Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, Rochester, Minnesota.
Department of Hematology and Oncology, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, Jacksonville, Florida.
Melanoma Res. 2024 Dec 1;34(6):510-518. doi: 10.1097/CMR.0000000000000997. Epub 2024 Aug 30.
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. The median age at diagnosis is 66. While most patients are treated with immunotherapy, the use of targeted therapy is a valid alternative for patients whose tumors harbor a BRAF or c-KIT driver mutation. These agents, while effective, come with a variety of side effects which limit their use, especially in older patients. We sought to assess the efficacy and toxicity of these agents in older melanoma patients. Melanoma patients over 65 treated with BRAF/MEK or c-KIT inhibitors were retrospectively identified, and their data were analyzed for treatment efficacy and toxicity. All data were compared using the Chi-square test for categorical comparisons and the Kruskal-Wallis method for median comparisons. One hundred and sixteen patients were identified. One hundred and six patients were treated with BRAF/MEK inhibitors. The assessed response rate (RR) was 83% and was comparable across different subgroups, including advanced line patients and those with a more aggressive disease. The median progression free survival (PFS) was 7.9 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 15.7 months. Twenty-seven percent experienced grade 3-4 toxicity leading to a 24% treatment discontinuation rate. Another 10 patients were treated with the c-KIT inhibitor imatinib, for whom the assessed RR was 55%. The median PFS was 4.3 months, and the median OS was 22.6 months. Forty percent needed dose reductions, yet none had to stop treatment due to adverse effects. The use of targeted therapy in older patients is effective yet challenging due to toxicity. Deploying mitigation strategies can help maximizing their usefulness.
黑色素瘤是最致命的皮肤癌形式。诊断时的中位年龄为 66 岁。虽然大多数患者接受免疫疗法治疗,但对于肿瘤携带 BRAF 或 c-KIT 驱动突变的患者,靶向治疗是一种有效的替代方法。这些药物虽然有效,但存在各种副作用,限制了它们的使用,尤其是在老年患者中。我们旨在评估这些药物在老年黑色素瘤患者中的疗效和毒性。回顾性确定了接受 BRAF/MEK 或 c-KIT 抑制剂治疗的 65 岁以上黑色素瘤患者,并对其治疗效果和毒性进行数据分析。所有数据均使用卡方检验进行分类比较,使用 Kruskal-Wallis 方法进行中位数比较。确定了 116 例患者。106 例患者接受 BRAF/MEK 抑制剂治疗。评估的反应率(RR)为 83%,在不同亚组中具有可比性,包括晚期线患者和疾病侵袭性更强的患者。无进展生存期(PFS)的中位数为 7.9 个月,总生存期(OS)的中位数为 15.7 个月。27%的患者出现 3-4 级毒性,导致 24%的治疗中断率。另有 10 例患者接受 c-KIT 抑制剂伊马替尼治疗,评估的 RR 为 55%。中位 PFS 为 4.3 个月,中位 OS 为 22.6 个月。40%的患者需要减少剂量,但由于不良反应,没有患者停止治疗。由于毒性作用,在老年患者中使用靶向治疗既有效又具有挑战性。部署缓解策略可以帮助最大限度地发挥其作用。