3D-SARC: A Pilot Study Testing the Use of a 3D Augmented-Reality Model with Conventional Imaging as a Preoperative Assessment Tool for Surgical Resection of Retroperitoneal Sarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPSs) present a surgical challenge, with complex anatomic relationships to organs and vascular structures. This pilot study investigated the role of three-dimensional (3D) augmented reality (3DAR) compared with standard imaging in preoperative planning and resection strategies. METHODS: For the study, 13 patients who underwent surgical resection of their RPS were selected based on the location of their tumor (right, left, pelvis). From the patients' preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans, 3DAR models were created using a D2P program and projected by an augmented-reality (AR) glass (Hololens). The 3DAR models were evaluated by three experienced sarcoma surgeons and compared with the baseline two-dimensional (2D) contrast-enhanced CT scans. RESULTS: Three members of the surgical team evaluated 13 models of retroperitoneal sarcomas, resulting in a total of 26 responses. When the surgical team was asked to evaluate whether the 3DAR better prepared the surgeon for planned surgical resection, 10 responses favored the 3DAR, 5 favored the 2D CT scans and 11 showed no difference (p = 0.074). According to 15 (57.6 %) of the 26 responses, the 3DAR offered additional value over standard imaging in the preoperative planning (median score of 4; range, 1-5). The median stated likelihood that the surgeons would consult the 3DAR was 5 (range, 2-5) for the preoperative setting and 3 (range, 1-5) for the intraoperative setting. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests that the use of 3DAR may provide additional value over current standard imaging in the preoperative planning for surgical resection of RPS, and the technology merits further study.

Oncologic Outcomes After Isolated Limb Infusion for Advanced Melanoma: An International Comparison of the Procedure and Outcomes Between the United States and Australia.

BACKGROUND: Isolated limb infusion (ILI) is a minimally invasive procedure for delivering high-dose chemotherapy to extremities affected by locally advanced or in-transit melanoma. This study compared the outcomes of melanoma patients treated with ILI in the United States of America (USA) and Australia (AUS). METHODS: Patients with locally recurrent in-transit melanoma treated with ILI at USA or AUS centers between 1992 and 2018 were identified. Demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics were collected. Primary outcomes of treatment response, in-field progression-free survival (IPFS), distant progression-free survival (DPFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable analysis evaluated whether availability of new systemic therapies affected outcomes. RESULTS: More ILIs were performed in AUS (n = 411, 60 %) than in the USA (n = 276, 40 %). In AUS, more ILIs were performed for stage 3B disease than in the USA (62 % vs 46 %; p < 0.001). The reported complete response rates were similar (AUS 30 % vs USA 29 %). Among the stage 3B patients, AUS patients had better IPFS (p = 0.001), whereas DPFS and OS were similar between the two countries. Among the stage 3C patients, the USA patients had better OS (p < 0.001), whereas IPFS and DPFS were similar. Availability of new systemic therapies did not affect IPFS or DPFS in either country. However, the USA patients who received ILI after ipilimumab approval in 2011 had significantly improved OS (hazard ratio, 0.62; p = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: AUS patients were treated at an earlier disease stage than the USA patients with better IPFS for stage 3B disease. The USA patients treated after the availability of new systemic therapies had a better OS.

International Multicenter Experience of Isolated Limb Infusion for In-Transit Melanoma Metastases in Octogenarian and Nonagenarian Patients.

