Abstract
AbstractBackgroundImmunotherapy and molecularly targeted therapy have revolutionised the treatment of malignant melanoma, however for South Africa’s public health sector patient population, these treatment modalities are far out of reach and chemotherapy remains the only treatment option.AimTo evaluate the outcomes of advanced melanoma and determine the need for therapies other than conventional chemotherapy in South Africa’s public health sector.SettingThe Department of Medical Oncology, Steve Biko Academic hospital (SBAH), Pretoria, South Africa.MethodsFiles of patients with advanced malignant melanoma managed at SBAH, from 01 January 2009 to 31 December 2019 were retrospectively reviewed.ResultsOne hundred files meeting the inclusion criteria were analysed, 24 with regional (stage III) and 76 with metastatic (stage IV) disease. 23 (96%) patients with regional disease didn’t receive adjuvant therapy and had a median time to progression (mTTP) of 12 months (95%CI; 8.9-15.0). Within the metastatic melanoma cohort, 34 (79.1%) patients received chemotherapy and had a median overall survival (mOS) of 5 months (95% CI; 4.3-5.6), while patients that didn’t receive chemotherapy had a mOS of 2 months (95% CI; 0.8-3.1) (p=0.213).ConclusionThese results reaffirm the impotent effects of chemotherapy in treating malignant melanoma and it is imperative that South Africa’s public health sector expands its armamentarium against this lethal disease.
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Reference23 articles.
1. The Epidemiology of Cutaneous Melanoma in the White and Black African Population Groups in South Africa
2. Statistics South Africa. Mid-year population estimates 2019. http://statssa.gov.za
3. Cancer in South Africa 2014: Full Report. National Cancer Registry. http://www.nicd.ac.za
4. The incidence of melanoma in South Africa: An exploratory analysis of National Cancer Registry data from 2005 to 2013 with a specific focus on melanoma in black Africans;South African Medical Journal,2019
5. Gray A , Vawda Y. Health Legislation and Policy. In: Rispel LC , Padarath A , editors. South African Health Review 2018. Durban: Health Systems Trust; 2018.http://www.hst.org.za/publications/Pages/SAHR2018