Discontinuation of combo immunotherapy and outcome of patients with melanoma brain metastases

Background Nivolumab plus ipilimumab (COMBO) is the standard treatment for asymptomatic melanoma brain metastases (MBM), but current guidelines do not provide specific recommendations for treatment discontinuation in responding patients. This study aimed to evaluate outcomes after COMBO discontinuation within 24 months and the role of continuing treatment beyond 24 months. Methods Patients with MBM treated with COMBO who discontinued treatment within 24 months for reasons other than disease progression or continued beyond this time point were retrieved. Overall survival (OS), objective response, progression-free survival (PFS) and toxicities were analyzed. Results 465 patients were included: 392 discontinued COMBO within 24 months, while 73 continued beyond 24 months. Treatment was discontinued due to complete response (CR, n=47), partial response (PR, n=45), stable disease (SD, n=12), toxicity after SD (n=59), toxicity after CR (n=99), or toxicity after PR (n=130). At multivariable analysis, the line of treatment (>first vs first: HR 2.65 (1.62-4.32)), the immune-related adverse events (irrespective of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha) (HR 0.18 (0.07-0.42)); COMBO discontinuation after CR (HR 0.15 (0.05-0.40)), or PR (HR 0.08 (0.03-0.26)), as well as stopping due to toxicity after CR (HR 0.14 (0.07-0.27)) or PR (HR 0.51 (0.32-0.82)), were associated with OS. Notably, at a median follow-up of 51 months (IQR 31-70), patients with CR/PR who discontinued COMBO within 24 months had PFS and OS comparable to those who continued treatment beyond this time point. 4-year OS exceeded 83% in patients discontinuing COMBO after CR, PR, or toxicity following CR, compared with 66.4% in those discontinuing due to toxicity after PR; median PFS was not reached in the former groups but was 18.6 months in the toxicity after PR group. Conclusion Discontinuation of COMBO within 24 months appears safe in patients with CR and in selected cases of PR, with no survival disadvantage versus prolonged therapy.