BACKGROUND: Isolated limb infusion (ILI) is used to treat in-transit melanoma metastases confined to an extremity. However, little is known about its safety and efficacy in octogenarians and nonagenarians (ON). PATIENTS AND METHODS: ON patients (≥ 80 years) who underwent a first ILI for American Joint Committee on Cancer seventh edition stage IIIB/IIIC melanoma between 1992 and 2018 at nine international centers were included and compared with younger patients (< 80 years). A cytotoxic drug combination of melphalan and actinomycin-D was used. RESULTS: Of the 687 patients undergoing a first ILI, 160 were ON patients (median age 84 years; range 80-100 years). Compared with the younger cohort (n = 527; median age 67 years; range 29-79 years), ON patients were more frequently female (70.0% vs. 56.9%; p = 0.003), had more stage IIIB disease (63.8 vs. 53.3%; p = 0.02), and underwent more upper limb ILIs (16.9% vs. 9.5%; p = 0.009). ON patients experienced similar Wieberdink limb toxicity grades III/IV (25.0% vs. 29.2%; p = 0.45). No toxicity-related limb amputations were performed. Overall response for ON patients was 67.3%, versus 64.6% for younger patients (p = 0.53). Median in-field progression-free survival was 9 months for both groups (p = 0.88). Median distant progression-free survival was 36 versus 23 months (p = 0.16), overall survival was 29 versus 40 months (p < 0.0001), and melanoma-specific survival was 46 versus 78 months (p = 0.0007) for ON patients compared with younger patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: ILI in ON patients is safe and effective with similar response and regional control rates compared with younger patients. However, overall and melanoma-specific survival are shorter.

The Prognosis and Natural History of In-Transit Melanoma Metastases at a High-Volume Centre.

BACKGROUND: Patients with in-transit melanoma metastases (ITM) experience a diverse spectrum of clinical presentations and a highly variable disease course. There is no standardized treatment protocol for these patients due to the limited data comparing treatment modalities for ITM. This is the first study to describe the disease trajectory and natural history of a large cohort of patients with ITM. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients treated for ITM between 2004 and 2018 at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre was performed. Clinical and pathological characteristics for primary and in-transit episodes were analyzed for predictors of relapse-free survival (RFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and melanoma-specific survival. RESULTS: A total of 109 patients with 303 episodes of ITM were identified: 52 (48%) females, median age 70.1 years (range 35-92). The median RFS for all episodes was 5 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.2-5.7). Eighty-seven percent of episodes involving isolated in-transit lesions underwent surgical excision, compared with 17% involving more than five in-transit lesions. A trend was seen between a greater number of lesions and shorter RFS (p = 0.055). The median DMFS was 34.8 months (95% CI 22.8-51.6). Factors associated with shorter DMFS included primary tumor thickness (hazard ratio [HR] 1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.15; p = 0.026), site of primary tumor (p = 0.008), and BRAF mutation (HR 2.12, 95% CI 1.14-3.94; p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Locoregional relapse is common in patients with ITM regardless of treatment modality. Characteristics of the ITM may predict for RFS, while primary tumor characteristics remain important predictors of DMFS.

Negative Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Patients with Melanoma: The Patient's Perspective.

BACKGROUND: The majority of patients undergoing sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for melanoma will have a negative SLN. The long-term sequelae of a negative result are important when discussing this staging investigation with patients. The objective of this study was to assess rates of lymphoedema and quality of life for these patients. METHODS: A prospective, cross-sectional study was performed on patients under routine follow-up with a history of melanoma, who had undergone sentinel lymph node biopsy where no metastasis was found (N0) at a high-volume melanoma centre. Relevant limbs were measured to assess for lymphoedema and patients completed the FACT-M quality of life instrument and a study specific questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 102 patients were recruited. Wound complications were observed in 25% and lymphoedema in 2% of patients. Physical and functional well-being scores were lowest in patients seen within 3 months of their SLNB. Functional well-being and quality of life improved over the 2 years following the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: SLNB has low complication rates. The procedure is associated with a short-term impact on patient quality of life and well-being. The vast majority of patients are pleased with the outcomes of this procedure and the information that it provides.

