Abstract
BACKGROUND Early therapies for metastatic melanoma improved patient quality of life; however, median survival remained unaffected. Studies are showing that surgical excision with the combination of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has better outcomes than systemic therapy alone. This single-center case series describes 7 patients with oligometastatic melanoma treated by metastasectomy in combination with ICI and BRAF inhibitors. CASE REPORT One female and 6 male patients are included in our study, with ages ranging from 34 to 82 years. Oligometastatic melanoma is defined was having no more than 5 metastatic regions. Each patient had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1. Patients received either ICI therapy with ipilimumab, nivolumab, and/or pembrolizumab, or targeted therapy with encorafenib and binimetinib, or a combination. Patients underwent metastasectomies with curative intent. The main outcome and measurements obtained were the duration of disease-free survival, based on radiographic evidence. The range of disease-free survival in our population was 13 to 67 months, with the lower end limited by patient death and the upper limit being the present day. CONCLUSIONS This case series reiterates survival benefit for patients who received metastasectomy after exhibiting good response to ICI therapy. ICI and/or BRAF inhibitor therapy combined with metastasectomy provides a possible curative option for patients who may have previously been relegated to palliative-focused care. By using a multimodal approach with oncologists and surgeons, we can challenge our understanding of what constitutes a resectable cancer.