📬 Melanoma Intelligence Digest — Week 2026-W31
COLUMBUS-AD reports 12-month RFS of 86% vs 70% with adjuvant encorafenib plus binimetinib in resected stage IIB/IIC BRAF-mutant melanoma, the MITRIC fecal transplant trial produced no objective responses in ICI-refractory cancers, and clinicians debated mucosal versus cutaneous melanoma biology, DREAMseq sequencing, and ctDNA-guided switching in CACTUS.
⚡ TL;DR
📄 Publications
- Summary recommendations from the NCI clinical trials planning meeting (CTPM) on advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in immunosuppressed patients. — Immunosuppressed patients with CSCC are at significantly increased risk of recurrence and death and have been excluded from most clinical trials
- primary analysis of the RANDOMIZED eortc-2139/columbus-ad trial: Adjuvant encorafenib and binimetinib versus placebo in high-risk stage II BRAF-V600E/K melanoma. — Accrual was terminated prematurely: 339 patients screened and 110 randomized against a planned 815, with safety switched to the primary endpoint
🐦 Twitter / 🦋 Bluesky
- Checkpoint biology used to explain why PD-1 + LAG-3 is better tolerated than PD-1 + CTLA-4 — CTLA-4 acts early during T-cell priming in lymph nodes producing broad systemic immune activation, while LAG-3 acts later on chronically exhausted intratumoral T cells
- Cutaneous versus mucosal melanoma framed as two distinct diseases requiring different molecular workups — Cutaneous melanoma is UV-driven with high tumor mutational burden, a T-cell-inflamed microenvironment and frequent BRAF mutations
- Median overall survival benchmarks across pivotal melanoma trials recirculate as a teaching frame — Approximate median overall survival across pivotal melanoma trials is summarized as 1.5 → 2 → 3 → 4.5 → 6 years for ipilimumab, dabrafenib + trametinib, nivolumab, nivolumab + relatlimab and nivolumab + ipilimumab
- Peri-operative pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib in resectable mucosal melanoma misses its pathological response endpoint but identifies immune correlates of benefit — The phase II peri-operative study did not meet its primary endpoint for pathological complete response
- DREAMseq sequencing data re-argued: immunotherapy first in BRAF V600-mutant metastatic melanoma — 2-year overall survival was 72% with nivolumab + ipilimumab first versus 52% with dabrafenib + trametinib first, an absolute benefit of 20%
Full details below ↓
📄 What's Being Published
Summary recommendations from the NCI clinical trials planning meeting (CTPM) on advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in immunosuppressed patients. — Koyfman Shlomo A et al., J Natl Cancer Inst
Immunosuppressed patients with CSCC are at significantly increased risk of recurrence and death compared to their non-immunosuppressed counterparts, yet this population has been excluded from most clinical trials to date. The NCI CTPM was structured as two multi-disciplinary breakout groups — covering high-risk resectable CSCC and advanced/metastatic CSCC — conducted over a 2-day in-person meeting with extensive virtual pre-planning. Five clinical trial concepts were designed specifically for immunosuppressed patients and are suitable to conduct via NCTN groups.
Clinical bottom line: The NCI planning meeting converts a historically trial-excluded group — immunosuppressed patients with high-risk or advanced CSCC — into five concrete NCTN-ready trial concepts, and enrolling these patients should now be treated as a network priority rather than a protocol exception.
Primary analysis of the randomized EORTC-2139/COLUMBUS-AD trial: Adjuvant encorafenib and binimetinib versus placebo in high-risk stage II BRAF-V600E/K melanoma. — van Akkooi Alexander Cj et al., Eur J Cancer
Between June 9, 2022, and October 9, 2023, 339 patients were screened for a BRAF mutation and 110 randomized against a planned 815, with accrual terminated prematurely and safety switched to the primary endpoint; among randomized patients, 87 (79%) had a BRAF V600E mutation and 39 (35%) had AJCC8 stage IIC disease. RFS at 12 months was 86% (95% CI: 65–95%) with encorafenib plus binimetinib and 70% (95% CI: 46–85%) with placebo; 12-month distant metastasis-free survival was 92% (95% CI: 77–97%) versus 82% (95% CI: 55–93%), respectively. Among the 54 patients who initiated encorafenib plus binimetinib, grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 13 (24%) patients, and 18 (33%) had an adverse event leading to permanent treatment discontinuation.