Long-Term Oncologic Outcomes After Isolated Limb Infusion for Locoregionally Metastatic Melanoma: An International Multicenter Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Isolated limb infusion (ILI) is a minimally invasive procedure for delivering high-dose regional chemotherapy to patients with locally advanced or in-transit melanoma located on a limb. The current international multicenter study evaluated the perioperative and long-term oncologic outcomes for patients who underwent ILI for stage 3B or 3C melanoma. METHODS: Patients undergoing a first-time ILI for stage 3B or 3C melanoma (American Joint Committee on Cancer [AJCC] 7th ed) between 1992 and 2018 at five Australian and four United States of America (USA) tertiary referral centers were identified. The primary outcome measures included treatment response, in-field (IPFS) and distant progression-free survival (DPFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: A total of 687 first-time ILIs were performed (stage 3B: n = 383, 56%; stage 3C; n = 304, 44%). Significant limb toxicity (Wieberdink grade 4) developed in 27 patients (3.9%). No amputations (grade 5) were performed. The overall response rate was 64.1% (complete response [CR], 28.9%; partial response [PR], 35.2%). Stable disease (SD) occurred in 14.5% and progressive disease (PD) in 19.8% of the patients. The median follow-up period was 47 months, with a median OS of 38.2 months. When stratified by response, the patients with a CR or PR had a significantly longer median IPFS (21.9 vs 3.0 months; p < 0.0001), DPFS (53.6 vs 12.7 months; p < 0.0001), and OS (46.5 vs 24.4 months; p < 0.0001) than the nonresponders (SD + PD). CONCLUSION: This study is the largest to date reporting long-term outcomes of ILI for locoregionally metastatic melanoma. The findings demonstrate that ILI is effective and safe for patients with stage 3B or 3C melanoma confined to a limb. A favorable response to ILI is associated with significantly longer IFPS, DPFS, and OS.

Safety and Efficacy of Isolated Limb Infusion Chemotherapy for Advanced Locoregional Melanoma in Elderly Patients: An Australian Multicenter Study.

BACKGROUND: Isolated limb infusion (ILI) offers a minimally invasive treatment option for locally advanced extremity melanoma. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of ILI in elderly patients in an Australian multicenter setting. METHODS: The results of 316 first ILI procedures, performed between 1992 and 2008 in five Australian institutions, were identified and analyzed, with the main focus on elderly patients (≥75 years of age). All institutions used the same protocol: melphalan was circulated in the isolated limb for 20-30 min (±actinomycin D), and toxicity, responses, and survival were recorded. RESULTS: Characteristics of patients aged ≥75 years (n = 148) were similar to those aged <75 years (n = 168), except that older patients had more melanoma deposits (median 4 vs. 5; p = 0.035) and lower limb volumes (5.4 vs. 6.5 L; p = 0.001). Median drug circulation times were lower in the older group (21 vs. 24 min; p = 0.04), and older patients experienced less limb toxicity (grade III/IV in 22 and 37% of patients, respectively; p = 0.003). A complete response (CR) was seen in 27% of patients aged ≥75 years and in 38% of patients aged <75 years (p = 0.06), while overall response rates were 72 and 77%, respectively (p = 0.30). No difference in survival was seen (p = 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: The ILI technique proved safe and effective in elderly patients. When present, toxicity was localized, and lower compared with younger patients, possibly due to shorter drug circulation times. CR rates were higher in younger patients, although not significantly, while overall response and survival were equal. Optimization of perioperative factors in elderly patients may allow response rates to be raised further, while maintaining low toxicity.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in T4 Melanoma: An Important Risk-Stratification Tool.

