Characteristics of Brazilian melanomas: real-world results before and after the introduction of new therapies

Author(s)

Modes da Costa, Leticia Maria ; Crovador, Camila de Souza ; Barbosa de Carvalho, Carlos Eduardo ; Vazquez, Vinicius de Lima

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BMC RESEARCH NOTES; v. 12, p. 5-pg., 2019-05-28.

Abstract

ObjectiveThis study is a characterization of the treatment patterns and outcomes of a Brazilian melanoma cohort collected of 1848 patients enrolled between 1996 and 2015.ResultsThe superficial spreading subtype (35.1%) was the most prevalent, and the favoured anatomical location was the trunk (32.8%). The most common clinical stage was I (27.6%). The most frequent initial treatment was surgery (84.7%). Sentinel node biopsy was positive in 23.3% of cases. Chemotherapy was used to treat 298 patients (16.1%), immunotherapy for 67 (3.6%) and targeted therapy for 19 (1.0%). Distant recurrence was commonly observed (22.5%) and the mutation status of the BRAF gene was verified in 132 cases, with 42.4% positivity in this subset of patients. The melanoma specific actuarial 5-year survival for the cohort was 68.8%. There was a higher 5-year survival observed in metastatic melanoma patients who received immunotherapy and/or targeted therapy (34.2%) compared patients treated with just chemotherapy (20.0%). The survival analysis showed that sex, age, Breslow, clinical stage and distant recurrence were significant prognostic factors. This study provides a real-world description of how the introduction of new therapies such as immunotherapy and BRAF inhibitors is changing treatment strategies for melanoma in developing countries. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 15/19969-7 - Demographic characterization, clinical and related to treatment and survival patients with melanoma of Cancer Hospital of Barretos enrolled between 2012 and 2015
• Grantee: Letícia Maria Modes da Costa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation