Perioperative Outcomes of Melanoma Patients Undergoing Surgery After Receiving Immunotherapy or Targeted Therapy

Traditional chemotherapy agents adversely affect wound healing and need to be held prior to or after surgery. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and targeted agents are now standard of care for the several treatment cancers. We hypothesize that ICI and targeted therapy do not have similar adverse effects on perioperative outcomes.

We performed a review of melanoma patients undergoing surgery at an academic hospital between 2011 and 2019. All patients received ICI or targeted therapy ≤ 60 days prior to surgery, including palliative procedures. Preoperative performance status was assessed using Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score and American Society of Anesthesiologists Classification System. Thirty-day complications were classified by Clavien-Dindo grade. No statistical comparisons were performed.

Of 63 patients included in the analysis, 29 (46%) patients received ICI and 34 (54%) received targeted therapy with median of 14 days (IQR 5-27 days) between the last preoperative dose and day of surgery (ICI, median 18 days [IQR 13-34.5]; targeted therapy, median 7 days [IQR 3-22.25]). There were no perioperative mortalities. Among patients treated with ICI, 22 patients (76%) had no complications. Four patients had wound infections (2 readmitted), 1 had reoperation (hematoma) and 2 readmitted for other reasons (fever; volvulus). Among patients treated with targeted therapy, 25 patients (74%) had no complications. Seven patients had wound infections (none readmitted), 1 had reoperation (flap failure) and 1 had dehiscence (not treated).

Patients undergoing treatment with ICI or targeted therapies can safely undergo surgery without substantially increased risk of serious intraoperative and postoperative complications.