BACKGROUND: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is a sensitive test for detecting subclinical nodal metastatic disease in patients with melanoma without evidence of lymph node involvement. The prognostic significance of SLN positivity in patients with melanoma >4 mm thick (T4) is unclear. The survival curves in the current AJCC staging system suggest that the status of the SLN is not predictive of outcome for patients with T4 melanoma. METHODS: Patients with primary T4 melanoma without clinical nodal involvement who underwent SLNB between 2002 and 2012 at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre were included in the analysis with chart review performed to collect clinical, pathological, and outcome data. A meta-analysis was performed including similar studies of SLNB in T4 melanoma, which reported overall survival (OS) data. RESULTS: Of 217 patients who underwent SLNB, 78 patients had a positive SLN (36 %). The 5-year OS for SLNB negative and positive patients was 68 and 45 %, respectively [hazard ratio (HR) 2.82; 95 % CI 1.76-4.51; P = .001]. On multivariate analysis, the only predictors of OS were the status of the SLN (HR 2.88; 95 % CI 1.75­4.73) and the presence of satellitosis (HR 2.59; 95 % CI 1.30-5.76). The meta-analysis identified 10 studies that met the inclusion criteria. All reported similar findings, demonstrating a significant difference in OS according to sentinel lymph node status; the pooled analysis of 2104 patients demonstrated an overall HR for OS according to SLNB status of 2.3 (95 % CI 1.95-2.71). CONCLUSIONS: SLNB provides important prognostic information for patients with T4 melanoma. This information is important when stratifying patients for clinical trials.

Australian Multicenter Study of Isolated Limb Infusion for Melanoma.

PURPOSE: Isolated limb infusion (ILI) offers a less invasive alternative to isolated limb perfusion (ILP) for the treatment of locally advanced extremity melanoma. In Australia, ILI has essentially completely replaced ILP. The aim of this study was to collect and evaluate the results of ILI in an Australian multicenter setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The results of 316 first ILI procedures, performed between 1992 and 2008 in five Australian institutions, were collectively analyzed, with all five institutions using the same protocol. Melphalan was circulated in the isolated limb for 20-30 min (±actinomycin D). Response was determined using the World Health Organization criteria, and limb toxicity was assessed using the Wieberdink scale. RESULTS: The median patient age was 74 years (range 28-100) and 59 % of patients were female. Overall response rate was 75 % (complete response [CR] 33 %; partial response 42 %). Stable disease was seen in 18 % of patients and progressive disease in 7 %. Wieberdink grade III or higher was seen in 30 % of the cases. No toxicity-related amputations occurred, and median survival was 44 months. In patients with a CR, median survival was 80 months (p = 0.014). On multivariate analysis, Breslow thickness, lower-limb ILI, and a procedure performed at the Melanoma Institute Australia remained significant predictors for response, although not for survival. CONCLUSIONS: This Australian multicenter study of ILI is the largest reported to date. ILI is a useful technique that can be safely and effectively performed across tertiary referral centers for the successful management of advanced extremity melanoma. Increased optimization of perioperative factors might allow response rates to be raised further, while maintaining acceptable toxicity.

Intralesional PV-10 for in-transit melanoma-A single-center experience.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Patients with in-transit melanoma metastasis have longer median survival than patients with distant metastatic disease. Furthermore, local disease control is an important endpoint for symptom management. The treatment of unresectable loco-regional recurrence or in-transit disease has been historically managed with a combination of treatments including surgery, radiotherapy, isolated limb infusion or perfusion as well as systemic therapies. Intralesional PV-10 has been used at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre since 2010, and the current report presents a retrospective analysis of patient outcomes, reporting the response rates, durability of responses, and observed toxicities. METHODS: Records were analyzed retrieving details of 19 patients treated with PV-10 over a 4-year period from 2010 to 2014. Medical records were reviewed for these patients and data extracted. RESULTS: Nineteen patients with in-transit melanoma were treated with intralesional PV-10 between 2010 and 2014. Disease control (complete or partial response or disease stability) was achieved in 68% of patients with 26% having a complete response. This was achieved with minimal associated toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: PV-10 is an effective, durable, well-tolerated treatment tool with an acceptable side effect profile for the management of unresectable in-transit melanoma. J. Surg. Oncol. 2016;114:380-384. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Post-operative survival following metastasectomy for patients receiving BRAF inhibitor therapy is associated with duration of pre-operative treatment and elective indication.

