Quality of life in long-term survivors of advanced melanoma treated with checkpoint inhibitors

Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (CIs) have revolutionized treatment of advanced melanoma, leading to an emerging population of long-term survivors. Survivors’ quality of life (QOL) and symptom burden are poorly understood. We set out to evaluate symptom burden and QOL in patients with advanc...

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Main Authors: Michael A Postow, Maha Mamoor, Jessica A Lavery, Shrujal S Baxi, Niloufer Khan, Jun J Mao, Lauren J Rogak, Robert Sidlow, Bridgette Thom, Jedd A Wolchok, Deborah Korenstein
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2020-05-01
Series:Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
Online Access:https://jitc.bmj.com/content/8/1/e000260.full
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author Michael A Postow
Maha Mamoor
Jessica A Lavery
Shrujal S Baxi
Niloufer Khan
Jun J Mao
Lauren J Rogak
Robert Sidlow
Bridgette Thom
Jedd A Wolchok
Deborah Korenstein
author_facet Michael A Postow
Maha Mamoor
Jessica A Lavery
Shrujal S Baxi
Niloufer Khan
Jun J Mao
Lauren J Rogak
Robert Sidlow
Bridgette Thom
Jedd A Wolchok
Deborah Korenstein
author_sort Michael A Postow
collection DOAJ
description Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (CIs) have revolutionized treatment of advanced melanoma, leading to an emerging population of long-term survivors. Survivors’ quality of life (QOL) and symptom burden are poorly understood. We set out to evaluate symptom burden and QOL in patients with advanced melanoma alive more than 1 year after initiating CI therapy.Methods Cross-sectional surveys, accompanied by chart review of patients with advanced melanoma treated with CIs at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, completed therapy, and were alive >1 year after treatment initiation. Surveys were administered between February and August 2018. Surveys included: European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30, EuroQOL, items from Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events and Fatigue Severity Scale.Results We included 90 patients. The most common CI regimens were ipilimumab plus nivolumab (53%) and pembrolizumab (41%); most patients (71%) were not treated in clinical trials. Median time from CI therapy initiation was 40 months and from last dose was 28 months. Fatigue was reported by 28%, with higher fatigue scores in women than men; 12% reported difficulty sleeping. Aching joints (17%) and muscles (12%) were fairly common. Level of functioning was generally high. Overall QOL was excellent though 40% reported ‘some or moderate’ problems with anxiety/depression and 31% with pain/discomfort.Conclusions After CI therapy, long-surviving advanced melanoma patients commonly report fatigue but otherwise have moderate symptom burden and good QOL. Ensuring appropriate symptom management will optimize clinical outcomes for these patients.
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spelling doaj-art-5312ac9aae874a10a0c06330b4c023632024-11-08T16:45:08ZengBMJ Publishing GroupJournal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer2051-14262020-05-018110.1136/jitc-2019-000260Quality of life in long-term survivors of advanced melanoma treated with checkpoint inhibitorsMichael A Postow0Maha Mamoor1Jessica A Lavery2Shrujal S Baxi3Niloufer Khan4Jun J Mao5Lauren J Rogak6Robert Sidlow7Bridgette Thom8Jedd A Wolchok9Deborah Korenstein1013 Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USAresearch data analyst2 Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA3 Flatiron Health Inc, New York, New York, USA2 Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USAchief2 Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA2 Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA1 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA2 Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USAchief attendingBackground Immune checkpoint inhibitors (CIs) have revolutionized treatment of advanced melanoma, leading to an emerging population of long-term survivors. Survivors’ quality of life (QOL) and symptom burden are poorly understood. We set out to evaluate symptom burden and QOL in patients with advanced melanoma alive more than 1 year after initiating CI therapy.Methods Cross-sectional surveys, accompanied by chart review of patients with advanced melanoma treated with CIs at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, completed therapy, and were alive >1 year after treatment initiation. Surveys were administered between February and August 2018. Surveys included: European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30, EuroQOL, items from Patient-Reported Outcomes version of the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events and Fatigue Severity Scale.Results We included 90 patients. The most common CI regimens were ipilimumab plus nivolumab (53%) and pembrolizumab (41%); most patients (71%) were not treated in clinical trials. Median time from CI therapy initiation was 40 months and from last dose was 28 months. Fatigue was reported by 28%, with higher fatigue scores in women than men; 12% reported difficulty sleeping. Aching joints (17%) and muscles (12%) were fairly common. Level of functioning was generally high. Overall QOL was excellent though 40% reported ‘some or moderate’ problems with anxiety/depression and 31% with pain/discomfort.Conclusions After CI therapy, long-surviving advanced melanoma patients commonly report fatigue but otherwise have moderate symptom burden and good QOL. Ensuring appropriate symptom management will optimize clinical outcomes for these patients.https://jitc.bmj.com/content/8/1/e000260.full
spellingShingle Michael A Postow
Maha Mamoor
Jessica A Lavery
Shrujal S Baxi
Niloufer Khan
Jun J Mao
Lauren J Rogak
Robert Sidlow
Bridgette Thom
Jedd A Wolchok
Deborah Korenstein
Quality of life in long-term survivors of advanced melanoma treated with checkpoint inhibitors
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
title Quality of life in long-term survivors of advanced melanoma treated with checkpoint inhibitors
title_full Quality of life in long-term survivors of advanced melanoma treated with checkpoint inhibitors
title_fullStr Quality of life in long-term survivors of advanced melanoma treated with checkpoint inhibitors
title_full_unstemmed Quality of life in long-term survivors of advanced melanoma treated with checkpoint inhibitors
title_short Quality of life in long-term survivors of advanced melanoma treated with checkpoint inhibitors
title_sort quality of life in long term survivors of advanced melanoma treated with checkpoint inhibitors
url https://jitc.bmj.com/content/8/1/e000260.full
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