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A 3D Organotypic Melanoma Spheroid Skin Model
Published on: May 18, 2018
Biomarker Analysis in a Phase II Study of Sunitinib in Patients with Advanced Melanoma
Lore Decoster1, Isabelle Vande Broek2, Bart Neyns3
1Department of Medical Oncology, Oncology Centre, University Hospital Brussel, Brussels, Belgium lore.decoster@uzbrussel.be.
Aim:
To investigate the efficacy of sunitinib in patients with advanced melanoma and to correlate angiogenic biomarkers with response and survival.
Patients And Methods:
We performed a phase II study in patients with advanced pre-treated melanoma. The primary endpoint was tumor response. Blood samples for biomarker analysis including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and its receptors VEGFR1 and -2, placental growth factor (PlGF) and circulating endothelial cells (CEC) were collected at baseline and during the first cycle.
Results:
Four out of 39 patients (13%) achieved a partial response and eight (26%) stable disease. Time to progression was at least six months in seven patients. High baseline VEGFR1 levels and high baseline PlGF levels were both associated with a non-significant worse survival (p=0.08 for both).
Conclusion:
Sunitinib demonstrates limited activity in unselected patients with refractory advanced melanoma, but a minority of patients experienced long-term disease control. Identification of these patients remains a challenge.