INTRODUCTION: Metastasectomy can provide durable disease control for selected patients with metastatic melanoma. Vemurafenib is a BRAF kinase inhibitor which has demonstrated significant improvement in disease-specific survival in patients with metastatic melanoma with a BRAF gene mutation. This study examined the efficacy and safety of metastasectomy during treatment with vemurafenib. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of all patients receiving vemurafenib at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Patient records were reviewed to identify patients undergoing surgery within 30 days of vemurafenib therapy. Descriptive statistics and survival analysis were performed. RESULTS: Nineteen patients underwent 21 metastasectomies including craniotomy (57%), spinal decompression (14%), small bowel resection (14%), lung resection (9.5%) and neck dissection (4.5%). Indications for surgery were: an isolated residual focus of disease (n = 2); isolated progressive disease in the setting of stability elsewhere (n = 9); and symptomatic disease (n = 8). Grade 2 or higher surgical complications occurred in 19% of cases and there was one peri-operative death. Median post-operative survival was seven months. There was a trend toward improved post-operative survival for patients with longer duration of vemurafenib therapy (P = 0.04) and for those undergoing elective surgery (P = 0.07). CONCLUSION: Resection of oligometastatic disease during BRAF-targeted therapy is safe. Selected patients have durable post-operative disease control.

Australian multi-center experience outside of the Sydney Melanoma Unit of isolated limb infusion chemotherapy for melanoma.

INTRODUCTION: Isolated limb infusion (ILI) is a minimally invasive alternative to isolated limb perfusion (ILP) for delivering high-dose regional chemotherapy to treat locally advanced limb melanoma. The current study aimed to evaluate the applicability of ILI in four Australian tertiary referral centers outside of its originating institution, the Sydney Melanoma Unit (SMU; currently known as the Melanoma Institute Australia). METHODS: Data of 131 patients, treated between 1992 and 2008 were collectively analyzed. The ILI procedures were based on the Sydney Melanoma Unit protocol using melphalan. Response was determined using the WHO criteria and toxicity was assessed using the Wieberdink scale. RESULTS: The median patient age was 74 years (range 28-100). Fifty-six percent were female. Overall response (OR) rate to ILI was 63% (CR 27%; PR 36%). Wieberdink toxicity grade III or higher was seen in 13%. No toxicity-related amputations occurred. Median follow-up was 24 months; median survival was 58 months. In patients with a complete response (CR), median survival was 101 months; in patients with a partial response (PR) this was 41 months (P = 0.026). On univariate analysis a younger age, lower-limb procedures and a lower Breslow thickness of the primary melanoma were associated with a favorable response. On multivariate analysis Breslow thickness and lower-limb ILI remained significant predictors for response. CONCLUSION: In this, to date, largest multi-center study of ILI for melanoma the results are comparable to other reports and demonstrate that ILI can be widely implemented and safely applied across tertiary referral centers.

The impact of a genomic assay (Oncotype DX) on adjuvant treatment recommendations in early breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To assess how the recurrence score of the Oncotype DX breast cancer assay influences adjuvant systemic treatment decisions in the multidisciplinary meeting (MDM) for patients with early breast cancer (EBC) in Australia. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A before-and-after study at three academic medical centres in Melbourne with patients and physicians serving as their own controls. Paired systemic adjuvant treatment recommendations were made in multidisciplinary meetings (MDMs) before and after Oncotype DX testing. Medical oncologists and surgeons, treating patients with unifocal, hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative, node-negative or node-positive early breast cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in physician treatment recommendations. RESULTS: This study enrolled 151 eligible patients between 1 November 2010 and 30 September 2011. Of these, 101 patients (67%) had node-negative and 50 (33%) had node-positive tumours. Recurrence score information resulted in treatment recommendation changes for 24 patients with node-negative tumours (24%) and for 13 patients with node-positive tumours (26%). The proportional change from chemo-hormonal therapy (CHT) to hormonal therapy (HT) was significantly greater than from HT to CHT for patients with node-negative tumours (23% difference in proportions; P= 0.02), and of similar magnitude for patients with node-positive tumours (25% difference in proportions; P = 0.14). CONCLUSION: The Oncotype DX recurrence score has a major impact on adjuvant treatment decision making in the MDM setting.

