Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41448830›Full record

ArticleJournal for immunotherapy of cancer2025

Real-world outcomes of talimogene laherparepvec as salvage therapy for advanced melanoma.

Melissa M Yamada, Smitha Chandrasekhar, Ted A Gooley, Rita E Chen, Coley Doolittle-Amieva, George Ansstas, Shailender Bhatia, Evan T Hall, Paul T Nghiem, Song Y Park and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal for immunotherapy of cancer, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Melissa M Yamada *Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA.
Smitha Chandrasekhar *Department of Dermatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Ted A GooleyFred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Rita E ChenDivision of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA.
Coley Doolittle-AmievaDepartment of Dermatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
George AnsstasDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA.
Shailender BhatiaFred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3816-2238
Evan T HallFred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington, USA.
Paul T NghiemDepartment of Dermatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2784-963X
Song Y Park *Department of Dermatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA davidchen@wustl.edu songpark@uw.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4366-1821
David Y Chen *Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Washington University in St Louis School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA davidchen@wustl.edu songpark@uw.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3681-6576

Funding

Translational Bioimaging Core Shared ResourceP30CA015704 · NCI · FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER RESEARCH CENTER · PI Eric Collisson · 1985 to 2026
$296.4M
Understand & overcome resistance to PD-1P01CA225517 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI Cecilia C Yeung · 2019 to 2026
$22.7M
NCI NIH HHS P01 CA225517NCI NIH HHS P30 CA015704
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTalimogene laherparepvec (T-VEC) is an oncolytic herpes simplex virus therapy approved for treatment of unresectable and metastatic melanoma. However, real-world use often occurs in heavily pretreated patients, where evidence of effectiveness remains limited. This study evaluates treatment responses and clinical factors influencing T-VEC outcomes in patients with diverse treatment histories.

methodsWe analyzed patients with metastatic melanoma treated with T-VEC between 2015 and 2024. Objective responses (OR), complete response (CR) and partial response were assessed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression models. Durability of responses, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier estimates.

resultsAmong 121 patients, 105 (87%) patients received ≥1 prior lines of systemic therapy; 48 (40%) had a current or prior history of distant metastatic disease, and 42 (35%) had both injectable and non-injectable disease at the T-VEC initiation. Median PFS was 12.2 months (95% CI 6.2 to 20.9), and median OS was 35.5 months (95% CI 25.8 to 63.9). Of 113 evaluable patients, 76 (67%, 95% CI 58% to 76%) achieved an OR, including 39 (35%, 95% CI 26% to 44%) CR. The probability OR by 6 months was 56% (95% CI 46% to 65%). Of the 39 patients achieving CR, 37 (95%) remained alive and progression-free at last follow-up (median 19.1 months). In multivariate analysis, the adjusted HR (aHR) for OR in patients with non-injectable distant metastases at T-VEC initiation relative to those without was 0.43 (95% CI 0.23 to 0.78; p=0.006). The aHR for OR among those immunosuppressed compared with those not immunosuppressed was 0.18 (95% CI 0.04 to 0.69; p=0.013), indicating a reduced likelihood of response for patients who were immunosuppressed. Unadjusted HRs for achieving an OR after 1, 2, and ≥3 prior therapies (vs none) were 1.20 (95% CI 0.57 to 2.52; p=0.627), 1.21 (95% CI 0.52 to 2.80; p=0.653), and 0.77 (95% CI 0.35 to 1.68; p=0.507), respectively.

conclusionsThis study demonstrates T-VEC's potential efficacy in achieving meaningful disease control and response durability in patients with unresectable and/or metastatic melanoma, including those with diverse prior-treatment histories and comorbidities.

Indexed as

Biological ProductsMelanomaOncolytic VirotherapySalvage TherapySkin NeoplasmsAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHerpesvirus 1, HumanHumansMaleMiddle AgedRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeBiological Productstalimogene laherparepvecAbscopalImmunotherapyIntralesionalOncolytic virusSkin Cancer

Identifiers

PMID41448830
PMCPMC12742145

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.