Disease Recurrence during Adjuvant Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment in Metastatic Melanoma: Clinical, Laboratory, and Radiological Characteristics in Patients from a Single Tertiary Referral Center.

Despite the dramatic improvements in recurrence-free survival in patients with metastatic melanoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), a number of patients develop metastases during adjuvant therapy. It is not currently possible to predict which patients are most likely to develop disease recurrence due to a lack of reliable biomarkers. Thus, we retrospectively analyzed the case records of all patients who commenced adjuvant ICI therapy between January 2018 and December 2021 in a single university skin cancer center (n = 46) (i) to determine the rates of disease recurrence, (ii) to examine the utility of established markers, and (iii) to examine whether re-challenge with immunotherapy resulted in clinical response.

Dacarbazine in the management of metastatic melanoma in the era of immune checkpoint therapy: a valid option or obsolete?

Despite the dramatic improvement in both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with metastatic melanoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors, up to 60% will develop treatment resistance and 50% will die from their disease. Therefore, although dacarbazine is no longer a mainstay of modern melanoma management, we examined the extent to, and in which context, it may still play a role. A retrospective analysis of electronic medical records of patients who had received dacarbazine treatment between October 2014 and October 2021, following innate or acquired resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors, was performed to determine PFS and OS and examine tolerability.

The treatment of Merkel cell carcinoma with immune checkpoint inhibitors: implications for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, highly aggressive neuroendocrine skin cancer, which typically affects elderly and immunocompromised and/or immunosuppressed patients. The checkpoint inhibitor avelumab, a mAb targeting the anti-programmed cell death ligand 1 (anti-PD-L1), has revolutionized the treatment of metastatic MCC, achieving dramatic improvements in disease control and overall survival. However, checkpoint inhibitors are associated with the development of immune-related adverse events, such as exacerbation of pre-existing RA.

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on quality of life in skin cancer patients.

With more than 82 million cases worldwide and almost two million deaths, the Covid-19 global pandemic shows little sign of abating. However, its effect on quality of life (QoL) in skin cancer patients has not been systematically evaluated to date. Given that QoL impairments may be associated with increased psychological morbidity, and may interfere with engagement with cancer therapy and follow-up, we prospectively evaluated quality of life in skin cancer patients using the Covid-19 Emotional Impact Survey (C-19EIS) and the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaires.

Low-dose ipilimumab combined with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in patients with metastatic melanoma following anti-PD-1 treatment failure.

Combined immunotherapy is associated with a significant risk of severe and potentially fatal immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Therefore, we retrospectively analyzed the side profile and efficacy of low-dose ipilimumab (1 mg/kg, IPI1) combined with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in patients who progressed after anti-PD-1 monotherapy. Nine patients with unresectable stage III or IV melanoma treated with combined low-dose ipilimumab (1 mg/kg, IPI1) and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, following progression after anti-PD-1 treatment, were identified.

Hydrogen sulfide reduces the activity of human endothelial cells.

Introduction: The volatile endogenous mediator hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is known to impair thrombus formation by affecting the activity of human platelets. Beside platelets and coagulation factors the endothelium is crucial during thrombogenesis.

Objective: This study evaluates the effect of the H2S donor GYY4137 (GYY) on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro.

The slow releasing hydrogen sulfide donor GYY4137 reduces neointima formation upon FeCl3 injury of the carotid artery in mice.

Introduction: Neointima formation is closely linked to vascular stenosis and occurs after endothelial damage. Hydrogen sulfide is an endogenous pleiotropic mediator with numerous positive effects on the cardio vascular system.

Objective: This study evaluates the effect of the slow releasing hydrogen sulfide donor GYY4137 (GYY) on neointimal formation in vivo.