Skip to main content

Immunotherapy for Melanoma

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Immunotherapy

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 1244))

Abstract

While melanoma is less common than some other skin cancers, it is responsible for nearly 10,000 deaths in the USA each year alone. For many decades, very limited treatment options were available for patients with metastatic melanoma. However, recent breakthroughs have brought new hopes for patients and providers. While targeted therapy with BRAF and MEK inhibitors represents an important cornerstone in the treatment of metastatic melanoma, this chapter carefully reviews the past and current therapy options available, with a significant focus on immunotherapy-based approaches. In addition, we provide an overview of the results of recent advances in the adjuvant setting for patients with resected stage III and stage IV melanoma, as well as in patients with melanoma brain metastases. Finally, we provide a quick overview over the current research efforts in the field of immuno-oncology and melanoma.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Tas F, Keskin S, Karadeniz A, Dagoglu N, Sen F, Kilic L, et al. Noncutaneous melanoma have distinct features from each other and cutaneous melanoma. Oncology. 2011;81(5–6):353–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Oncology ASoC. Melanoma: statistics. Updated 01/2019. Available from: https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/melanoma/statistics.

  3. Society AC. Cancer facts & figures. 2019. Available from: https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2019/cancer-facts-and-figures-2019.pdf.

  4. McCourt C, Dolan O, Gormley G. Malignant melanoma: a pictorial review. Ulster Med J. 2014;83(2):103–10.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  5. Siegel RL, Miller KD, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2019. CA Cancer J Clin. 2019;69(1):7–34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Gandini S, Sera F, Cattaruzza MS, Pasquini P, Abeni D, Boyle P, et al. Meta-analysis of risk factors for cutaneous melanoma: I. Common and atypical naevi. Eur J Cancer. 2005;41(1):28–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Lideikaite A, Mozuraitiene J, Letautiene S. Analysis of prognostic factors for melanoma patients. Acta Med Litu. 2017;24(1):25–34.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Ahmed I. Malignant melanoma: prognostic indicators. Mayo Clin Proc. 1997;72(4):356–61.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Govindarajan B, Bai X, Cohen C, Zhong H, Kilroy S, Louis G, et al. Malignant transformation of melanocytes to melanoma by constitutive activation of Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Kinase (MAPKK) signaling. J Biol Chem. 2003;278(11):9790–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Satyamoorthy K, Li G, Gerrero MR, Brose MS, Volpe P, Weber BL, et al. Constitutive mitogen-activated protein kinase activation in melanoma is mediated by both BRAF mutations and autocrine growth factor stimulation. Cancer Res. 2003;63(4):756.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Cancer Genome Atlas Network. Genomic classification of cutaneous melanoma. Cell, 2015;161(7):1681–96.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Long GV, Stroyakovskiy D, Gogas H, Levchenko E, de Braud F, Larkin J, et al. Dabrafenib and trametinib versus dabrafenib and placebo for Val600 BRAF-mutant melanoma: a multicentre, double-blind, phase 3 randomised controlled trial. Lancet. 2015;386(9992):444–51.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Larkin J, Ascierto PA, Dreno B, Atkinson V, Liszkay G, Maio M, et al. Combined vemurafenib and cobimetinib in BRAF-mutated melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2014;371(20):1867–76.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Dummer R, Ascierto PA, Gogas HJ, Arance A, Mandala M, Liszkay G, et al. Overall survival in patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma receiving encorafenib plus binimetinib versus vemurafenib or encorafenib (COLUMBUS): a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2018;19(10):1315–27.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Jiang T, Zhou C, Ren S. Role of IL-2 in cancer immunotherapy. Oncoimmunology. 2016;5(6):e1163462.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Atkins MB, Lotze MT, Dutcher JP, Fisher RI, Weiss G, Margolin K, et al. High-dose recombinant interleukin 2 therapy for patients with metastatic melanoma: analysis of 270 patients treated between 1985 and 1993. J Clin Oncol. 1999;17(7):2105–16.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Hughes T, Klairmont M, Broucek J, Iodice G, Basu S, Kaufman HL. The prognostic significance of stable disease following high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) treatment in patients with metastatic melanoma and renal cell carcinoma. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2015;64(4):459–65.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  18. Schwartzentruber DJ. Guidelines for the safe administration of high-dose interleukin-2. J Immunother. 2001;24(4):287–93.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Serrone L, Zeuli M, Sega FM, Cognetti F. Dacarbazine-based chemotherapy for metastatic melanoma: thirty-year experience overview. J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2000;19(1):21–34.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Hill GJ 2nd, Krementz ET, Hill HZ. Dimethyl triazeno imidazole carboxamide and combination therapy for melanoma. IV. Late results after complete response to chemotherapy (Central Oncology Group protocols 7130, 7131, and 7131A). Cancer. 1984;53(6):1299–305.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Bajetta E, Del Vecchio M, Bernard-Marty C, Vitali M, Buzzoni R, Rixe O, et al. Metastatic melanoma: chemotherapy. Semin Oncol. 2002;29(5):427–45.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Bhatia S, Tykodi SS, Thompson JA. Treatment of metastatic melanoma: an overview. Oncology (Williston Park). 2009;23(6):488–96.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Middleton MR, Grob JJ, Aaronson N, Fierlbeck G, Tilgen W, Seiter S, et al. Randomized phase III study of temozolomide versus dacarbazine in the treatment of patients with advanced metastatic malignant melanoma. J Clin Oncol. 2000;18(1):158–66.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Li RH, Hou XY, Yang CS, Liu WL, Tang JQ, Liu YQ, et al. Temozolomide for treating malignant melanoma. J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. 2015;25(9):680–8.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Quirt I, Verma S, Petrella T, Bak K, Charette M. Temozolomide for the treatment of metastatic melanoma: a systematic review. Oncologist. 2007;12(9):1114–23.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Kim KB, Papadopoulos N, Bedikian AY, DeConti RC, Conry R, Agarwala S, et al. Phase 3 study of docosahexaenoic acid–paclitaxel versus dacarbazine in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma. Ann Oncol. 2010;22(4):787–93.