Clinical bottom line: With only 110 of 815 planned patients randomized and a switch to safety as the primary endpoint, COLUMBUS-AD cannot establish adjuvant BRAF/MEK inhibition in stage IIB/IIC melanoma — the 12-month RFS separation of 86% vs 70% is hypothesis-generating and comes at the cost of 33% permanent discontinuation for adverse events.
Risk of recurrence of stage I to III melanoma in Norway, 2008–2022. — Giorcelli Anastasia et al., Eur J Cancer
Among 24,095 included patients, 3,276 experienced a recurrence while 2,844 died without recurrence. The cumulative recurrence risk increased rapidly from 5.8% (95% CI: 5.5–6.1%) at 1 year to 11.1% (95% CI: 10.6–11.5%) at 3 years, then rose more gradually to a 10-year recurrence risk of 16.7% (95% CI: 16.2–17.3%). The highest 10-year recurrence risks were observed in TNM stage III (47.8%), tumours >4.00 mm thick (43.4%), ulcerated melanomas (37.0%), nodular subtype (31.5%), head/neck location (21.7%), men (20.6%), and patients aged 70–79 (20.8%); notably, the 10-year recurrence risk of 16.7% was lower than the 17.8% competing risk of death without recurrence.
Clinical bottom line: In a nationwide Norwegian cohort, most melanoma recurrences occur within the first three years and the 10-year recurrence risk (16.7%) is slightly below the competing risk of dying without recurrence (17.8%), which argues for front-loading surveillance intensity and tapering it by stage, thickness, and ulceration rather than following uniform decade-long schedules.
Safety and efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation in solid cancers resistant to immune checkpoint inhibitors: results of the MITRIC trial. — Ullern Andreas et al., J Immunother Cancer
This single-arm phase IIa basket trial enrolled 12 patients — melanoma (n=9), HNSCC (n=1), renal cell carcinoma (n=1), and MSI-high pancreatic cancer (n=1) — all refractory to immune checkpoint inhibitors. No objective responses were observed; 5/12 patients achieved stable disease, immune-related toxicity occurred in 6/12, median PFS was 1.5 months, and median OS was 10.1 months. One melanoma patient achieved per-protocol clinical benefit with stable disease beyond 6 months and remains alive after 33 months without further systemic treatment.
Clinical bottom line: MITRIC shows fecal microbiota transplantation from ICI responders is safe and technically feasible in ICI-refractory disease but delivered zero objective responses across 12 patients, so donor-stool rescue should stay confined to trials with defined donor-selection criteria.
🗣️ What People Were Discussing This Week
How these are chosen: filtered for clinical relevance, grouped by the new development discussed, then ordered by engagement (bookmarks and reposts).
Checkpoint biology used to explain why PD-1 + LAG-3 is better tolerated than PD-1 + CTLA-4
CTLA-4 acts early during T-cell priming in lymph nodes, producing broad systemic immune activation, whereas LAG-3 acts later on chronically exhausted intratumoral T cells, leading to more selective immune reinvigoration. Chronic antigen exposure drives PD-1 upregulation and LAG-3 co-expression, so dual PD-1 + LAG-3 blockade targets complementary mechanisms of immune escape. This biological distinction is invoked to explain why PD-1 + LAG-3 combinations are generally better tolerated than PD-1 + CTLA-4 combinations, while the tolerability comparison rests on cross-trial comparisons rather than randomized head-to-head studies. Without a randomized head-to-head trial, clinicians debated how much weight the mechanistic tolerability argument should carry when choosing between relatlimab- and ipilimumab-based doublets.
Discussed by: @ChandrakanthMv, @ChandrakanthMv, @ChandrakanthMv
Cutaneous versus mucosal melanoma framed as two distinct diseases requiring different molecular workups
Cutaneous melanoma is UV-driven with high tumor mutational burden, a T-cell-inflamed microenvironment, and frequent BRAF mutations, while mucosal melanoma is not UV-driven, carries low TMB, presents with an immune-excluded microenvironment, and is enriched for KIT, SF3B1, NF1, and CDK4 amplification — with lower immunotherapy response rates and poorer overall outcomes. Clinicians described mucosal melanoma as one of the greatest unmet needs in the field. A peri-operative phase II study of pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib in resectable mucosal melanoma did not meet its primary endpoint for pathological complete response but showed clinical activity with manageable safety. The central debate is whether routine KIT and broader molecular profiling should be mandatory in mucosal melanoma before any immunotherapy decision, given its low TMB and immune-excluded biology.
