Table 1.
Participants’ characteristics
| Participant | Sex | Age (year) | Stagea, b, c | Performance statusa, d | LDHa(U/L) | Brain metastasesa | Treatment | Start of ICIs (year) | Best tumour responsee | Recurrence | ICI duration (months) | Reasons discontinuation of ICIs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interview participants | ||||||||||||
| Pt 1 | F | 39 | IIIB | 0 | 176 | - | Nivolumab | 2018 | - | No | 3 | AE |
| Pt 2 | M | 61 | IIIB | 0 | 160 | - | Nivolumab | 2019 | - | No | 5 | AE |
| Pt 3 | M | 65 | IIIB | 0 | 127 | - | Nivolumab | 2019 | - | No | 9 | AE |
| Pt 4 | M | 58 | IIIC | 0 | 208 | - | Nivolumab | 2019 | - | No | 6 | AE, RP |
| Pt 5 | M | 51 | IIIB/C | 0 | 168 | - | Nivolumab/ pembrolizumab | 2019 | - | No | 9 | AE |
| Pt 6 | M | 56 | IIIB | 0 | 167 | - | Nivolumab | 2019 | - | No | 11 | AE, CP |
| Pt 7 | F | 86 | IIIC | 0 | 188 | - | Nivolumab | 2019 | - | No | 11 | CP |
| Pt 8 | M | 64 | IIIC | 0 | 145 | - | Nivolumab | 2019 | - | No | 12 | TC |
| Pt 9 | M | 90 | IIIC | 0 | 101 | - | Nivolumab | 2019 | - | No | 3 | AE |
| Pt 10 | F | 63 | IIIB | 0 | 176 | - | Nivolumab | 2019 | - | No | 12 | TC |
| Pt 11 | M | 68 | IIIB/C | 0 | 196 | - | Nivolumab | 2019 | - | No | 12 | TC |
| Pt 12 | M | 54 | IIIB | 0 | 188 | - | Pembrolizumab | 2020 | - | No | 5 | AE, RP |
| Pt 13 | M | 80 | IIIB | 0 | 173 | - | Nivolumab/ pembrolizumab | 2020 | - | No | 8 | AE |
| Pt 14 | F | 51 | IIIA | 0 | 218 | - | Pembrolizumab | 2021 | - | No | 7 | AE |
| Pt 15 | F | 32 | IV | 0 | 125 | No | Nivolumab | 2018 | PR | - | 6 | OR |
| Pt 16 | M | 78 | IV | 0 | 206 | Unknown | Nivolumab | 2017 | PR | - | 20 | OR |
| Pt 17 | F | 45 | IV | 0 | 345 | Unknown | Pembrolizumab | 2016 | CR | - | 7 | OR |
| Pt 18 | M | 72 | IV | 0 | 228 | Unknown | Pembrolizumab | 2016 | PR | - | 16 | OR |
| Pt 19 | F | 38 | IV | 0 | 147 | Unknown | Nivolumab | 2018 | PR | - | 5 | AE, OR |
| Pt 20 | F | 61 | IV | 0 | 151 | No | Nivolumab | 2017 | CR | - | 3 | AE, OR |
| Pt 21 | F | 59 | IV | 1 | 440 | Yes | Nivolumab | 2019 | PR | - | 5 | OR |
| Pt 22 | M | 48 | IV | 2 | 278 | Yes | Ipilimumab/ nivolumab | 2019 | PR | - | - | -f |
| Pt 23 | M | 51 | IV | 1 | 1197 | No | Ipilimumab/ nivolumab | 2018 | PR | - | 24 | TC, OR |
| Pt 24 | F | 40 | IV | 1 | 771 | Yes | Ipilimumab/ nivolumab | 2020 | PR | - | - | -f |
| Pt 25 | M | 43 | IV | 0 | 184 | Unknown | Nivolumab | 2016 | CR | - | 12 | OR |
| Pt 26 | F | 51 | IV | 0 | 284 | No | Ipilimumab/ nivolumab | 2021 | CR | - | 3 | AE, CR |
| Focus group participants | ||||||||||||
| Pt 27 | F | 50 | IV | 0 | 147 | Yes | Pembrolizumab | 2014 | CR | - | 24 | TC, OR |
| Pt 28 | M | 46 | IV | 0 | 158 | No | Nivolumab | 2017 | CR | - | 12 | OR |
| Pt 29 | F | 51 | IV | 0 | 148 | No | Nivolumab | 2018 | PR | - | 6 | AE, OR |
| Pt 30 | M | 37 | IV | 0 | 220 | Yes | Ipilimumab/ nivolumab | 2017 | PR | - | 24 | TC, OR |
| Pt 31 | M | 56 | IV | 0 | 187 | Unknown | Nivolumab | 2017 | CR | - | 12 | OR |
| Pt 32 | M | 53 | IV | 0 | 221 | Unknown | Pembrolizumab | 2016 | CR | - | 24 | TC, OR |
| Pt 33 | F | 42 | IV | 0 | 200 | Unknown | Pembrolizumab | 2016 | CR | - | 24 | TC, OR |
| Pt 34 | M | 83 | IV | 0 | 332 | Unknown | Nivolumab | 2016 | PR | - | 12 | AE, OR |
| Pt 35 | M | 52 | IV | 1 | 264 | No | Ipilimumab/ nivolumab | 2018 | PR | - | 2 | AE, OR |
LDH Lactate dehydrogenase in U/L, F Female, M Male, OR Ongoing tumour response, AE Adverse events, RP Request of patient, CP COVID-19 pandemic, TC Treatment completed, PR Partial response, SD Stable disease, CR Complete response
aAt start of ICIs
bAccording to the 8th ed. Of the AJCC Melanoma Staging System [25]
cWith all patients with stage III melanoma being treated in the adjuvant, and patients with stage IV melanoma being treated in the metastatic setting
dAssessed using World Health Organization (WHO) Performance Status criteria
eAccording to Response Evaluation In Solid Tumours (RECIST) 1.1 criteria [18]
fICI ongoing, not yet discontinued