Pulmonary metastasectomy after immune checkpoint inhibitors in malignant melanoma

Asian Cardiovasc Thorac Ann. 2024 Mar 25:2184923241241583. doi: 10.1177/02184923241241583. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

The management of malignant melanoma with pulmonary metastases is controversial and occasionally requires multimodality management, including pulmonary metastasectomy after immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, limited data are available on these patients. We described a case series of three consecutive patients who underwent pulmonary metastasectomy after ICIs for malignant melanoma and discussed the important characteristics of these patients. After pulmonary metastasectomy, none of the patients had recurrent pulmonary metastases, although extrapulmonary metastases were developed. Our case series suggests that pulmonary metastasectomy after ICIs may control pulmonary metastases in carefully selected patients with malignant melanoma.

Keywords: Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS); lung - other; lung cancer; pre-operative assessment in thoracic surgery; surgical therapy; thoracic.