• Carolyn S Hall, Merrick Ross, Jessica B Bowman Bauldry, Joshua Upshaw, Mandar G Karhade, Richard Royal, Sapna Patel, and Anthony Lucci.
• Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX.
• J. Am. Coll. Surg. 2018 Jul 1; 227 (1): 116-124.

BackgroundManagement of stage IV melanoma patients remains a challenge. In spite of promising new therapies, many patients develop resistance and progression. The aim of this pilot study was to determine if circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are associated with shortened (180-day) progression-free survival (PFS) after a baseline CTC assessment in stage IV melanoma patients.Study DesignA baseline CTC assessment was performed in 93 stage IV melanoma patients using a commercially available immunomagnetic system. The presence of 1 or more CTC was considered a positive result. A Cox multivariable regression model was used to evaluate the association between presence of CTCs at baseline and PFS, after adjusting for covariables. Kaplan-Meier curves and a log-rank test were used to summarize and compare unadjusted PFS for patients stratified by CTC positivity.ResultsMedian follow-up was 17 months; mean age was 55 years. Thirteen of 93 (14%) patients had no evidence of disease (NED) at baseline CTC assessment. One or more CTC was detected in 39 of 93 (42%) of patients at baseline; CTCs were not associated with primary melanoma features or NED status. Twenty-eight of 93 (30%) patients progressed within 180 days of baseline draw, with 20 of 39 (51%) of the CTC-positive patients relapsing compared with 8 of 54 (15%) of the CTC-negative patients. In adjusted Cox models, a significant association was found suggesting worse PFS within 180 days for CTC-positive patients at baseline (vs CTC-negative) (hazard ratio 4.69, 95% CI 1.59 to 13.77, p = 0.005).ConclusionsOne or more CTCs at baseline were associated with progression within 180 days in stage IV melanoma patients. This information warrants further study of CTCs as a means of identifying patients at high-risk for disease progression.Copyright © 2018 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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