Dr. Atkins on CA209-004 Trial Results in Advanced Melanoma

Michael B. Atkins, MD, deputy director, Georgetown-Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, discusses results from the CA209-004 trial, which was a phase I study analyzing patients with advanced, unresectable melanoma treated with nivolumab (Opdivo) plus ipilimumab (Yervoy).

At 4 years, 57% of patients were alive. There was favorable survival of at least 49% in every cohort of patients examined, including those with BRAF mutations, BRAF wild-type disease, PD-L1—positive disease, PD-L1–negative disease, and regardless of the stage, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and whether or not patients had received prior therapy, explains Atkins.

Additionally, 86% of patients who stopped treatment because they completed therapy were still alive for 2 to 3 years after they stopped treatment says Atkins. Of patients who stopped treatment due to toxicity, 70% were still alive. Patients were more likely to complete treatment, says Atkins, if they had a normal LDH, their tumor was BRAF wild-type, and they had not received prior treatment.

Patients who finished treatment had a positive quality of life, according to Atkins. In recent years, melanoma has become curable in the majority of patients, allowing patients to thrive after treatment, concludes Atkins.