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  27. Hersh EM, O’Day SJ, Ribas A, Samlowski WE, Gordon MS, Shechter DE, et al. A phase 2 clinical trial of nab-paclitaxel in previously treated and chemotherapy-naive patients with metastatic melanoma. Cancer. 2010;116(1):155–63.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Hodi FS, Soiffer RJ, Clark J, Finkelstein DM, Haluska FG. Phase II study of paclitaxel and carboplatin for malignant melanoma. Am J Clin Oncol. 2002;25(3):283–6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Rao RD, Holtan SG, Ingle JN, Croghan GA, Kottschade LA, Creagan ET, et al. Combination of paclitaxel and carboplatin as second-line therapy for patients with metastatic melanoma. Cancer. 2006;106(2):375–82.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Kottschade LA, Suman VJ, Amatruda T 3rd, RR MW, Mattar BI, Nikcevich DA, et al. A phase II trial of nab-paclitaxel (ABI-007) and carboplatin in patients with unresectable stage IV melanoma: a North Central Cancer Treatment Group Study, N057E(1). Cancer. 2011;117(8):1704–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Flaherty KT, Lee SJ, Zhao F, Schuchter LM, Flaherty L, Kefford R, et al. Phase III trial of carboplatin and paclitaxel with or without sorafenib in metastatic melanoma. J Clin Oncol. 2013;31(3):373–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Legha SS, Ring S, Papadopoulos N, Plager C, Chawla S, Benjamin R. A prospective evaluation of a triple-drug regimen containing cisplatin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (CVD) for metastatic melanoma. Cancer. 1989;64(10):2024–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Atkins MB, Hsu J, Lee S, Cohen GI, Flaherty LE, Sosman JA, et al. Phase III trial comparing concurrent biochemotherapy with cisplatin, vinblastine, dacarbazine, interleukin-2, and interferon alfa-2b with cisplatin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine alone in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma (E3695): a trial coordinated by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. J Clin Oncol. 2008;26(35):5748–54.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  34. Grunhagen DJ, Verhoef C. Isolated limb perfusion for stage III melanoma: does it still have a role in the present era of effective systemic therapy? Oncology (Williston Park). 2016;30(12):1045–52.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Eggermont AM, van Geel AN, de Wilt JH, ten Hagen TL. The role of isolated limb perfusion for melanoma confined to the extremities. Surg Clin North Am. 2003;83(2):371–84.. ix