Discussed by: @ChandrakanthMv, @nataliagandur, @to_be_elizabeth, @OncoAlert
Median overall survival benchmarks across pivotal melanoma trials recirculate as a teaching frame
A memory aid for approximate median overall survival across pivotal trials was shared in sequence: 1.5 years for ipilimumab, 2 years for dabrafenib plus trametinib, 3 years for nivolumab, 4.5 years for nivolumab plus relatlimab, and 6 years for nivolumab plus ipilimumab — with the explicit caveat that this is not a head-to-head comparison, as each value comes from different pivotal trials with different patient populations and follow-up. Advocacy messaging added that there are currently 20 FDA-approved drugs treating 31 melanoma indications in adult and pediatric patients, and that the 10-year survival rate for metastatic cutaneous melanoma has reached at least 50%. Oncologists debated whether cross-trial median OS benchmarks help patients understand the magnitude of progress or invite comparisons the trials were never designed to support.
Discussed by: @ChandrakanthMv, @CureMelanoma
Peri-operative pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib in resectable mucosal melanoma misses its pathological response endpoint but identifies immune correlates of benefit
The phase II peri-operative study of pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib did not meet its primary endpoint for pathological complete response, though treatment showed clinical activity with manageable safety. Biomarker analyses revealed that activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, persistent T-cell receptor clonotypes, and immune-inflamed tumor environments were associated with better outcomes. Commentators argued that the most important output was the biology rather than the clinical outcome, framing the immune correlates as insights for optimizing personalized peri-operative immunotherapy strategies. The debate centers on whether T-cell correlates of benefit from a missed primary endpoint are sufficient to justify a biomarker-selected successor study in mucosal melanoma.
Discussed by: @OncoAlert, @nataliagandur, @to_be_elizabeth
DREAMseq sequencing data re-argued: immunotherapy first in BRAF V600-mutant metastatic melanoma
DREAMseq data were revisited, with 2-year overall survival of 71.8% with nivolumab plus ipilimumab first versus 51.5% with dabrafenib plus trametinib first — an absolute OS benefit of 20 percentage points favoring immunotherapy-first sequencing. The advantage was attributed to more durable responses rather than higher response rates, with targeted therapy remaining effective after immunotherapy whereas immunotherapy appears less effective after progression on targeted therapy. Clinicians debated which BRAF V600-mutant patients, if any, still warrant targeted therapy first despite the 20-point 2-year OS gap.
Discussed by: @ChandrakanthMv, @ChandrakanthMv, @OncoAlert
CACTUS randomized phase II tests ctDNA-guided switching from BRAF/MEK inhibition to nivolumab/ipilimumab
CACTUS is a randomized phase II trial (n=21) in which patients switched from BRAF/MEK inhibitors to nivolumab plus ipilimumab upon achieving a ≥80% reduction in BRAF variant allele frequency. 100% of critical ctDNA results were available within 7 days and 100% of patients achieved the prespecified ≥80% ctDNA reduction on targeted therapy. Commentary cautioned that with n=21, the ctDNA-triggered switch strategy is not yet ready for practice, and oncologists debated whether a molecular-response trigger such as ≥80% BRAF VAF reduction constitutes a legitimate basis for switching to immunotherapy before radiographic progression.
Discussed by: @OncoAlert, @CureMelanoma, @NateraGenetics
Gut microbiome mechanisms in melanoma immunotherapy: Blautia coccoides-derived acetate and the gut-skin axis
A new JITC article reports that Blautia coccoides-derived acetate potentiates anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in melanoma by activating cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Separately, a review describes microbiome-driven mechanisms influencing checkpoint inhibitor efficacy and toxicity alongside microbiota-based biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for precision melanoma care. Specialists debated whether defined microbial metabolites such as acetate offer a more tractable path than whole-stool transfer for modulating checkpoint inhibitor response in melanoma.
Discussed by: @sitcancer, @OncoAlert
🔥 Top Ranked Tweets
MV Chandrakanth @ChandrakanthMv
Cutaneous vs Mucosal Melanoma
Same melanocyte. Distinct biology. Distinct clinical behavior.
Although both arise from melanocytes, cutaneous and mucosal melanoma are biologically different diseases—not simply different anatomical presentations.
Key differences: • Cutaneous melanoma: UV-driven, high tumor mutational burden (TMB), T-cell–inflamed ("hot") microenvironment, frequent BRAF mutations, and generally better responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
• Mucosal melanoma: Not UV-driven, low TMB, immune-excluded ("cold") microenvironment, enriched for KIT, SF3B1, NF1, and CDK4 amplification, with lower immunotherapy response rates and poorer overall outcomes.