Factors predicting toxicity and response following isolated limb infusion for melanoma: An international multi-centre study.

INTRODUCTION: Isolated limb infusion (ILI) is a minimally-invasive procedure for delivering high-dose regional chemotherapy to treat melanoma in-transit metastases confined to a limb. The aim of this international multi-centre study was to identify predictive factors for toxicity and response. METHODS: Data of 687 patients who underwent a first ILI for melanoma in-transit metastases confined to the limb between 1992 and 2018 were collected at five Australian and four US tertiary referral centres. RESULTS: After ILI, predictive factors for increased limb toxicity (Wieberdink grade III/IV limb toxicity, n = 192, 27.9%) were: female gender, younger age, procedures performed before 2005, lower limb procedures, higher melphalan dose, longer drug circulation and ischemia times, and increased tissue hypoxia. No patient experienced grade V toxicity (necessitating amputation). A complete response (n = 199, 28.9%) was associated with a lower stage of disease, lower burden of disease (BOD) and thinner Breslow thickness of the primary melanoma. Additionally, an overall response (combined complete and partial response, n = 441, 64.1%) was associated with female gender, Australian centres, procedures performed before 2005, lower limb procedures and lower actinomycin-D doses. On multivariate analysis, higher melphalan dose remained a predictive factor for toxicity, while lower stage of disease and lower BOD remained predictive factors for overall response. CONCLUSION: ILI is safe and effective to treat melanoma in-transit metastases. Predictive factors for toxicity and response identified in this study will allow improved patient selection and optimization of intra-operative parameters to increase response rates, while keeping toxicity low.

Melanoma in the very elderly, management in patients 85years of age and over.

OBJECTIVES: Melanoma treatment in the elderly can entail complex decision making. This study characterizes the presentation, management, and outcome of melanoma in the very elderly. METHOD: Retrospective review of all patients in their 85th year or older presenting to a tertiary referral cancer centre between 2000 and 2012 with American Joint Committee on Cancer stages 0-II cutaneous melanoma. RESULTS: 127 patients, 26 with in-situ disease and 101 with stages I-II disease, were included. For invasive primary disease, the median age was 87years (IRQ=86-89). Most patients had melanomas with poor prognoses at diagnosis: 49.5% were ulcerated, 68.3% mitotically active (mitotic rate≥1), and the median tumor thickness was 3.7mm (IQR=1.7-5.8). Nodular melanomas were the most frequent subtype (31.7%, 32/101). Only 66.3% received an excision margin≥10mm. Suboptimal excision margins were associated with increased risk of local recurrence (HR=6.87, 95% CI=5.53-8.20, p=0.0045) but not poorer disease specific survival (DSS, p=0.37) or overall survival (OS, p=0.19). Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) did not influence survival (DSS, p=0.39, OS, p=0.78). Median OS was 33months. Overall, one-third (34.7%) of patients died from causes other than melanoma during the follow up period. In patients aged ≥90 only 1 patient (4.3%) died from melanoma, while 10 patients (43.5%) died of other causes. CONCLUSIONS: Older patients have thick, mitotically active and frequently ulcerated melanomas. An excision margin≥10mm should be considered to reduce risk of local recurrence. SNB did not impact on survival. With increasing age, patients will more commonly die of causes other than melanoma regardless of the extent of surgical care.

Prospective evaluation of prognostic indicators for early recurrence of cutaneous melanoma.

The majority of melanomas are thin lesions with an excellent prognosis; however, significant tumor heterogeneity exists, and a small percentage of patients with early-stage disease may progress to metastatic recurrence. This study aimed to assess whether prognostic factors previously shown to be significant in predicting stage I and stage II melanoma recurrence were consistent in a large prospectively collected patient cohort, and to identify novel prognostic factors associated with early recurrence to inform follow-up protocols. There were 1029 patients with stage I and stage II melanoma included in the analysis, of whom 123 developed a recurrence during follow-up (median 2.13 years). Multivariable analysis identified ulceration, presence of mitoses, Clark level, presence of lymphovascular invasion, and a history of autoimmune disease as factors independently associated with recurrence. These data identified patients with stage I-II melanoma with very low-risk for recurrence: no ulceration, zero mitoses, a low Clark level, no lymphovascular invasion, and possibly no history of autoimmune disease. These patients do not require intensive follow-up: 12 monthly reviews and full skin checks may be appropriate. Ongoing research into prognostic factors for recurrence in early-stage melanoma is important.

