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Updated: Jan 14, 2026
A 3D Organotypic Melanoma Spheroid Skin Model
Published on: May 18, 2018
Treatment patterns of anal melanoma in the era of immunotherapy
Hannah E Sofield1, Sara H Buchner2, Rachel J Nation1
1Department of Surgery, Cooper University Hospital, 1 Cooper Plaza, Camden, NJ, 08103, United States.
Background:
Anal melanoma (AM) is a rare and aggressive cancer with poor survival and absence of standard treatment guidelines.
Methods:
This study analyzed 762 cases of AM from the National Cancer Database during 2004-2021. The primary objectives were to evaluate treatment patterns and survival outcomes before and after the FDA approval of immunotherapy (IT) in 2011.
Results:
The use of IT increased significantly after 2011 in patients with stage IV AM (14 %-58 %). Abdominoperineal resection (APR) rates declined post-IT (49 %-31 %, p < 0.0001), in both community and academic centers. For patients treated with IT, median overall survival for stage III rose from 20.3 to 27.2 months (p = 0.0057) and nearly doubled for stage IV (6.7-13.3 months, p < 0.0001). No survival benefit was observed in earlier stages (p = 0.5712).
Conclusions:
IT use in advanced AM is increasing, correlating with longer survival and reduced APR rates in later stage patients.
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