Dabrafenib plus trametinib in unselected advanced BRAF V600-mut melanoma: a non-interventional, multicenter, prospective trial.

Objective: The efficacy of combined BRAF and MEK inhibition for BRAF V600-mutant melanoma in a broad patient population, including subgroups excluded from phase 3 trials, remains unanswered. This noninterventional study (DATUM-NIS) assessed the real-world efficacy, safety and tolerability of dabrafenib plus trametinib in Austrian patients with unresectable/metastatic melanoma.

Methods: This multicenter, open-label, non-interventional, post-approval, observational study investigated the effectiveness of dabrafenib plus trametinib prescribed in day-to-day clinical practice to patients ( N  = 79) with BRAF V600-mutant unresectable/metastatic melanoma with M1c disease (American Joint Committee on Cancer staging manual version 7), ECOG > 1, and elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH).

SARS-CoV-2-related mortality and treatment delays for cancer patients in Austria : Findings of a multicentric nationwide study.

Background: Cancer patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have an increased risk of mortality. Here, we investigated predictive factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) associated mortality in patients with neoplastic diseases treated throughout Austria.

Methods: In this multicentric nationwide cohort study, data on patients with active or previous malignant diseases and SARS-CoV‑2 infections diagnosed between 13 March 2020 and 06 April 2021 were collected.

Combining chemotherapy and autologous peptide-pulsed dendritic cells provides survival benefit in stage IV melanoma patients.

Background And Objectives: We examined retrospectively whether the combination of standard dacarbazine (DTIC) and/or fotemustine chemotherapy and autologous peptide-loaded dendritic cell (DC) vaccination may improve survival of stage IV melanoma patients. Furthermore, a small cohort of long-term survivors was studied in more detail.

Patients And Methods: Between 1998 and 2008, 41 patients were vaccinated at least three times with DCs while receiving chemotherapy and compared to all other 168 patients in our database who only received chemotherapy (1993-2008).

The Association of Residential Altitude on the Molecular Profile and Survival of Melanoma: Results of an Interreg Study.

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) incidence is rising worldwide and is the primary cause of death from skin disease in the Western world. Personal risk factors linked to environmental ultraviolet radiation (UVR) are well-known etiological factors contributing to its development. Nevertheless, UVR can contribute to the development of CM in different patterns and to varying degrees.

Pseudoprogression with subsequent complete response and severe thrombocytopenia to checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy in a patient with advanced mucosal melanoma of the sinonasal cavity.

In this case report, we describe a patient with an inoperable mucosal melanoma of the sinonasal cavity who achieved an ongoing complete response to combined immunotherapy with ipilimumab and nivolumab after initial pseudoprogression. Despite massive enlargement of the tumor 9 weeks after treatment initiation, we decided to continue with checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy because of lacking potent therapeutic alternatives and the possibility of pseudoprogression. In the computed tomography scan 3 months later, the tumor was no longer detectable.

Survival of metastatic melanoma patients after dendritic cell vaccination correlates with expression of leukocyte phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein 1/Raf kinase inhibitory protein.

Immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma offers great promise but, to date, only a subset of patients have responded. There is an urgent need to identify ways of allocating patients to the most beneficial therapy, to increase survival and decrease therapy-associated morbidity and costs. Blood-based biomarkers are of particular interest because of their straightforward implementation in routine clinical care.

Stereotactic Radiofrequency Ablation for Metastatic Melanoma to the Liver.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcome of patients with melanoma liver metastasis treated with stereotactic radiofrequency ablation (SRFA).

Material And Method: Following IRB approval, a retrospective evaluation of the treatment of 20 patients with 75 melanoma liver metastases was performed.

Results: A median number of 2 lesions (range 1-14) per patient with a median size of 1.

Association of TNFRSF10D DNA-methylation with the survival of melanoma patients.

In this retrospective pilot study, the DNA-methylation status of genes that have been demonstrated to be involved in melanoma carcinogenesis was analyzed in order to identify novel biomarkers for the risk assessment of melanoma patients. We analyzed DNA extracted from punch-biopsies from 68 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) melanoma specimens. Using MethyLight PCR, we examined 20 genes in specimens from a training set comprising 36 melanoma patients.

Overexpression of the chemokine receptors CXCR4, CCR7, CCR9, and CCR10 in human primary cutaneous melanoma: a potential prognostic value for CCR7 and CCR10?

Multiple functional implications have been suggested for a limited number of chemokines and their cognate receptors in melanoma pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential role of the chemokine receptors CXCR4, CCR7, CCR9, and CCR10 as prognostic markers in human primary cutaneous melanoma. Chemokine receptor expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in a total of 38 patients with cutaneous melanoma.

Orally administered rapamycin, dacarbazine or both for treatment of human melanoma evaluated in severe combined immunodeficiency mice.

Objective: In this experimental study, the antineoplastic potential of orally administered rapamycin in human melanoma was evaluated and compared with dacarbazine (DTIC) as well as with the antineoplastic effect of the combination of both drugs.

Methods: The substances were tested using 2 human melanoma cell lines, 518A2, which is highly susceptible to DTIC, and 607B, which is moderately susceptible. A human melanoma severe combined immunodeficiency mouse xenotransplantation model was used.

Decreased serum tryptophan concentration predicts poor prognosis in malignant melanoma patients.

Background: Indoleamine (2,3)-dioxygenase (IDO) catalyses the initial, rate-limiting step in the degradation of the essential amino acid tryptophan. Via tryptophan deprivation, IDO activity suppresses T cell proliferation and differentiation and is thought to be a fundamental immune escape mechanism for tumor cells.

Objective And Methods: To investigate the potential role of tryptophan degradation as a prognostic marker, serum tryptophan and kynurenine concentrations and the kynurenine-to-tryptophan ratio (kyn/trp) in 87 patients with malignant melanoma were compared to the course of the disease and to concentrations of the immune activation marker neopterin.

Rapid induction of tumor-specific type 1 T helper cells in metastatic melanoma patients by vaccination with mature, cryopreserved, peptide-loaded monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

There is consensus that an optimized cancer vaccine will have to induce not only CD8+ cytotoxic but also CD4+ T helper (Th) cells, particularly interferon (IFN)-gamma-producing, type 1 Th cells. The induction of strong, ex vivo detectable type 1 Th cell responses has not been reported to date. We demonstrate now that the subcutaneous injection of cryopreserved, mature, antigen-loaded, monocyte-derived dendritic cells (DCs) rapidly induces unequivocal Th1 responses (ex vivo detectable IFN-gamma-producing effectors as well as proliferating precursors) both to the control antigen KLH and to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-restricted tumor peptides (melanoma-antigen [Mage]-3.