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Age-related disparities exist in patients with advanced melanoma regarding overall survival. One study addressed the limited data on the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in different age groups and their effect on survival rates.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) changed the landscape of melanoma treatment, improving the overall survival (OS) of affected patients. Studies have shown that an ICI alone or in combination with other ICIs can improve OS in patients with malignant melanoma. However, there is limited data on the influence of age on the prognosis of patients with melanoma. Older patients with melanoma represent a population in need of effective treatments as immune dysfunction may develop with age.

A study published in Frontiers in Immunology examined data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Result (SEER) database program 2004-2016. Researchers investigated the effects of age on patients with advanced melanoma before ICI approval (non-ICI era) and after ICI approval (ICI era). Approximately 4,040 patients had advanced melanoma before the approval of ICIs, and 6,188 patients had advanced melanoma after the approval of ICIs.

Results found that ICIs promoted better OS in younger patients than in older patients with melanoma. There were no significant differences in overall survival in patients aged 20-59 and patients aged 60-74, although older patients over 74 years of age experienced poorer survival rates. However, in the ICI era, the younger group of patients aged 20-59 exhibited better survival (p=0.0001) than the older patient groups. In addition, patients who underwent survival exhibited significantly increased survival rates compared to patients who did not undergo surgery.

Surgical removal of metastatic melanoma may be considered in patients of all ages, as it is associated with positive outcomes for OS. It is advisable that healthcare providers evaluate their treatment plans for patients with melanoma based on the age of the patient and overall treatment goals.

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Source:
Safi, M., Al-Azab, M., Jin, C., Trapani, D., Baldi, S., Adlat, S., Wang, A., Ahmad, B., Al-Madani, H., Shan, X., & Liu, J. (2021). Age-Based Disparities in Metastatic Melanoma Patients Treated in the Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICI) Versus Non-ICI Era: A Population-Based Study. Front Immunol, 12, 609728. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.609728