Take-home message:
Treatment decisions should be guided by molecular biology, not tumor location alone. Routine molecular profiling—including KIT testing in mucosal melanoma—is essential for personalized management.
References: NCCN Melanoma v2026 • ESMO Melanoma Guideline 2024 • D'Angelo et al. J Clin Oncol. 2017 • Newell et al. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2022
#Melanoma #MucosalMelanoma #CutaneousMelanoma #Immunotherapy #PrecisionOncology #MedEd #Oncology #MVOnco
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OncoAlert @OncoAlert
RT @MarioBalsaMD: 🩸 In melanoma, can ctDNA tell us when to switch from targeted therapy to IO? (randomized phase II CACTUS, n=21)
https://t.co/PxTpv8PBQw
▪️ Experimental: BRAF/MEKi → nivo/ipi at ≥80% ↓ BRAF VAF
⏱️ 100% of critical ctDNA results available within 7 days
🎯 100% achieved the prespecified ≥80% ctDNA reduction on TT
🔄 ctDNA dynamics tracked response across subsequent treatment lines
CACTUS suggests we may not need to wait for PD to make the switch…but with n=21, this strategy still needs a little more watering before it can bloom 🌵
@OncoAlert
@OncoReporte @myESMO @_SEOM @GrupoMelanoma
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OncoAlert @OncoAlert
RT @OncoAlert: 🕒 Does the time of day of immunotherapy matter?
It is NOW time for This #WeekInOncology by @OncoAlert 🚨, this time with our AF colleague @MarioBalsaMD 🇪🇸Discussing the latest in #Melanoma
A multicenter analysis of 628 patients with high-risk #melanoma treated with adjuvant #Pembrolizumab found no significant association between infusion timing and recurrence-free or overall survival after accounting for important sources of bias.
These findings challenge previous reports suggesting earlier immunotherapy infusions improve outcomes and highlight the importance of rigorous statistical methodology in interpreting timing-related treatment effects.
JCO OP Publication👇being discussed:
Addressing Biases in Analysis of Time of Infusion: NCI/SWOG🇺🇸 Trial S1404 Among Participants With High-Risk Resectable Melanoma Who Received Adjuvant Anti–PD-1 Therapy
https://t.co/8vj4fyzaLS
@EladSharonMD
@KenGrossmannMD
@jmkirkwood
@VernSondakMD
@DrSapnaPatel
@mihalcioiui
Pinging #OncoAlertAF Faculty
@nataliagandur
@realbowtiedoc
@FernandoOnco
@ElisaAgostinett
@to_be_elizabeth
@MarioBalsaMD
@BRicciutiMD
@HHorinouchi
@UOzkerim
@p_ciracimd
@AmandaNizamMD
@scocmem
@DrVilmaPBarcia
@DraMartinezLago
@DrMirallas
@GIMedOnc
@BettinaRyll
@DrBetofMDPhD
pinging @FunchainMD @CureMelanoma @Melanoma_doctor @HTawbi_MDPhD @Chrystal_Paulos @JaniceM10 @ProfGLongMIA @ProfRAScolyer
@JeffGershenwald @MelanomaAus @AIMatMelanoma
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MV Chandrakanth @ChandrakanthMv
DREAMseq: The Sequencing Question Finally Answered
For years, one question remained: Should patients with BRAF V600–mutant metastatic melanoma receive targeted therapy or immunotherapy first?
DREAMseq provided the answer.
• 2-year Overall Survival: 72% with nivolumab + ipilimumab first vs 52% with dabrafenib + trametinib first
• Absolute OS benefit: +20%
• The advantage was driven by more durable responses, not higher response rates.
• Targeted therapy remains effective after immunotherapy, whereas immunotherapy appears less effective after progression on targeted therapy.
Take-home message: For most patients with BRAF V600–mutant metastatic melanoma, immunotherapy first, targeted therapy at progression should be the preferred treatment sequence.
Reference: Atkins MB, et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2023; DREAMseq (EA6134).
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OncoAlert @OncoAlert
RT @OncoAlert: This trial didn’t meet its primary endpoint—but it uncovered something potentially more important: the immune signatures that may predict who benefits from peri-operative therapy.
