Educational content on VJOncology is intended for healthcare professionals only. By visiting this website and accessing this information you confirm that you are a healthcare professional.

Share this video  

ESMO 2021 | Melanoma highlights from ESMO 2021

Paolo A. Ascierto, MD, National Tumor Institute, Milan, Italy, gives an overview of the data that was presented at ESMO 2021 in the field of melanoma. Firstly, the KEYNOTE-716 double-blind phase III trial (NCT03553836) found that pembrolizumab significantly reduced relapse risk in patients with stage II melanoma in comparison to placebo. Secondly, the randomized, double-blind Phase II/III RELATIVITY-047 trial (NCT03470922) demonstrated that relatlimab plus nivolumab was more effective than nivolumab alone. Thirdly, Dr Ascierto mentions the Phase Ib/III KEYNOTE-034 (NCT02263508) trial, which showed that the addition of talimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) to pembrolizumab did not bring a benefit to patients with stage III/IV melanoma. Moreover, the prospective randomized Phase II SECOMBIT clinical trial (NCT02631447) reported positive results for patients treated with combination immunotherapy first, followed by combination targeted therapy. CheckMate 238, a double-blind, Phase III adjuvant trial (NCT02388906), confirmed the superiority of nivolumab to ipilimumab. The Phase II CheckMate 204 study (NCT02320058) supported the use of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in patients with active melanoma brain metastases. Updates from the randomized Phase III COLUMBUS trial (NCT01909453) comparing the efficacy and safety of encorafenib/binimetinib to vemurafenib and encorafenib monotherapy were also given. Dr Ascierto predicts that the results from these trials will change clinical practice. This interview took place at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2021 congress.