Bone Loss in Melanoma Survivors Receiving Immunotherapy

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center12 enrolled

Overview

This study investigates the bone-related side effects caused by immunotherapy drugs such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab in patients with melanoma. Nivolumab and pembrolizumab are immunotherapy drugs (drugs that boost your immune system) used to prevent cancer from coming back in patients with melanoma. Specifically, researchers want to learn if there is any relationship between receiving immunotherapy and bone density (thickness) measured by a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan or bone turnover markers (which indicate levels of bone loss) found in the blood. This study may provide researchers with more information on bone loss and may help prevent bone loss in future patients.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Characterize the effects of adjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy (nivolumab or pembrolizumab) on measures of bone health, including bone density and bone turnover markers, in a prospectively recruited cohort of 40 adult patients (\>= 40 years) with melanoma diagnoses seen at MD Anderson Cancer Center. II. Identify associations of baseline demographic, clinical, and general bone loss risk factors (e.g., age, corticosteroid use) and tumor characteristics with bone loss in the same cohort. OUTLINE: Patients undergo collection of blood samples after starting immunotherapy and then at 6 and 12 months. Patients also undergo DXA scan over 5-10 minutes after starting immunotherapy and at 12 months.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Clinical Stage III Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8 Clinical Stage IV Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8 Pathologic Stage III Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 40 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Stage III or IV melanoma with no evidence of disease following resection according to the 2009 American Joint Committee on Cancer classification criteria * No prior history of osteoporosis or fractures as per medical record review and patient history * Scheduled to begin receiving adjuvant ICI therapy (nivolumab or pembrolizumab) irrespective of dose or setting * Plan to continue care, including ICI infusions, at MD Anderson

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Changes in bone density

Evaluated using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

Time frame: Baseline up to 6 months after treatment initiation

Change in done turnover markers

Evaluated in bone turnover markers (serum CTX and BSAP) in the study patients.

Time frame: Baseline up to 6 months after treatment initiation

Secondary Outcomes

Development of fractures

Will be assessed by review of patient's electronic medical records. Will evaluate the associations of each demographic, clinical, and general bone loss risk factor and tumor characteristic with change in bone density using linear regression models in univariate and multivariate settings. We will also summarize bone fractures descriptively according to the proportion of patients experiencing fractures and the time from treatment initiation to fracture.

Time frame: Baseline to 1.5 years of follow-up