The impact of surgical margins in managing regional metastases in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
Abstract Background: Regional metastasis occurs in 5% of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). The aim of this study is to assess the impact of margin status of regional metastases on survival. Methods: A retrospective review of 401 patients with nodal metastases from cSCC. Margin status of nodal metastases was classified as clear (>1 mm), close (<1 mm), or involved. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier methods were used to assess associations with overall and disease-specific survival (OS and DSS). Results: Of the 401 patients with nodal metastases (median age 75, 85.3% male), 43.6% had involved margins, 27.4% had close margins, and 28.9% had clear [...]
Harnessing Molecular Insights for Translational Impact: Highlights from the Special Issue Titled “New Insights in Translational Bioinformatics”.
Abstract The field of translational bioinformatics is rapidly evolving, driving the convergence of molecular sciences and computational methods with their applications in industrial and clinical practice [...]. Read Full Paper
Letter to Editor: Avoiding statistical pitfalls when assessing the performance of risk prediction nomograms.
No abstract available. Read Full Paper
Neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 alone or in combination with anti-TIGIT or an oncolytic virus in resectable stage IIIB-D melanoma: a phase 1/2 trial
Abstract Neoadjuvant immunotherapies have shown antitumor activity in melanoma. Substudy 02C of the global, rolling-arm, phase 1/2, adaptive-design KEYMAKER-U02 trial is evaluating neoadjuvant pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1) alone or in combination, followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab, for stage IIIB-D melanoma. Here we report results from the first three arms: pembrolizumab plus vibostolimab (anti-TIGIT), pembrolizumab plus gebasaxturev (coxsackievirus A21) and pembrolizumab monotherapy. Pathologic complete responses occurred in 10 of 26 patients (38%) with pembrolizumab plus vibostolimab, 7 of 25 (28%) with pembrolizumab plus gebasaxturev and 6 of 15 (40%) with pembrolizumab monotherapy. Major pathologic responses occurred in 13 (50%), 10 (40%) and 7 [...]
Neoadjuvant anti-PD-1 alone or in combination with anti-TIGIT or an oncolytic virus in resectable stage IIIB-D melanoma: a phase 1/2 trial.
Abstract Neoadjuvant immunotherapies have shown antitumor activity in melanoma. Substudy 02C of the global, rolling-arm, phase 1/2, adaptive-design KEYMAKER-U02 trial is evaluating neoadjuvant pembrolizumab (anti-PD-1) alone or in combination, followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab, for stage IIIB-D melanoma. Here we report results from the first three arms: pembrolizumab plus vibostolimab (anti-TIGIT), pembrolizumab plus gebasaxturev (coxsackievirus A21) and pembrolizumab monotherapy. Pathologic complete responses occurred in 10 of 26 patients (38%) with pembrolizumab plus vibostolimab, 7 of 25 (28%) with pembrolizumab plus gebasaxturev and 6 of 15 (40%) with pembrolizumab monotherapy. Major pathologic responses occurred in 13 (50%), 10 (40%) and 7 [...]
Sex differences in melanoma survival-a GEM study.
Abstract Sex differences in melanoma are prominent, with female having a significant survival advantage. However, it is unclear why we see this survival advantage. Here, we investigate the relationship between sex, clinicopathologic variables, and melanoma specific survival in 1753 single primary melanomas from patients in the GEM (Genes, Environment, and Melanoma) study. Using Cox proportional hazard models and formal mediation analysis, the effect of sex on survival is explained largely by differences in the clinicopathologic features of tumors at diagnosis. Specifically, we find evidence that 86.5% of the effect of sex on melanoma survival is mediated by differences in [...]
Sentinel Node Biopsy in Melanoma Remains a Valuable Clinical Tool. Comment on Dixon et al. Primary Cutaneous Melanoma-Management in 2024. J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13, 1607.
Abstract Management of melanoma in 2024 requires at times complex decision making and a multidisciplinary approach. An article by Dixon and collaborators published in this Journal contained broad-reaching recommendations, some of which are in contradiction of accepted National and International Guidelines. This article seeks to highlight these points of contention and outline widely accepted standards of care that are considered best practice. Read Full Paper
Approaches to Surgical Management of Anorectal Melanoma in the Pre- and Post-Immunotherapy Eras.
Abstract Background: Whilst revolutionary in cutaneous melanoma, immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown reduced efficacy in anorectal melanoma. Nevertheless, their emergence, and the possibility of improved outcomes, may have changed the surgical management paradigm. Objective: To review the surgical management of anorectal melanoma in pre- and post-immunotherapy eras. Design: A retrospective cohort study from the Melanoma Institute Australia Research Database. Settings: A quaternary melanoma referral center. Patients: Patients with anorectal melanoma from 1958 to 2021. Interventions: The use of abdominoperineal resection and wide local excision were compared in pre- and post-immunotherapy eras from first use in 2014. Main outcome measures: Type of surgery performed over time and [...]
Long-term survival across Breslow thickness categories: findings from a population-based study of 210 042 Australian melanoma patients.
Abstract The prognosis of a patient with a primary cutaneous melanoma is known to be related to the Breslow thickness of their tumor. This study sought to determine long-term (30-year) survival rates for the 4 American Joint Committee on Cancer 8th edition T categories by analyzing Australian registry data for 210 042 melanoma patients diagnosed from 1982 to 2014. The 30-year incidence rates of death due to melanoma and nonmelanoma (with 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) were 7.1% (95% CI = 6.9% to 7.3%) and 32.8% (95% CI = 32.3% to 33.3%), respectively. For T2 melanomas, the corresponding rates were [...]
Neoadjuvant or perioperative therapy for melanoma metastasis in clinical practice: an international survey
No abstract available. Read Full Paper