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Lotze MT, Rosenberg SA. Results of clinical trials with the administration of interleukin 2 and adoptive immunotherapy with activated cells in patients with cancer. Immunobiology. 1986;172(3–5):420–37.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Rosenberg SA, Yannelli JR, Yang JC, Topalian SL, Schwartzentruber DJ, Weber JS, et al. Treatment of patients with metastatic melanoma with autologous tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and interleukin 2. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1994;86(15):1159–66.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Dudley ME, Wunderlich JR, Yang JC, Sherry RM, Topalian SL, Restifo NP, et al. Adoptive cell transfer therapy following non-myeloablative but lymphodepleting chemotherapy for the treatment of patients with refractory metastatic melanoma. J Clin Oncol. 2005;23(10):2346–57.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Baruch EN, Berg AL, Besser MJ, Schachter J, Markel G. Adoptive T cell therapy: an overview of obstacles and opportunities. Cancer. 2017;123(S11):2154–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Merhavi-Shoham E, Itzhaki O, Markel G, Schachter J, Besser MJ. Adoptive cell therapy for metastatic melanoma. Cancer J. 2017;23(1):48–53.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Page DM, Kane LP, Allison JP, Hedrick SM. Two signals are required for negative selection of CD4+CD8+ thymocytes. J Immunol. 1993;151(4):1868–80.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  42. Brunet JF, Dosseto M, Denizot F, Mattei MG, Clark WR, Haqqi TM, et al. The inducible cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated gene transcript CTLA-1 sequence and gene localization to mouse chromosome 14. Nature. 1986;322(6076):268–71.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Wei SC, Levine JH, Cogdill AP, Zhao Y, Anang NAS, Andrews MC, et al. Distinct cellular mechanisms underlie anti-CTLA-4 and anti-PD-1 checkpoint blockade. Cell. 2017;170(6):1120–33.e17.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  44. Lebbé C, Meyer N, Mortier L, Marquez-Rodas I, Robert C, Rutkowski P, et al. Evaluation of two dosing regimens for nivolumab in combination with Ipilimumab in patients with advanced melanoma: results from the phase IIIb/IV CheckMate 511 trial. J Clin Oncol. 2019;37(11):867–75.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  45. Cousin S, Seneschal J, Italiano A. Toxicity profiles of immunotherapy. Pharmacol Ther. 2018;181:91–100.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Kanjanapan Y, Day D, Butler MO, Wang L, Joshua AM, Hogg D, et al. Delayed immune-related adverse events in assessment for dose-limiting toxicity in early phase immunotherapy trials. Eur J Cancer. 2019;107:1–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Hodi FS, O’Day SJ, McDermott DF, Weber RW, Sosman JA, Haanen JB, et al. Improved survival with ipilimumab in patients with metastatic melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2010;363(8):711–23.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  48. Robert C, Thomas L, Bondarenko I, O’Day S, Weber J, Garbe C, et al. Ipilimumab plus dacarbazine for previously untreated metastatic melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2011;364(26):2517–26.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  49. Buchbinder EI, Gunturi A, Perritt J, Dutcher J, Aung S, Kaufman HL, et al. A retrospective analysis of High-Dose Interleukin-2 (HD IL-2) following Ipilimumab in metastatic melanoma. J Immunother Cancer. 2016;4:52.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  50. Pardoll DM. The blockade of immune checkpoints in cancer immunotherapy. Nat Rev Cancer. 2012;12(4):252–64.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  51. Ohaegbulam KC, Assal A, Lazar-Molnar E, Yao Y, Zang X. Human cancer immunotherapy with antibodies to the PD-1 and PD-L1 pathway. Trends Mol Med. 2015;21(1):24–33.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Robert C, Long GV, Brady B, Dutriaux C, Maio M, Mortier L, et al. Nivolumab in previously untreated melanoma without BRAF mutation. N Engl J Med. 2015;372(4):320–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  53. Ribas A, Puzanov I, Dummer R, Schadendorf D, Hamid O, Robert C, et al. Pembrolizumab versus investigator-choice chemotherapy for ipilimumab-refractory melanoma (KEYNOTE-002): a randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2015;16(8):908–18.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  54. Robert C, Schachter J, Long GV, Arance A, Grob JJ, Mortier L, et al. Pembrolizumab versus ipilimumab in advanced melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2015;372(26):2521–32.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  55. Hodi FS, Chesney J, Pavlick AC, Robert C, Grossmann KF, McDermott DF, et al. Combined nivolumab and ipilimumab versus ipilimumab alone in patients with advanced melanoma: 2-year overall survival outcomes in a multicentre, randomised, controlled, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2016;17(11):1558–68.