Association of Immune-Related Adverse Events, Hospitalization, and Therapy Resumption With Survival Among Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Receiving Single-Agent or Combination Immunotherapy.

Summary: This retrospective analysis suggests an association between immunotherapy-related events (ie, colitis, hepatitis, etc) and longer overall survival for patients with metastatic melanoma (including MM patients). This includes those treated with monotherapy and combination immunotherapy and those with severe events requiring hospitalization. More ...

Cancer vaccine plus PD-1 blockade promotes infiltration of melanoma metastases by vaccine-induced T lymphocytes.

Summary: The objective of this study was to determine whether 6 synthetic melanoma helper peptides (6MHP) vaccine plus pembrolizumab increased infiltration of vaccine-induced T cells into tumor metastases compared to 6MHP vaccine alone. The findings suggest that adding pembrolizumab may enhance infiltration of melanoma metastases by vaccine-induced T lymphocytes compared to 6MHP vaccine alone. This treatment combination holds promise in the management of advanced melanoma. More ...

Brain metastases are common in advanced melanoma and cause death in >50% of patients.

Summary: Melanoma is the fifth most common cancer and metastasizes to the brain via hematological dissemination.1 Male sex, high serum lactate dehydrogenase level, high Breslow thickness of primary melanomas, head or neck as the site of primary disease, visceral or nodal involvement are risk factors for melanoma brain metastasis (MBM) development.. More ...