CD271 Expression on Patient Melanoma Cells Is Unstable and Unlinked to Tumorigenicity.

The stability of markers that identify cancer cells that propagate disease is important to the outcomes of targeted therapy strategies. In human melanoma, conflicting data exist as to whether hierarchical expression of CD271/p75/NGFR (nerve growth factor receptor) marks cells with enriched tumorigenicity, which would compel their specific targeting in therapy. To test whether these discrepancies relate to differences among groups in assay approaches, we undertook side-by-side testing of published methods of patient-derived melanoma xenografting (PDX), including comparisons of tissue digestion procedures or coinjected Matrigel formulations. We found that CD271(-) and CD271(+) melanoma cells from each of seven patients were similarly tumorigenic, regardless of assay variations. Surprisingly variable CD271 expression patterns were observed in the analyses of sibling PDX tumors (n = 68) grown in the same experiments from either CD271(-) or CD271(+) cells obtained from patients. This indicates unstable intratumoral lineage relationships between CD271(-) and CD271(+) melanoma cells that are inconsistent with classical, epigenetically based theories of disease progression, such as the cancer stem cell and plasticity models. SNP genotyping of pairs of sibling PDX tumors grown from phenotypically identical CD271(-) or CD271(+) cells showed large pairwise differences in copy number (28%-48%). Differences were also apparent in the copy number profiles of CD271(-) and CD271(+) cells purified directly from each of the four melanomas (1.4%-23%). Thus, CD271 expression in patient melanomas is unstable, not consistently linked to increased tumorigenicity and associated with genetic heterogeneity, undermining its use as a marker in clinical studies. Cancer Res; 76(13); 3965-77. ©2016 AACR.

Current management of advanced melanoma: a transformed landscape.

The prognosis for patients with stage IV melanoma has historically been extremely poor and there have until recently been no effective treatment options. The last 3 years have seen a seismic shift in the management of these patients with the entry to the clinic of a number of novel agents with proven efficacy. These agents fall into two main classes: molecular-targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Molecular therapies have primarily targeted the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, most notably with oral inhibitors targetting oncogenic BRAF. Immunotherapy agents such as ipilimumab, and more recently antibodies against PD-1 boost the host immune response against the melanoma. It is important for surgeons to be aware of these advances for a number of reasons. Firstly, to be able to inform their patients of the general options available in the event of disease progression. Secondly, these agents are currently being assessed in the adjuvant setting and are likely to demonstrate efficacy for earlier stages of disease. Finally, it is important for surgeons to be able to advocate on their patients' behalf to minimize the lag time between publication of these promising results and the availability of these agents in the clinic. Furthermore, patients with advanced melanoma should be offered participation in clinical trials in order to refine the indications for these agents to maximize their chance of benefit.

Atypical Spitzoid neoplasms: a review of potential markers of biological behavior including sentinel node biopsy.

Atypical cutaneous melanocytic lesions, including those with Spitzoid features, can be difficult to categorize as benign or malignant. This can lead to suboptimal management, with potential adverse patient outcomes. Recent studies have enhanced knowledge of the molecular and genetic biology of these lesions and, combined with clinicopathological findings, is further defining their biological spectrum, classification, and behavior. Sentinel node biopsy provides important prognostic information in patients with cutaneous melanoma, but its role in the management of melanocytic lesions of uncertain malignant potential (MELTUMP) is controversial. This paper examines the role of molecular testing and sentinel node biopsy in MELTUMPs, particularly atypical Spitzoid tumors.