ASO Author Reflections: Survival for Stage III Melanoma—Where Do We Stand in the Current Landscape of Melanoma Therapies?

Excerpt

Stage III melanoma comprises a heterogeneous group of patients with varying survival outcomes, which can be associated with several patient and tumor factors, including number of nodes involved and the presence of microscopic versus macroscopic metastases.1 Historically, clinical stage III melanoma, defined by the presence of clinically evident lymph node or intralymphatic metastases, was associated with a 5-year overall survival (OS) rate of less than 50%.1 During the past decade, the introduction of immune checkpoint and BRAF/MEK pathway inhibitors have transformed the treatment options for advanced melanoma, starting with the FDA approval of ipilimumab and vemurafenib in 2011.2,3 In randomized, clinical trials, these agents have significantly impacted OS in treated patients in the metastatic setting. Therefore, we sought to better characterize the population-level survival outcomes in patients diagnosed with clinical stage III melanoma in the current landscape of melanoma therapies as historic data would be inadequate for accurate prognostication. …