Real‑world efficacy and safety data of immune checkpoint inhibitors in Turkish patients with metastatic melanoma: A Turkish oncology group retrospective study

Ozgun,Alpaslan; Mustafayev,Fatma Nihan Akkoc; Dogan,Izzet; Vatansever,Sezai; Eryilmaz,Melek Karakurt; Erdogan,Atike Pinar; Ozturk,Gamze Goksel; Ayhan,Murat; Turan,Merve; Yildirim,Mahmut Emre; Hafizoglu,Emre; Bal,Oznur; Tolunay,Pinar Kubilay; Demirkazik,Ahmet; Cavdar,Eyyup; Seber,Selcuk; Cevik,Gokcen Tugba; Demir,Hacer; Dulgar,Ozgecan; Gumus,Mahmut; Cakir,Emre; Hacibekirogullari,İlhan; Gokyer,Ali; Unal,Olcun Umit; Perkin,Perihan; Sakalar,Teoman; Gulmez,Ahmet; Harputluoglu,Hakan; Elkiran,Emin Tamer; Tasci,Elif Senocak; Er,Ozlem; Lacin,Sahin; Kuzhan,Okan; Olgun,Polat; Temiz,Süleyman; Okutur,Kerem; Yilmaz,Bahiddin

doi:10.3892/mco.2025.2846

June-2025 Volume 22 Issue 6

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June-2025 Volume 22 Issue 6

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Article Open Access

Real‑world efficacy and safety data of immune checkpoint inhibitors in Turkish patients with metastatic melanoma: A Turkish oncology group retrospective study

Authors:
- Alpaslan Ozgun
- Fatma Nihan Akkoc Mustafayev
- Izzet Dogan
- Sezai Vatansever
- Melek Karakurt Eryilmaz
- Atike Pinar Erdogan
- Gamze Goksel Ozturk
- Murat Ayhan
- Merve Turan
- Mahmut Emre Yildirim
- Emre Hafizoglu
- Oznur Bal
- Pinar Kubilay Tolunay
- Ahmet Demirkazik
- Eyyup Cavdar
- Selcuk Seber
- Gokcen Tugba Cevik
- Hacer Demir
- Ozgecan Dulgar
- Mahmut Gumus
- Emre Cakir
- İlhan Hacibekirogullari
- Ali Gokyer
- Olcun Umit Unal
- Perihan Perkin
- Teoman Sakalar
- Ahmet Gulmez
- Hakan Harputluoglu
- Emin Tamer Elkiran
- Elif Senocak Tasci
- Ozlem Er
- Sahin Lacin
- Okan Kuzhan
- Polat Olgun
- Süleyman Temiz
- Kerem Okutur
- Bahiddin Yilmaz
View Affiliations / Copyright

Affiliations: Department of Medical Oncology, University of Health Sciences, Sultan Abdulhamid Han Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul 34668, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Istanbul University Institute of Oncology, Istanbul 34104, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Necmettin Erbakan University Meram Faculty of Medicine, Konya 42090, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Celal Bayar University Faculty of Medicine, Manisa 45140, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Kartal Lutfi Kirdar City Hospital, Istanbul 34890, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital, Ankara 06100, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Ankara University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara 06230, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Namik Kemal University Faculty of Medicine, Tekirdag 59100, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Usak University Faculty of Medicine, Usak 64100, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Afyon University Faculty of Medicine, Afyon 03200, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Medeniyet University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul 34700, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Sakarya University Faculty of Medicine, Sakarya 54050, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Trakya University Faculty of Medicine, Edirne 22030, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, İzmir 35460, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Ankara 06110, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Necip Fazil City Hospital, Kahramanmaras 46050, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Inonu University Faculty of Medicine, Malatya 44280, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul 34398, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology Yeditepe University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul 34728, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Near East University Faculty of Medicine, Lefkosa 99198, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Department of Medical Oncology, Kocaeli Acibadem Hospital, Kocaeli 41310, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Memorial Bahcelievler Hospital, Istanbul 34180, Turkey, Department of Medical Oncology, Ondokuz Mayis University Faculty of Medicine, Samsun 55100, Turkey

Copyright: © Ozgun et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.
Article Number: 51
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Published online on: April 14, 2025

https://doi.org/10.3892/mco.2025.2846
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Abstract

In recent years, significant success has been achieved in the treatment of metastatic melanoma with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), and it resulted in a remarkable increase in patient survival. However, there are only a few studies reflecting daily practice outside of clinical trials. The present study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ICI therapy in Turkish patients with metastatic melanoma, including those with poor prognostic factors such as advanced age and brain metastasis.
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 249 patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma and treated with ICIs at 23 cancer centers in Turkey. The efficacy and safety of treatment were investigated, and prognostic factors were examined.
The mean age was 59 years, and 64% of patients were male. A total of 28% had BRAF mutation. A total of 22% of the patients were >70 years of age and 26% had brain metastases. The objective response rate with ICI therapy was 37.7%. The median overall survival (OS) was 61 months (95% CI 47‑74.9), and the median progression‑free survival was 7 months (95% CI 5.9‑8). Examining factors influencing overall survival, the difference in median OS was not statistically significant by sex and BRAF status, whereas there were statistically significant differences by age, objective response status, metastasis pattern, and presence of brain metastasis. Median OS was 35 months in patients >70 years when compared with 67 months in patients aged 70 years and younger (P=0.02). Median OS was 41 months in patients without objective response, whereas it could not be reached in patients with objective response (P<0.0001). Median OS was 35 months in patients with de novo metastatic disease compared with 78 months in patients with recurrent metastasis (P<0.0001). Moreover, median OS was 37 months in patients with brain metastasis in comparison with 67 months in patients without brain metastasis (P=0.006). Multivariate analysis revealed that absence of objective response, presence of de novo metastasis, and presence of brain metastasis were independent poor prognostic factors affecting survival. Grade 3‑4 immune‑related adverse effects were observed in 7.2% of patients, and treatment was discontinued due to adverse effects in 2.8% of patients. The present study demonstrated that real‑world data on ICI therapy in Turkish patients with metastatic melanoma may slightly differ from the results of other studies due to Turkey's conditions. Additionally, the present study, which included non‑clinical trial patients, revealed important prognostic factors.

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Journals

International Journal of Molecular Medicine

International Journal of Oncology

Molecular Medicine Reports

Oncology Reports

Experimental and Therapeutic Medicine

Oncology Letters

Biomedical Reports

Molecular and Clinical Oncology

World Academy of Sciences Journal

International Journal of Functional Nutrition

International Journal of Epigenetics

Medicine International

Real‑world efficacy and safety data of immune checkpoint inhibitors in Turkish patients with metastatic melanoma: A Turkish oncology group retrospective study

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