Dear Colleagues, another OncoAlert #Melanoma #WeekinOncology with our Faculty Dr. Mario Balsa from Barcelona, Spain🇪🇸 @hospitalclinic
Dr. Balsa discusses and article out on nature communication: A phase II peri-operative study of pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib for mucosal melanoma
This phase II study evaluated peri-operative pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib in patients with resectable mucosal melanoma. Although the trial did not meet its primary endpoint for pathological complete response, treatment showed clinical activity with manageable safety. Biomarker analyses revealed that activated CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, persistent T-cell receptor clonotypes, and immune-inflamed tumor environments were associated with better outcomes, offering insights for optimizing personalized peri-operative immunotherapy strategies.
Pinging our faculty
@nataliagandur
@realbowtiedoc
@FernandoOnco
@ElisaAgostinett
@to_be_elizabeth
@MarioBalsaMD
@BRicciutiMD
@HHorinouchi
@UOzkerim
@p_ciracimd
@AmandaNizamMD
@scocmem
@DrVilmaPBarcia
@DraMartinezLago
@DrMirallas
@GIMedOnc
@BettinaRyll
Pinging colleagues In Melanoma
@DrBetofMDPhD
@FunchainMD
@CureMelanoma
@Melanoma_doctor
@HTawbi_MDPhD
@Chrystal_Paulos
@JaniceM10
@ProfGLongMIA
@ProfRAScolyer
@JeffGershenwald
@MelanomaAus
@AIMatMelanoma
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OncoAlert @OncoAlert
This trial didn’t meet its primary endpoint—but it uncovered something potentially more important: the immune signatures that may predict who benefits from peri-operative therapy.
Dear Colleagues, another OncoAlert #Melanoma #WeekinOncology with our Faculty Dr. Mario Balsa from Barcelona, Spain🇪🇸 @hospitalclinic
Dr. Balsa discusses and article out on nature communication: A phase II peri-operative study of pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib for mucosal melanoma
This phase II study evaluated peri-operative pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib in patients with resectable mucosal melanoma. Although the trial did not meet its primary endpoint for pathological complete response, treatment showed clinical activity with manageable safety. Biomarker analyses revealed that activated CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, persistent T-cell receptor clonotypes, and immune-inflamed tumor environments were associated with better outcomes, offering insights for optimizing personalized peri-operative immunotherapy strategies.
Pinging our faculty
@nataliagandur
@realbowtiedoc
@FernandoOnco
@ElisaAgostinett
@to_be_elizabeth
@MarioBalsaMD
@BRicciutiMD
@HHorinouchi
@UOzkerim
@p_ciracimd
@AmandaNizamMD
@scocmem
@DrVilmaPBarcia
@DraMartinezLago
@DrMirallas
@GIMedOnc
@BettinaRyll
Pinging colleagues In Melanoma
@DrBetofMDPhD
@FunchainMD
@CureMelanoma
@Melanoma_doctor
@HTawbi_MDPhD
@Chrystal_Paulos
@JaniceM10
@ProfGLongMIA
@ProfRAScolyer
@JeffGershenwald
@MelanomaAus
@AIMatMelanoma
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Dra. María Natalia Gandur Quiroga @nataliagandur
🚨 This trial missed its primary endpoint, but may have revealed something even more valuable: the immune signatures of benefit.
Another #Melanoma edition of #WeekInOncology by @OncoAlert, featuring our Faculty colleague Dr. Mario Balsa 🇪🇸 (@MarioBalsaMD) from @hospitalclinic.
Dr. Balsa discusses a new Nature Communications publication:
🧬 A phase II peri-operative study of pembrolizumab + lenvatinib in resectable mucosal melanoma
Key findings:
🔹 The study did not meet its primary endpoint for pathological complete response
🔹 The combination showed clinical activity with manageable safety
🔹 Better outcomes were associated with activated CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells
🔹 Persistent T-cell receptor clonotypes and immune-inflamed tumors emerged as potential predictive features
The key lesson may not be the response rate alone, but the biology identifying who is most likely to benefit from peri-operative immunotherapy.
Excellent clinical and translational perspective from @MarioBalsaMD.
Pinging our Faculty
@nataliagandur @realbowtiedoc @FernandoOnco @ElisaAgostinett @to_be_elizabeth @MarioBalsaMD @BRicciutiMD @HHorinouchi @UOzkerim @p_ciracimd @AmandaNizamMD @scocmem @DrVilmaPBarcia @DraMartinezLago @DrMirallas @GIMedOnc @BettinaRyll
Pinging colleagues in Melanoma
@DrBetofMDPhD @FunchainMD @CureMelanoma @Melanoma_doctor @HTawbi_MDPhD @Chrystal_Paulos @JaniceM10 @ProfGLongMIA @ProfRAScolyer @JeffGershenwald @MelanomaAus @AIMatMelanoma
#MucosalMelanoma #Immunotherapy #Biomarkers #PerioperativeTherapy #OncoAlert
[Quoting @OncoAlert: This trial didn’t meet its primary endpoint—but it uncovered something potentially more important: the immune signatures that may predict who benefits from peri-operative therapy.
