very low-certainty evidence). Studies did not report ORR as a comparative outcome or measure QOL data. We are very uncertain whether neoadjuvant targeted treatment with dabrafenib and trametinib increases OS (HR 0.28, 95% CI 0.03 to 2.25; 1 study, 21 participants; very low-certainty evidence) or TTR (HR 0.02, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.22; 1 study, 21 participants; very low-certainty evidence) when compared to surgery. The study did not report comparative rates of AEs and overall response, and did not measure QOL. We are very uncertain if neoadjuvant immunotherapy with talimogene laherparepvec increases OS when compared to no neoadjuvant treatment (HR 0.49, 95% CI 0.15 to 1.64; 1 study, 150 participants, very low-certainty evidence). It may have a higher rate of AEs, but the evidence is very uncertain (16.5% versus 5.8%, RR 2.84, 95% CI 0.96 to 8.37; 1 study, 142 participants; very low-certainty evidence). We are very uncertain if it increases TTR (HR 0.75, 95% CI 0.31 to 1.79; 1 study, 150 participants; very low-certainty evidence). The study did not report comparative ORRs or measure QOL. OS was not reported for neoadjuvant immunotherapy (combined ipilimumab and nivolumab) when compared to the combination of ipilimumab and nivolumab as adjuvant treatment. There may be little or no difference in the rate of AEs between these treatments (9%, RR 1.0, 95% CI 0.75 to 1.34; 1 study, 20 participants; low-certainty evidence). The study did not report comparative ORRs or measure TTR and QOL. Neoadjuvant immunotherapy (combined ipilimumab and nivolumab) likely results in little to no difference in OS when compared to neoadjuvant nivolumab monotherapy (P = 0.18; 1 study, 23 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). It may increase the rate of AEs, but the certainty of this evidence is very low (72.8% versus 8.3%, RR 8.73, 95% CI 1.29 to 59; 1 study, 23 participants); this trial was halted early due to observation of disease progression preventing surgical resection in the monotherapy arm and the high rate of treatment-related AEs in the combination arm. Neoadjuvant combination treatment may lead to higher ORR, but the evidence is very uncertain (72.8% versus 25%, RR 2.91, 95% CI 1.02 to 8.27; 1 study, 23 participants; very low-certainty evidence). It likely results in little to no difference in TTR (P = 0.19; 1 study, 23 participants; low-certainty evidence). The study did not measure QOL. OS was not reported for neoadjuvant immunotherapy (combined ipilimumab and nivolumab) when compared to neoadjuvant sequential immunotherapy (ipilimumab then nivolumab). Only Grade 3 to 4 immune-related AEs were reported; fewer were reported with combination treatment, and the sequential treatment arm closed early due to a high incidence of severe AEs. The neoadjuvant combination likely results in a higher ORR compared to sequential neoadjuvant treatment (60.1% versus 42.3%, RR 1.42, 95% CI 0.87 to 2.32; 1 study, 86 participants; low-certainty evidence). The study did not measure TTR and QOL. No data were reported on OS, AEs, TTR, or QOL for the comparison of neoadjuvant interferon (HDI) plus chemotherapy versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Neoadjuvant HDI plus chemotherapy may have little to no effect on ORR, but the evidence is very uncertain (33% versus 22%, RR 1.75, 95% CI 0.62 to 4.95; 1 study, 36 participants; very low-certainty evidence). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS We are uncertain if neoadjuvant treatment increases OS or TTR compared with no neoadjuvant treatment, and it may be associated with a slightly higher rate of AEs. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of neoadjuvant treatment in clinical practice. Priorities for research include the development of a core outcome set for neoadjuvant trials that are adequately powered, with validation of pathological and radiological responses as intermediate endpoints, to investigate the relative benefits of neoadjuvant treatment compared with adjuvant treatment with immunotherapies or targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Gorry
- National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Laura McCullagh
- National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Helen O'Donnell
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sarah Barrett
- Applied Radiation Therapy Trinity, Discipline of Radiation Therapy, Trinity St James's Cancer Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Susanne Schmitz
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael Barry
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kay Curtin
- Melanoma Support Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eamon Beausang
- Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Rupert Barry
- Department of Dermatology, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Imelda Coyne