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  56. Larkin J, Hodi FS, Wolchok JD. Combined nivolumab and ipilimumab or monotherapy in untreated melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2015;373(13):1270–1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  57. Long GV, Atkinson V, Cebon JS, Jameson MB, Fitzharris BM, McNeil CM, et al. Standard-dose pembrolizumab in combination with reduced-dose ipilimumab for patients with advanced melanoma (KEYNOTE-029): an open-label, phase 1b trial. Lancet Oncol. 2017;18(9):1202–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. Chen Daniel S, Mellman I. Oncology meets immunology: the cancer-immunity cycle. Immunity. 2013;39(1):1–10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Hamid O, Sosman JA, Lawrence DP, Sullivan RJ, Ibrahim N, Kluger HM, et al. Clinical activity, safety, and biomarkers of MPDL3280A, an engineered PD-L1 antibody in patients with locally advanced or metastatic melanoma (mM). J Clin Oncol. 2013;31(15_suppl):9010.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  60. Keilholz U, Mehnert JM, Bauer S, Bourgeois H, Patel MR, Gravenor D, et al. Avelumab in patients with previously treated metastatic melanoma: phase 1b results from the JAVELIN Solid Tumor trial. J Immunother Cancer. 2019;7(1):12.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  61. Ribas A, Butler M, Lutzky J, Lawrence DP, Robert C, Miller W, et al. Phase I study combining anti-PD-L1 (MEDI4736) with BRAF (dabrafenib) and/or MEK (trametinib) inhibitors in advanced melanoma. J Clin Oncol. 2015;33(15_suppl):3003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  62. Hirayama M, Nishimura Y. The present status and future prospects of peptide-based cancer vaccines. Int Immunol. 2016;28(7):319–28.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Schwartzentruber DJ, Lawson DH, Richards JM, Conry RM, Miller DM, Treisman J, et al. gp100 peptide vaccine and interleukin-2 in patients with advanced melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2011;364(22):2119–27.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  64. Thompson JF, Hersey P, Wachter E. Chemoablation of metastatic melanoma using intralesional Rose Bengal. Melanoma Res. 2008;18(6):405–11.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  65. Thompson JF, Agarwala SS, Smithers BM, Ross MI, Scoggins CR, Coventry BJ, et al. Phase 2 study of intralesional PV-10 in refractory metastatic melanoma. Ann Surg Oncol. 2015;22(7):2135–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  66. Read TA, Smith A, Thomas J, David M, Foote M, Wagels M, et al. Intralesional PV-10 for the treatment of in-transit melanoma metastases-Results of a prospective, non-randomized, single center study. J Surg Oncol. 2018;117(4):579–87.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  67. Conry RM, Westbrook B, McKee S, Norwood TG. Talimogene laherparepvec: first in class oncolytic virotherapy. Hum Vaccin Immunother. 2018;14(4):839–46.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  68. Andtbacka RH, Kaufman HL, Collichio F, Amatruda T, Senzer N, Chesney J, et al. Talimogene laherparepvec improves durable response rate in patients with advanced melanoma. J Clin Oncol. 2015;33(25):2780–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  69. Puzanov I, Milhem MM, Minor D, Hamid O, Li A, Chen L, et al. Talimogene laherparepvec in combination with ipilimumab in previously untreated, unresectable stage IIIB-IV melanoma. J Clin Oncol. 2016;34(22):2619–26.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  70. Ribas A, Dummer R, Puzanov I, VanderWalde A, Andtbacka RHI, Michielin O, et al. Oncolytic virotherapy promotes intratumoral T cell infiltration and improves anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Cell. 2017;170(6):1109–19.e10.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  71. Cohen JV, Tawbi H, Margolin KA, Amravadi R, Bosenberg M, Brastianos PK, et al. Melanoma central nervous system metastases: current approaches, challenges, and opportunities. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2016;29(6):627–42.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  72. Glitza Oliva I, Tawbi H, Davies MA. Melanoma brain metastases: current areas of investigation and future directions. Cancer J (Sudbury, MA). 2017;23(1):68–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  73. Kluger HM, Chiang V, Mahajan A, Zito CR, Sznol M, Tran T, et al. Long-term survival of patients with melanoma with active brain metastases treated with pembrolizumab on a phase II trial. J Clin Oncol. 2019;37(1):52–60.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  74. Goldberg SB, Gettinger SN, Mahajan A, Chiang AC, Herbst RS, Sznol M, et al. Pembrolizumab for patients with melanoma or non-small-cell lung cancer and untreated brain metastases: early analysis of a non-randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2016;17(7):976–83.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  75. Tawbi HA-H, Forsyth PAJ, Algazi AP, Hamid O, Hodi FS, Moschos SJ, Khushalani NI, Gonzalez R, Lao CD, Postow MA, Atkins MB, Ernstoff MS, Puzanov I, Kudchadkar RR, Thomas RP, Tarhini AA, Jiang J, Avila A, Demelo S, Margolin KA. Efficacy and safety of nivolumab (NIVO) plus ipilimumab (IPI) in patients with melanoma (MEL) metastatic to the brain: results of the phase II study CheckMate 204. J Clin Oncol 30, 2012 (suppl; abstr 8584). 2017;35:(suppl; abstr 9507).

