Real-world results of first-line immunotherapy or targeted therapy for metastatic melanoma in Finland: a cohort study

Abstract

<p><strong>Aim:</strong> First-line (1L) immunotherapy has yielded superior overall survival (OS) in metastatic melanoma (MM) but some patients are ineligible for immunotherapy or need rapid response with 1L targeted therapy (TT).<strong></strong><br></p><p><strong>Materials & methods:</strong> Retrospective cohort study of real-world patients treated with 1L immunotherapy (144 <em>BRAF</em> wild type, 85 <em>BRAF</em>-mutated) or 1L TT (143 <em>BRAF</em>-mutated) for MM in Finland during 2014-2021.<strong></strong><br></p><p><strong>Results:</strong> Baseline brain metastases, liver metastases and elevated LDH were less common, 2-year OS rates were higher (60.3-63.5% vs. 33.8%) and more patients were alive without the next-line treatment (38.0-43.8% vs. 23.3%) in patients with 1L immunotherapy.<strong></strong><br></p><p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Real-world patients with 1L immunotherapy for MM had favorable baseline characteristics and better treatment outcomes than observed in patients with 1L TT.<br></p>