- School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Gellrich FF, Schmitz M, Beissert S, Meier F. Anti-PD-1 and Novel Combinations in the Treatment of Melanoma-An Update. J Clin Med 2020; 9:E223. [PMID: 31947592 PMCID: PMC7019511 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9010223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2019] [Revised: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Until recently, distant metastatic melanoma was considered refractory to systemic therapy. A better understanding of the interactions between tumors and the immune system and the mechanisms of regulation of T-cells led to the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors. This review summarizes the current novel data on the treatment of metastatic melanoma with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibodies and anti-PD-1-based combination regimens, including clinical trials presented at major conference meetings. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, in particular anti-PD-1 antibodies such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab and the combination of nivolumab with the anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) antibody ipilimumab can achieve long-term survival for patients with metastatic melanoma. The anti-PD-1 antibodies nivolumab and pembrolizumab were also approved for adjuvant treatment of patients with resected metastatic melanoma. Anti-PD-1 antibodies appear to be well tolerated, and toxicity is manageable. Nivolumab combined with ipilimumab achieves a 5 year survival rate of more than 50% but at a cost of high toxicity. Ongoing clinical trials investigate novel immunotherapy combinations and strategies (e.g., Talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC), Bempegaldesleukin (BEMPEG), incorporation or sequencing of targeted therapy, incorporation or sequencing of radiotherapy), and focus on poor prognosis groups (e.g., high tumor burden/LDH levels, anti-PD-1 refractory melanoma, and brain metastases).
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Friedrich Gellrich
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (S.B.)
- Skin Cancer Center at the University Cancer Centre Dresden and National Center for Tumor Diseases, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Marc Schmitz
- Institute of Immunology, Medical Faculty Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany;
- National Centre for Tumor Diseases, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Stefan Beissert
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (S.B.)
- Skin Cancer Center at the University Cancer Centre Dresden and National Center for Tumor Diseases, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Friedegund Meier
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (S.B.)
- Skin Cancer Center at the University Cancer Centre Dresden and National Center for Tumor Diseases, 01307 Dresden, Germany
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5
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Ollila DW, Meyers MO. Time may Heal All Wounds, but While It Does, Melanoma Marches on. Ann Surg Oncol 2019; 26:3800-3802. [PMID: 31468216 DOI: 10.1245/s10434-019-07674-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David W Ollila
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Michael O Meyers
- Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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6
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Khunger A, Buchwald ZS, Lowe M, Khan MK, Delman KA, Tarhini AA. Neoadjuvant therapy of locally/regionally advanced melanoma. Ther Adv Med Oncol 2019; 11:1758835919866959. [PMID: 31391869 PMCID: PMC6669845 DOI: 10.1177/1758835919866959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Locally/regionally advanced melanoma confers a major challenge in terms of surgical and medical management. Surgical treatment carries the risks of surgical morbidities and potential complications that could be lasting. In addition, these patients continue to have a high risk of relapse and death despite the use of standard adjuvant therapy. Neoadjuvant therapy has the potential to significantly improve the clinical outcome of these patients, particularly in this era of newer and effective targeted and immunotherapeutic agents. Previous neoadjuvant studies tested chemotherapy with temozolomide where the clinical activity was limited. Biochemotherapy (BCT) was tested in two studies in the neoadjuvant setting and showed high tumor response rates; however, BCT was ultimately abandoned following its failure to demonstrate survival benefits in randomized trials of metastatic disease. Success of immunotherapy and targeted therapy in prolonging the lives of patients with metastatic melanoma generated considerable interest to investigate these novel strategies in the adjuvant and neoadjuvant settings. A number of neoadjuvant targeted and immunotherapy studies have been completed in melanoma to date and have yielded promising clinical activity. Given these encouraging results, a number of studies with other molecularly targeted and immunotherapeutic agents and their combinations are ongoing in the neoadjuvant setting; long-term outcome data are eagerly awaited. Such studies also provide access to biospecimens before and during therapy, allowing for the conduct of biomarker and mechanistic studies that may have a significant impact in guiding adjuvant therapy choices and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjun Khunger