    Google Scholar 

  76. Tawbi HA, Forsyth PA, Algazi A, Hamid O, Hodi FS, Moschos SJ, et al. Combined nivolumab and ipilimumab in melanoma metastatic to the brain. N Engl J Med. 2018;379(8):722–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  77. Balch CM, Gershenwald JE, Soong SJ, Thompson JF, Atkins MB, Byrd DR, et al. Final version of 2009 AJCC melanoma staging and classification. J Clin Oncol. 2009;27(36):6199–206.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  78. Gershenwald JE, Scolyer RA. Melanoma staging: American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition and beyond. Ann Surg Oncol. 2018;25(8):2105–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  79. Faries MB, Thompson JF, Cochran AJ, Andtbacka RH, Mozzillo N, Zager JS, et al. Completion dissection or observation for sentinel-node metastasis in melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2017;376(23):2211–22.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  80. Agha A, Tarhini AA. Adjuvant therapy for melanoma. Curr Oncol Rep. 2017;19(5):36.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  81. Kirkwood JM, Resnick GD, Cole BF. Efficacy, safety, and risk-benefit analysis of adjuvant interferon alfa-2b in melanoma. Semin Oncol. 1997;24(1 Suppl 4):S16–23.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  82. Kirkwood JM, Ibrahim JG, Sondak VK, Richards J, Flaherty LE, Ernstoff MS, et al. High- and low-dose interferon alfa-2b in high-risk melanoma: first analysis of intergroup trial E1690/S9111/C9190. J Clin Oncol. 2000;18(12):2444–58.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  83. Kirkwood JM, Manola J, Ibrahim J, Sondak V, Ernstoff MS, Rao U. A pooled analysis of eastern cooperative oncology group and intergroup trials of adjuvant high-dose interferon for melanoma. Clin Cancer Res. 2004;10(5):1670–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  84. Ives NJ, Suciu S, Eggermont AMM, Kirkwood J, Lorigan P, Markovic SN, et al. Adjuvant interferon-alpha for the treatment of high-risk melanoma: an individual patient data meta-analysis. Eur J Cancer. 2017;82:171–83.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  85. Ravaud A, Bedane C, Geoffrois L, Lesimple T, Delaunay M. Toxicity and feasibility of adjuvant high-dose interferon alpha-2b in patients with melanoma in clinical oncologic practice. Br J Cancer. 1999;80(11):1767–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  86. Eggermont AM, Suciu S, Testori A, Santinami M, Kruit WH, Marsden J, et al. Long-term results of the randomized phase III trial EORTC 18991 of adjuvant therapy with pegylated interferon alfa-2b versus observation in resected stage III melanoma. J Clin Oncol. 2012;30(31):3810–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  87. Administration USFD. Current and resolved drug shortages and discontinuations reported to FDA. Available from: https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/drugshortages/dsp_ActiveIngredientDetails.cfm?AI=Peginterferon+alfa-2b+%28Sylatron%29&st=d&tab=tabs-2.

