The 10-year follow-up study involved 945 patients across 137 sites in 21 countries

Roughly half of metastatic melanoma patients treated with a combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors remain cancer-free for a decade, according to a new report from Weill Cornell Medicine and Dana-Farber Cancer Center investigators and their colleagues, published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

The immune checkpoint inhibitors are treatments that help the body recognize and attack cancer cells.

The 10-year follow-up study involved 945 patients across 137 sites in 21 countries.

Prior trials at 3, 5, and 6.5 years indicated sustained benefits for responsive patients. In 2011, median survival for metastatic melanoma patients was merely six and a half months. However, immune checkpoint inhibitors have steadily improved survival rates.

The latest analysis not only confirms long-term survival for about half of the combination-treated patients but also found no new safety concerns over the decade-long follow-up, allaying fears of potential long-term toxicity or acute toxicity resurgence.

Notably, as metastatic melanoma survivors age, they're increasingly likely to die from non-cancer-related causes, indicating successful long-term treatment outcomes.

This research holds particular relevance for India, which has witnessed some rise in melanoma case,  although the disease is relatively rare in the country-. North India reports the highest age-adjusted incidence rates: 1.62 per 100,000 for males and 1.21 for females. The access to advanced treatment remains a challenge due to resource constraints. Most patients present with advanced disease, and studies show only a small fraction receive systemic therapies like immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, those who do tend to exhibit improved progression-free survival rates.

The new trial findings could inform treatment protocols and enhance care for metastatic melanoma survivors in India and globally. The data suggest  that patients faring well at three or five years are likely to maintain positive trajectories, potentially allowing reduced follow-up visit frequency.

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