Conference Proceedings

Clinical, FDG-PET and molecular markers of immune checkpoint inhibitor response in patients with metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma

AM Weppler, A Pattison, P Bhave, P De Ieso, J Raleigh, A Hatzimihalis, AJ Gill, S Balachander, J Callahan, M Chua, G Au-Yeung, GA McArthur, RJ Hicks, RW Tothill, S Sandhu

Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer | BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP | Published : 2020

Abstract

Background Metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma (mMCC) is an aggressive neuroendocrine malignancy of the skin with a poor prognosis. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have shown substantial efficacy and favorable safety in clinical trials. Methods Medical records of patients (pts) with mMCC treated with ICIs from August 2015 to December 2018 at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Australia were analyzed. Response was assessed with serial imaging, the majority with FDG-PET/CT scans. RNA sequencing and immunohistochemistry for PD-L1, CD3 and Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) on tumor samples was performed. Results 23 pts with mMCC were treated with ICIs. A median of 8 cycles (range 1 to 47) were adm..

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