Response durability after cessation of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma: a retrospective multicenter DeCOG study.
Henner StegeM HaistS SchultheisM I FleischerP MohrS UgurelP TerheydenA ThiemF KieckerU LeiterJ C BeckerM MeissnerJ KleemanC PföhlerJ HasselS GrabbeC LoquaiPublished in: Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII (2021)
Our results from this contemporary cohort of patients with metastatic MCC indicate that MCC patients are at higher risk of relapse after discontinuation of ICI as compared to melanoma patients. Notably, the risk of disease progression after discontinuation of ICI treatment is lower in patients with initial CR (33%) as compared to patients with initial PR (66%) or SD (100%). Upon tumor progression, re-induction of ICI is a feasible option. Our data suggest that the BOR to initial ICI therapy might be a potential predictive clinical marker for a successful re-induction.