  88. Flaherty LE, Othus M, Atkins MB, Tuthill RJ, Thompson JA, Vetto JT, et al. Southwest Oncology Group S0008: a phase III trial of high-dose interferon Alfa-2b versus cisplatin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine, plus interleukin-2 and interferon in patients with high-risk melanoma--an intergroup study of cancer and leukemia Group B, Children’s Oncology Group, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group, and Southwest Oncology Group. J Clin Oncol. 2014;32(33):3771–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  89. Eggermont AM, Chiarion-Sileni V, Grob JJ, Dummer R, Wolchok JD, Schmidt H, et al. Adjuvant ipilimumab versus placebo after complete resection of high-risk stage III melanoma (EORTC 18071): a randomised, double-blind, phase 3 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2015;16(5):522–30.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  90. Eggermont AM, Chiarion-Sileni V, Grob JJ, Dummer R, Wolchok JD, Schmidt H, et al. Prolonged survival in stage III melanoma with ipilimumab adjuvant therapy. N Engl J Med. 2016;375(19):1845–55.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  91. Weber J, Mandala M, Del Vecchio M, Gogas HJ, Arance AM, Cowey CL, et al. Adjuvant nivolumab versus ipilimumab in resected stage III or IV melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2017;377(19):1824–35.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  92. Weber JS, Mandalà M, Del Vecchio M, Gogas H, Arance AM, Cowey CL, et al. Adjuvant therapy with nivolumab (NIVO) versus ipilimumab (IPI) after complete resection of stage III/IV melanoma: updated results from a phase III trial (CheckMate 238). J Clin Oncol. 2018;36(15_suppl):9502.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  93. Eggermont AMM, Blank CU, Mandala M, Long GV, Atkinson V, Dalle S, et al. Adjuvant pembrolizumab versus placebo in resected stage III melanoma. N Engl J Med. 2018;378(19):1789–801.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  94. Muller AJ, DuHadaway JB, Donover PS, Sutanto-Ward E, Prendergast GC. Inhibition of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, an immunoregulatory target of the cancer suppression gene Bin1, potentiates cancer chemotherapy. Nat Med. 2005;11(3):312–9.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  95. Yue EW, Sparks R, Polam P, Modi D, Douty B, Wayland B, et al. INCB24360 (Epacadostat), a highly potent and selective indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) inhibitor for immuno-oncology. ACS Med Chem Lett. 2017;8(5):486–91.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  96. Balmanoukian AS, Hamid O, Gajewski TF, Frankel AE, Bauer TM, Olszanski AJ, et al. 1214OEpacadostat plus pembrolizumab in patients with advanced melanoma: phase 1 and 2 efficacy and safety results from ECHO-202/KEYNOTE-037. Ann Oncol. 2017;28(suppl_5).

