Treatment at the end of life in patients with advanced melanoma. A multicenter DeCOG study of 1067 patients from the prospective skin cancer registry ADOReg.

Background: Although systemic therapies have improved considerably over the last decade, up to 50% of patients with metastatic melanoma still die due to disease progression. Oncological treatment at the end-of-life phase is challenging. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency and type of systemic therapy received by melanoma patients in their end-of-life phase.

Improved survival of advanced melanoma patients receiving immunotherapy with concomitant antithrombotic therapy - A multicenter study on 2419 patients from the prospective skin cancer registry ADOReg.

Background: Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized melanoma treatment, but the high number of non-responders still emphasizes the need for improvement of therapy. One potential avenue for enhancing anti-tumor treatment is through the modulation of coagulation and platelet activity. Both have been found to play an important role in the tumor microenvironment, tumor growth and metastasis.

Evaluation of real-world treatment outcomes in patients with distant metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma following second-line chemotherapy in Europe.

Background And Aims: Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, aggressive skin cancer; few treatments exist for patients with advanced disease. Once tumors metastasize to distant sites, patients generally receive chemotherapy, but response duration and progression-free survival (PFS) are typically short. Few studies have assessed the efficacy of second-line chemotherapy for metastatic MCC.

Electrochemotherapy in advanced skin tumors and cutaneous metastases - a retrospective multicenter analysis.

Background And Objectives: Once classic treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy have been exhausted, only few therapeutic options remain for extensive skin tumors or cutaneous metastases. In such cases, electrochemotherapy may be considered as alternative therapy.

Patients And Methods: In this retrospective study, clinical features, treatment response, and adverse effects were evaluated in 56 patients treated with electrochemotherapy at six German dermatology departments.

Neoadjuvant imatinib in advanced primary or locally recurrent dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: a multicenter phase II DeCOG trial with long-term follow-up.

Purpose: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare cutaneous tumor. COL1A1-PDGFB gene fusion is frequent in DFSP, rendering tumor cell proliferation and survival dependent on PDGFRβ (platelet-derived growth factor receptor β) signaling. This trial investigated imatinib as neoadjuvant treatment of DFSP, including long-term follow-up.