Treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in patients with loco-regional recurrent melanoma in the United Kingdom

Limited guidance exists for the treatment of loco-regional recurrence of melanoma, particularly in the context of emerging use of immunotherapies in the adjuvant setting. Additionally, outcomes are not well known among patients. Thus, the aim of this study was to describe real-world treatment patterns and outcomes among patients in the UK with loco-regional recurrence of melanoma. This was a multicentre, retrospective, observational, cohort study of patients in the UK who were diagnosed with loco-regional recurrence of melanoma between 2014 and 2022. Demographic, clinical, and treatment data were examined to better understand patterns and outcomes. Data on treatments administered were extracted to understand treatment sequencing. Survival endpoints included recurrence-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival, and overall survival. Kaplan-Meier methods were used for time-to-event analyses. Among 133 included patients, the median age at diagnosis was 68 years, 51.1% were male, and most patients (92.5%) were diagnosed with a cutaneous melanoma as their first-ever diagnosis of melanoma. Surgical intervention was the predominant treatment; however, immunotherapy was also widely used following surgery. The cumulative percentage of patients alive at 12 months was 93.0% (95% CI: 88.9–97.5). The median recurrence-free survival was 8.7 months (95% CI: 5.6–14.7). Approximately half of patients (49.0%; 95% CI: 38.1–60.8) did not have a distant metastasis during the follow-up period. This study highlights the characteristics of patients with loco-regional recurrence of melanoma and provides historical context for treatment patterns and outcomes during a period of evolving systemic therapy use.