Real-world health-related quality of life outcomes for patients with resected stage III/IV melanoma treated with adjuvant anti-PD1 therapy

Background: While adjuvant therapy with anti-programmed cell death protein -1 (anti-PD1) for patients with resected stage III/IV melanoma has been shown to improve recurrence-free survival, the overall survival benefit remains uncertain. This study aims to evaluate the impact of adjuvant anti-PD1 therapy on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with resected stage III/IV melanoma Methods: Data was used from two melanoma registries in Australia and the Netherlands. Patients with resected stage III/IV melanoma treated with adjuvant anti-PD1 who completed a baseline and at least one post-baseline HRQOL assessment were included. HRQOL was assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months. Established thresholds were used for interpreting changes in QLQ-C30 scores. Results: 92 patients were included. Mean symptom and functioning scores improved or remained stable at 12 months compared to baseline. However, a substantial proportion of patients experienced a clinically significant decline in role (39%, mu = -50.8), social (41%, mu = -32.7), or emotional (50%, mu = -25.1) functioning at 12 months compared to baseline. Younger patients were more likely to experience clinically significant deteriorations in role (OR=1.07, 95% CI: 1.02-1.13, p < 0.01) and social (OR=1.06, 95% CI: 1.01-1.11, p = 0.013) functioning. Conclusion: A significant proportion of patients with resected stage III/IV melanoma who received adjuvant antiPD1 experienced clinically significant declines in role, social and emotional functioning at 12 months compared to baseline. This highlights the HRQOL issues that may arise during adjuvant anti-PD1 therapy which may require supportive care intervention.