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Checkpoint inhibition for advanced mucosal melanoma

  • Therapy
  • Published:
European Journal of Dermatology Aims and scope

Abstract

Background

Whereas anti-PD-1 therapy has demonstrated a significant and durable response against advanced cutaneous melanoma, conventional chemotherapies have shown only minor benefit against advanced mucosal melanoma.

Objectives

To investigate the efficacy of anti-PD- 1 therapy in a small cohort of patients with mucosal melanoma of the head and neck.

Materials & methods

We analysed five patients with mucosal melanoma of the head and neck who received nivolumab or pembrolizumab, at an advanced stage. Expression of PD-L1 and PD-1 in all tumour samples was evaluated immunohistochemically.

Results

All patients received at least two cycles of nivolumab or pembrolizumab. The most severe adverse events were categorised as CTCAE (common terminology criteria for adverse events) Grade 2. All patients showed progressive disease after restaging at three and six months, and no partial or complete response was observed. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated PD-L1 expression in less than 5% of tumour cells.

Conclusion

Systemic therapy with either nivolumab or pembrolizumab showed no clinical response, however, tumour progression was identified in all patients using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1 and immune-related response criteria (irRC) to evaluate tumour response.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Ulm, Frauensteige 12, 89075, Ulm, Germany

    Julia Thierauf, Johannes A. Veit & Thomas K. Hoffmann

  2. Research Group Molecular Mechanisms of Head and Neck Tumors, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69121, Heidelberg, Germany

    Jochen Hess

  3. Section Experimental and Translational Head and Neck Oncology, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Medical Center Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 400, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Jochen Hess

  4. Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany

    Nicolai Treiber

  5. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Medical Center Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany

    Catharina Lisson

  6. Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 23, 89081, Ulm, Germany

    Stephanie E. Weissinger

  7. Institute of Hematology, Oncology and infectious diseases, Alb-Fils-Kliniken, Göppingen, Eichertstrasse 3, 73035, Göppingen, Germany

    Martin Bommer

Authors
  1. Julia Thierauf
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  2. Johannes A. Veit
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  3. Jochen Hess
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  4. Nicolai Treiber
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  5. Catharina Lisson
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  6. Stephanie E. Weissinger
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  7. Martin Bommer
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  8. Thomas K. Hoffmann
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Julia Thierauf.

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Thierauf, J., Veit, J.A., Hess, J. et al. Checkpoint inhibition for advanced mucosal melanoma. Eur J Dermatol 27, 160–165 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1684/ejd.2016.2949

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1684/ejd.2016.2949

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