Desmoplastic melanoma is a rare subtype of cutaneous melanoma. It may occur alone or with other melanoma subtypes, is often associated with chronic UV exposure, and is frequently found in older individuals. Clinical presentation is variable and lesions are often non-pigmented.
A phase 2 trial showed neoadjuvant pembrolizumab achieved a 71% pathological complete response rate in resectable desmoplastic melanoma. A real-world study found ipilimumab monotherapy after anti-PD-1 progression yielded an ORR of 10.8% and median OS of 7.6 months in advanced melanoma.
Phase 2 SWOG S1512 trial shows neoadjuvant pembrolizumab achieved 71% pathologic complete response in resectable desmoplastic melanoma with 3-year survival rates of 74% for relapse-free and 87% for overall survival.
Neoadjuvant pembrolizumab achieved 71% pathologic complete response in desmoplastic melanoma patients, while lower-dose ipilimumab combination therapy showed improved survival and fewer side effects in advanced melanoma treatment.
| NCT ID | Title | Status | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCT02775851 |
Pembrolizumab in Treating Patients With Desmoplastic Melanoma That Can or Cannot Be Removed by Surgery |
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING | PHASE2 |
