Curative or non-curative: immunotherapy for advanced melanoma

Kelly, R; Miller, A; Roberts-Thomson, R; Haydon, A

Author(s): Kelly, R; Miller, A; Roberts-Thomson, R; Haydon, A;
Details: Publication Year 2025-04-30,Volume 9,Issue #3,Page pkaf041
Journal Title: JNCI Cancer Spectrum
Publication Type: Research article
Abstract: Advanced melanoma was historically considered incurable; however, a 52% 10-year melanoma-specific survival rate from seminal immunotherapy trials challenges that conclusion.1 There is no literature exploring clinicians' discussion of treatment intent with patients, or whether this represents cure. We performed a multicenter retrospective cohort analysis to examine treatment intent, using electronic medical records to identify 278 patients with unresectable or stage IV melanoma consented for immunotherapy from 2019 to 2023. Thirty-two (12%) were consented for curative-intent treatment (CIT). CIT frequency was not significantly influenced by patient or disease characteristics. Patients consented for CIT received significantly higher rates of combination immunotherapy than patients consented for non-curative-intent treatment (NCIT), 76% (16/21) vs 47% (116/246), P = .022. Among 267 unresectable patients, CIT rates differed significantly between Victoria and South Australia, 14% (20/142) vs 0.8% (1/125), P < .001. Our data confirms variability of documented treatment-intent in advanced melanoma. Further research is needed to understand how this affects patients.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Keywords: Humans; *Melanoma/therapy/pathology/mortality; Retrospective Studies; Male; Female; *Immunotherapy/methods/statistics & numerical data; Middle Aged; Aged; *Skin Neoplasms/pathology/therapy/mortality; Adult; Aged, 80 and over; Neoplasm Staging; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use
Department(s): Medical Oncology
Publisher's Version: https://doi.org/10.1093/jncics/pkaf041
Open Access at Publisher's Site: https://doi.org/10.1093/jncics/pkaf041
Terms of Use/Rights Notice: Refer to copyright notice on published article.

Creation Date: 2025-06-02 04:28:18

Last Modified: 2026-01-29 04:21:08