Study Identifies Shift in Incidence of Second Primary Cancers in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma

Source: cancer network, January 2021

A study published in JAMA Network Open observed a shift in the incidence of second primary cancers after metastatic melanoma that specifically changed during the age of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and most commonly manifesting as cancers of the small intestine and myeloma.

“As ICIs continue to gain approval as part of the standard-of-care treatment for multiple cancers, our findings highlight the importance of tailored monitoring approaches for patients treated with immunotherapy and further identifying potential risk factors associated with subsequent cancer development,” Weiye Deng, MD, MPH, and colleagues, wrote of their findings. “Vigilant individualized monitoring and screening for these cancers are warranted.”

In this population-based cohort study, investigators utilized the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to evaluate patients diagnosed with metastatic melanoma from January 2005 to December 2016. The primary end point was the development of second primary cancers in this patient population.

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