A progressive stage IIIB melanoma treated with oncolytic ECHO-7 virus: A case report

Vladimirs Sorokins,1 Andra Tilgase,2 Evija Olmane,3 Sergejs Isajevs,4,5 Tatjana Zablocka,4,5 Agnija Rasa,2 and Pēteris Alberts2

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Abstract

Discussion

The foot is considered a problematic spot for melanoma. The disease may be confusing, leading to misdiagnosis of the lesion.7,8 As with any type of malignant melanoma, the most important survival indicators are tumour thickness, ulceration and lymph node metastases. Because of infrequent checks of the acral skin, the lesion is often diagnosed quite late with big tumour thickness. Furthermore, there is increased risk for thick melanomas to reappear on the acral skin of the upper part of the leg.7

Oncolytic virotherapy for melanoma is increasingly emerging as a novel treatment that can both have a direct effect on the tumour and also induce a systemic immune response.9 Studies of oncolytic viruses for various cancers are ongoing; both as combination treatments and monotherapies.10 The first oncolytic virus registered by the FDA and EMA is talimogene laherparepvec, which is used in advanced melanoma and has shown efficacy on overall survival for patients with cutaneous metastases.11 Available data show that the expected survival for stage IIIB melanoma patients treated according to standard treatments in the United States 9.4 years after diagnosis is approximately 45%.12

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Conclusion

The present patient was diagnosed over 9.4 years ago. After several recurrences and progression episodes, stabilization of the disease has been observed since June 2015, for over 70 months during virotherapy treatment. The present case suggests that ECHO-7 virotherapy is an effective treatment for cutaneous melanoma.

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Footnotes

Authorship: All authors attest that they meet the current ICMJE criteria for Authorship.

Declaration of conflicting interest: The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: A.T., A.R., and P.A. are employees of the Rigvir group. V.S., E.O., and S.I. state no conflict of interest.

Funding: The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Ethical approval: Our institution does not require ethical approval for reporting individual cases or case series.

Informed consent: Written informed consent was obtained from the patient(s) for their anonymized information to be published in this article.

ORCID iDs: Andra Tilgase An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is 10.1177_2050313X20934978-img1.jpg https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3385-5182

Agnija Rasa An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is 10.1177_2050313X20934978-img1.jpg https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6561-9371

Pēteris Alberts An external file that holds a picture, illustration, etc.
Object name is 10.1177_2050313X20934978-img1.jpg https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9585-9288

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rigvir virus, ECHO-7, melanoom stadium IIIB, chirurgie, overall overleving, complete remissie