    Google Scholar 

  97. Long GV, Dummer R, Hamid O, Gajewski T, Caglevic C, Dalle S, et al. Epacadostat (E) plus pembrolizumab (P) versus pembrolizumab alone in patients (pts) with unresectable or metastatic melanoma: results of the phase 3 ECHO-301/KEYNOTE-252 study. J Clin Oncol. 2018;36(15_suppl):108.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  98. Labadie BW, Bao R, Luke JJ. Reimagining IDO pathway inhibition in cancer immunotherapy via downstream focus on the tryptophan–kynurenine–aryl hydrocarbon axis. Clin Cancer Res. 2019;25(5):1462.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  99. Goldberg MV, Drake CG. LAG-3 in cancer immunotherapy. Curr Top Microbiol Immunol. 2011;344:269–78.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  100. Catakovic K, Klieser E, Neureiter D, Geisberger R. T cell exhaustion: from pathophysiological basics to tumor immunotherapy. Cell Commun Signal. 2017;15(1):1.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  101. Ascierto PA, Melero I, Bhatia S, Bono P, Sanborn RE, Lipson EJ, et al. Initial efficacy of anti-lymphocyte activation gene-3 (anti–LAG-3; BMS-986016) in combination with nivolumab (nivo) in pts with melanoma (MEL) previously treated with anti–PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. J Clin Oncol. 2017;35(15_suppl):9520.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  102. Amaria RN, Reddy SM, Tawbi HA, Davies MA, Ross MI, Glitza IC, et al. Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockade in high-risk resectable melanoma. Nat Med. 2018;24(11):1649–54.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  103. Hahn AW, Gill DM, Pal SK, Agarwal N. The future of immune checkpoint cancer therapy after PD-1 and CTLA-4. Immunotherapy. 2017;9(8):681–92.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  104. Fourcade J, Sun Z, Benallaoua M, Guillaume P, Luescher IF, Sander C, et al. Upregulation of Tim-3 and PD-1 expression is associated with tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cell dysfunction in melanoma patients. J Exp Med. 2010;207(10):2175–86.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  105. Buchan SL, Rogel A, Al-Shamkhani A. The immunobiology of CD27 and OX40 and their potential as targets for cancer immunotherapy. Blood. 2018;131(1):39–48.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  106. Oberst MD, Auge C, Morris C, Kentner S, Mulgrew K, McGlinchey K, et al. Potent immune modulation by MEDI6383, an engineered human OX40 ligand IgG4P fc fusion protein. Mol Cancer Ther. 2018;17:1024.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  107. Chester C, Sanmamed MF, Wang J, Melero I. Immunotherapy targeting 4-1BB: mechanistic rationale, clinical results, and future strategies. Blood. 2018;131(1):49–57.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  108. Sznol M, Hodi FS, Margolin K, McDermott DF, Ernstoff MS, Kirkwood JM, et al. Phase I study of BMS-663513, a fully human anti-CD137 agonist monoclonal antibody, in patients (pts) with advanced cancer (CA). J Clin Oncol. 2008;26(15_suppl):3007.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  109. Huang B, Zhao J, Unkeless JC, Feng ZH, Xiong H. TLR signaling by tumor and immune cells: a double-edged sword. Oncogene. 2008;27(2):218–24.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  110. Milhem M, Gonzales R, Medina T, Kirkwood JM, Buchbinder E, Mehmi I, et al. Abstract CT144: intratumoral toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonist, CMP-001, in combination with pembrolizumab can reverse resistance to PD-1 inhibition in a phase Ib trial in subjects with advanced melanoma. Cancer Res. 2018;78(13 Supplement):CT144.

    Google Scholar 

  111. Ribas A, Medina T, Kummar S, Amin A, Kalbasi A, Drabick JJ, et al. SD-101 in combination with pembrolizumab in advanced melanoma: results of a phase Ib, multicenter study. Cancer Discov. 2018;8(10):1250–7.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  112. Charych DH, Hoch U, Langowski JL, Lee SR, Addepalli MK, Kirk PB, et al. NKTR-214, an engineered cytokine with biased IL2 receptor binding, increased tumor exposure, and marked efficacy in mouse tumor models. Clin Cancer Res. 2016;22(3):680.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  113. Bentebibel S-E, Hurwitz ME, Bernatchez C, Haymaker C, Hudgens CW, Kluger HM, et al. A first-in-human study and biomarker analysis of NKTR-214, a novel IL-2-receptor beta/gamma (βγ)-biased cytokine, in patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors. Cancer Discov. 2019:CD-18-1495.

    Google Scholar 

  114. Gopalakrishnan V, Spencer CN, Nezi L, Reuben A, Andrews MC, Karpinets TV, et al. Gut microbiome modulates response to anti–PD-1 immunotherapy in melanoma patients. Science. 2018;359(6371):97.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Isabella C. Glitza Oliva .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Albittar, A.A., Alhalabi, O., Glitza Oliva, I.C. (2020). Immunotherapy for Melanoma. In: Naing, A., Hajjar, J. (eds) Immunotherapy. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 1244. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41008-7_3

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics