Background: There are very limited studies on survival analyses of malignant melanoma from the rural and southern part of India and hence we present our retrospective analyses on treatment outcomes of patients diagnosed as Malignant Melanoma from our institution. Objectives: To calculate the median overall survival [OS] and median Disease Free Survival [DFS] of patients with malignant melanoma diagnosed and treated at our institution. Patients and methods: Between 2014 and 2022, histologically confirmed patients with malignant melanoma were included and were followed up for the survival analysis. Results: There were 107 patients analyzed with a median age of 58 years [range 29-85 years], gender wise male patients were 64.5% [n=69] and female patients were 35.5%[n=38]. The most common primary site was extremities 65.4% [n=70]. The median follow up duration of patients was 12 months [range: 1-36 months]. Most commonly patients presented with stage IV disease 52.3% [n=56]. Patients that underwent surgery were 51% [n=55]. Median disease free survival for these patients was 23 months [95% CI-18-28 months]. Median overall survival for the entire group of patients at the end of 3 years was 9 months [95% CI-5.6-13 months]. Conclusion:Malignant melanoma is the most aggressive cutaneous malignancy ever to be discovered by mankind. The battle for cure is far from over and requires an even more aggressive strategy to meagerly improve the outcomes for these patients.

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Objective: The objective of this retrospective study is to develop a novel marker- ratio of serum CA 125 to peritoneal carcinomatous index(PCI) - to predict the response in women receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy for newly diagnosed advanced epithelial ovarian cancer at our centre. Methods: Medical records of women who were newly diagnosed with inoperable advanced ovarian cancer stages III and IV at our centre were selected. Only people with completely documented records in the years 2017 & 2018 were selected. Only patietns with serous histology were chosen. Pre chemotherapy serum CA125 value was noted. Radiological PCI was calculated by reviewing the CECT films & reports of the patients. Patients were compared with the ratio of CA125 to radiological PCI and clinical & pathological response to neo adjuvant chemotherapy. All patients received standard doses of three weekly Paclitaxel and Carboplatin based chemotherapy. Based on the ratio of CA125 to PCI patients were divided into 2 groups – ratio more than 100 and less than 100. Results: A total of 34 were patients were found to meet the eligible criteria. Response assessment was done after 3 to 4 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The overall response rate to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients in group 1 ( CA125/PCI ratio > 100) was significantly higher as compared to patients in group 2 (CA125/PCI ratio <100). Conclusion: In summary, CA 125 to PCI ratio is novel method to predict response to chemotherapy in advanced epithelial ovarian cancers. This value is a helpful measurement that allows the clinicians to measure the degree of chemosensitivity prior to cytoreductive surgery. This measures the inherent tumor biology and to aids in surgical decision making regarding the role and extent of cytoreduction as well as alternate systemic/local therapies.

Objective: The objective of this retrospective study is to identify the elimination half life of CA 125 biomarker in women receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy for newly diagnosed advanced epithelial ovarian cancer at our centre and develop it as a surrogate marker of response to chemotherapy. Methods: Medical records of women who were newly diagnosed with inoperable advanced ovarian cancer stages III and IV at our centre were selected. Only people with completely documented records in the years 2017 & 2018 were selected. Clinical information on age, menopausal status, BMI, radiological PCI, stage, histology, chemotherapy drugs used, CA 125 levels before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy were noted and information analysed. Only 40 patients were identified meeting all required criteria. The patients were divided into 3 sets based on CA 125 elimination half life group 1(t ½ < 10 days), group 2 (t ½ 10- 20 days) and group 3 (t ½ > 20 days). The base line characters and outcomes of surgery and pathological responses were compared between these groups. Results: Optimal cytoredcution was possible in 19/21(90.4%) patients in group 1, 6/10(60%) in group 2 & 2/9(22.2%) in group 3. Clinical complete response was found in 12/21 (57.1%), 2/10(20%) & 0/9(0%) respectively. Progressive disease was noted in 4/9(44%) of group 3 patients. There was striking differences between the groups with respect to clinical and pathological response. Conclusion: In summary, CA 125 elimination half life measurement is a reproducible tool that can be used to assess chemotherapy sensitivity in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The CA 125 half life value is a helpful measurement that allows the clinicians to measure the degree of chemosensitivity prior to cytoreductive surgery.