Outcome of systemic therapy in patients with advanced rare skin cancers: A retrospective multicenter DeCOG study of 209 patients
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: INTRODUCTION: For rare skin cancers, few data exist on the outcome of systemic therapies, particularly immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI). The present study analysed the real-world use of different systemic therapies including ICI, and its outcome in patients with advanced rare skin cancers. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter study included patients who received systemic therapy for advanced, non-resectable cutaneous angiosarcoma (AS), Kaposi sarcoma (KS), pleomorphic dermal sarcoma (PDS), or cutaneous adnexal carcinoma (CAC). Study endpoints were best overall response (BOR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: 209 patients (77 AS; 81 KS; 14 PDS; and 37 CAC) from 30 centers were included. As first-line treatment AS and KS patients predominantly received chemotherapy (77.9 %; 63.0 %), while PDS and CAC patients mostly received ICI (64.4 %; 43.2 %). BOR in first-line across all therapy types was 65.5 % in KS, 50.0 % in PDS, 41.6 % in AS, and 10.8 % in CAC. BOR for ICI was 66.6 % for PDS, 58.3 % for AS, 33.3 % for KS, and 4.3 % for CAC, irrespective of treatment line. 1-year PFS rate upon any first-line therapy was 70.7 % for PDS, 45.7 % for KS, 25.6 % for AS, and 18.5 % for CAC (p < 0.001). 1-year tumor-specific OS rate was 97.3 % in KS, 84.2 % in AS, 67.7 % in PDS, and 65.4 % in CAC (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Type and outcome of systemic therapy differed between cancer entities. Efficacy of ICI was high in PDS and AS, moderate in KS, and low in CAC. Patients with advanced CAC revealed an extremely poor prognosis regardless of the type of therapy used.
Source: European Journal of Cancer
Authors: Selma Ugurel, Nessr Abu Rached, Thilo Gambichler, Miriam Mengoni, Thomas Tüting, Jessica C. Hassel, Robin Reschke, Georg C. Lodde, Jan-Malte Placke, Dirk Schadendorf, Lydia Reinhardt, Alexander Kreuter, Martin Gschnell, Jochen Utikal, Michael Erdmann, Pia Dücker, Doris Helbig, Cindy Franklin, Christoffer Gebhardt, Gabriela Poch, Katharina C. Kähler, Michael Weichenthal, Ralf Gutzmer, Lucie Heinzerling, Carsten Weishaupt, Peter Mohr, Kai-Martin Thoms, Berenice Lang, Bastian Schilling, Sebastian Haferkamp, Michael Sachse, Julia Welzel, Franziska Jochims, Ulrike Raap, Gaston Schley, Patrick Terheyden, Edgar Dippel, Christoph Pöttgen, Jürgen C. Becker, Alpaslan Tasdogan, Teresa Amaral, Lena Nanz, Ulrike Leiter
Institutions: Bielefeld University, Klinikum Bielefeld, Ruhr University Bochum, Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg University, University Hospital Heidelberg, National Center for Tumor Diseases, Essen University Hospital, Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung, University of Duisburg-Essen, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Nationales Centrum für Tumorerkrankungen Dresden, HELIOS St. Elisabeth Klinik Oberhausen, Helios Kliniken, Philipps University of Marburg, University Medical Centre Mannheim, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Klinikum Dortmund, University of Cologne, University Hospital Cologne, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Johannes Wesling Klinikum Minden, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, University Hospital Münster, Elbe Kliniken Stade-Buxtehude, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen, University of Göttingen, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Goethe University Frankfurt, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg, University Hospital Frankfurt, University Hospital Regensburg, Klinikum Bremerhaven-Reinkenheide, University Hospital Augsburg, University Hospital Leipzig, Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, Klinikum Oldenburg, Helios Hospital Schwerin, University of Lübeck, Klinikum Ludwigshafen, Universitätsklinikum Tübingen, University of Tübingen
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,270
OpenAlex ID: W4413848937