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Zachary S. Buchwald
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Michael Lowe
- Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mohammad K. Khan
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Keith A. Delman
- Department of Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Ahmad A. Tarhini
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Emory University School of Medicine, Winship Comprehensive Cancer Center, 1365 Clifton Rd Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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7
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Lebbé C, Meyer N, Mortier L, Marquez-Rodas I, Robert C, Rutkowski P, Menzies AM, Eigentler T, Ascierto PA, Smylie M, Schadendorf D, Ajaz M, Svane IM, Gonzalez R, Rollin L, Lord-Bessen J, Saci A, Grigoryeva E, Pigozzo J. Evaluation of Two Dosing Regimens for Nivolumab in Combination With Ipilimumab in Patients With Advanced Melanoma: Results From the Phase IIIb/IV CheckMate 511 Trial. J Clin Oncol 2019; 37:867-875. [PMID: 30811280 PMCID: PMC6455714 DOI: 10.1200/jco.18.01998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 234] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Nivolumab 1 mg/kg plus ipilimumab 3 mg/kg (NIVO1+IPI3) is approved for first-line treatment of patients with advanced melanoma in several countries. We conducted a phase IIIb/IV study (CheckMate 511) to determine if nivolumab 3 mg/kg plus ipilimumab 1 mg/kg (NIVO3+IPI1) improves the safety profile of the combination. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients (N = 360) age 18 years or older with previously untreated, unresectable stage III or IV melanoma were randomly assigned 1:1 to NIVO3+IPI1 or NIVO1+IPI3 once every 3 weeks for four doses. After 6 weeks, all patients received NIVO 480 mg once every 4 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary end point was a comparison of the incidence of treatment-related grade 3 to 5 adverse events (AEs) between groups. Secondary end points included descriptive analyses of objective response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival. The study was not designed to formally demonstrate noninferiority of NIVO3+IPI1 to NIVO1+IPI3 for efficacy end points. RESULTS At a minimum follow-up of 12 months, incidence of treatment-related grade 3 to 5 AEs was 34% with NIVO3+IPI1 versus 48% with NIVO1+IPI3 ( P = .006). In descriptive analyses, objective response rate was 45.6% in the NIVO3+IPI1 group and 50.6% in the NIVO1+IPI3 group, with complete responses in 15.0% and 13.5% of patients, respectively. Median progression-free survival was 9.9 months in the NIVO3+IPI1 group and 8.9 months in the NIVO1+IPI3 group. Median overall survival was not reached in either group. CONCLUSION The CheckMate 511 study met its primary end point, demonstrating a significantly lower incidence of treatment-related grade 3-5 AEs with NIVO3+IPI1 versus NIVO1+IPI3. Descriptive analyses showed that there were no meaningful differences between the groups for any efficacy end point, although longer follow up may help to better characterize efficacy outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celeste Lebbé
- 1 Saint-Louis Hospital, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U976, Université Paris Diderot, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Meyer
- 2 Université Paul Sabatier-Toulouse III, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale Unité Mixte de Recherche 1037-CRCT, Toulouse, France
| | - Laurent Mortier
- 3 Université de Lille, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U1189, Lille, France
| | | | - Caroline Robert
- 5 Gustave Roussy, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U981, Paris, France
| | - Piotr Rutkowski
- 6 Maria Skłodowska-Curie Institute-Oncology Center, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Alexander M Menzies
- 7 Melanoma Institute Australia, University of Sydney, and Royal North Shore and Mater Hospitals, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | | | - Paolo A Ascierto
- 9 Istituto Nazionale Tumori-Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Fondazione G. Pascale, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Dirk Schadendorf
- 11 University Hospital, Essen, Germany.,12 German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mazhar Ajaz
- 13 St George's University Hospitals National Health Service Foundation Trust, Tooting, London, United Kingdom
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jacopo Pigozzo
- 17 Veneto Institute of Oncology-Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico, Padua, Italy
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