Dear Colleagues, another OncoAlert #Melanoma #WeekinOncology with our Faculty Dr. Mario Balsa from Barcelona, Spain🇪🇸 @hospitalclinic
Dr. Balsa discusses and article out on nature communication: A phase II peri-operative study of pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib for mucosal melanoma
This phase II study evaluated peri-operative pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib in patients with resectable mucosal melanoma. Although the trial did not meet its primary endpoint for pathological complete response, treatment showed clinical activity with manageable safety. Biomarker analyses revealed that activated CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, persistent T-cell receptor clonotypes, and immune-inflamed tumor environments were associated with better outcomes, offering insights for optimizing personalized peri-operative immunotherapy strategies.
Pinging our faculty
@nataliagandur
@realbowtiedoc
@FernandoOnco
@ElisaAgostinett
@to_be_elizabeth
@MarioBalsaMD
@BRicciutiMD
@HHorinouchi
@UOzkerim
@p_ciracimd
@AmandaNizamMD
@scocmem
@DrVilmaPBarcia
@DraMartinezLago
@DrMirallas
@GIMedOnc
@BettinaRyll
Pinging colleagues In Melanoma
@DrBetofMDPhD
@FunchainMD
@CureMelanoma
@Melanoma_doctor
@HTawbi_MDPhD
@Chrystal_Paulos
@JaniceM10
@ProfGLongMIA
@ProfRAScolyer
@JeffGershenwald
@MelanomaAus
@AIMatMelanoma]
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OncLive.com @OncLive
🎙️ NEW EPISODE: #OncLiveOnAir: In this episode, @DrNeilGross, of @UTMDAnderson, discusses:
🔑 Key biological differences between CSCC and BCC
🔑 Why resectability is the critical first branch point in treatment planning
🔑 The role of adjuvant cemiplimab
🔑 Toxicity considerations for elderly & immunocompromised patients
🔑 The actively accruing phase 3 NRG-HN014 trial comparing neoadjuvant therapy vs upfront surgery in advanced resectable CSCC
🎧 Listen now: https://t.co/Rsj5XFsznp #Oncology #MedTwitter
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Elisabetta Bonzano MD, PhD @to_be_elizabeth
📌Dr. @MarioBalsaMD discusses and article out on nature communication: A phase II peri-operative study of pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib for mucosal melanoma
@OncoAlert #OncoAlertAF
[Quoting @OncoAlert: This trial didn’t meet its primary endpoint—but it uncovered something potentially more important: the immune signatures that may predict who benefits from peri-operative therapy.
Dear Colleagues, another OncoAlert #Melanoma #WeekinOncology with our Faculty Dr. Mario Balsa from Barcelona, Spain🇪🇸 @hospitalclinic
Dr. Balsa discusses and article out on nature communication: A phase II peri-operative study of pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib for mucosal melanoma
This phase II study evaluated peri-operative pembrolizumab plus lenvatinib in patients with resectable mucosal melanoma. Although the trial did not meet its primary endpoint for pathological complete response, treatment showed clinical activity with manageable safety. Biomarker analyses revealed that activated CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, persistent T-cell receptor clonotypes, and immune-inflamed tumor environments were associated with better outcomes, offering insights for optimizing personalized peri-operative immunotherapy strategies.
Pinging our faculty
@nataliagandur
@realbowtiedoc
@FernandoOnco
@ElisaAgostinett
@to_be_elizabeth
@MarioBalsaMD
@BRicciutiMD
@HHorinouchi
@UOzkerim
@p_ciracimd
@AmandaNizamMD
@scocmem
@DrVilmaPBarcia
@DraMartinezLago
@DrMirallas
@GIMedOnc
@BettinaRyll
Pinging colleagues In Melanoma
@DrBetofMDPhD
@FunchainMD
@CureMelanoma
@Melanoma_doctor
@HTawbi_MDPhD
@Chrystal_Paulos
@JaniceM10
@ProfGLongMIA
@ProfRAScolyer
@JeffGershenwald
@MelanomaAus
@AIMatMelanoma]
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