Real-world effectiveness of pembrolizumab in advanced melanoma: analysis of a French national clinicobiological database

To describe real-world pembrolizumab administration and outcomes for advanced melanoma in France. Using the MelBase longitudinal database, this multicenter historical-prospective study examined treatment and outcomes of patients with nonuveal, unresectable stage III/IV melanoma initiating pembrolizumab from April 2016 to September 2017, with follow-up to September 2019. Kaplan–Meier time-to-event analyses were conducted. Of 223 patients (median age 67; 51% men), 134 (60%), 36 (16%) and 53 (24%) initiated pembrolizumab in first-, second- and third-line, respectively. Median overall survival (months) was 32.6 (95% CI: 20.3–not reached [NR]), 14.4 (8.6–NR) and 9.3 (6.4–NR), respectively. Best real-world tumor response of complete or partial response was recorded for 49, 39 and 26% of patients, respectively. Study results support benefits of pembrolizumab therapy for advanced melanoma.