Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33680957›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in oncology2020

Adjuvant Therapy of High-Risk (Stages IIC-IV) Malignant Melanoma in the Post Interferon-Alpha Era: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Konstantinos Christofyllakis, Claudia Pföhler, Moritz Bewarder, Cornelia S L Müller, Lorenz Thurner, Torben Rixecker, Thomas Vogt, Stephan Stilgenbauer, Krista Yordanova, Dominic Kaddu-Mulindwa

Open access · goldAbstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in oncology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 17% of its field
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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Anorectal malignant mucosal melanoma.Ghana medical journal · 2022
    Article
  3. Review
  4. Review
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Signal pathways of melanoma and targeted therapy.Signal transduction and targeted therapy · 2021
    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

10 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Konstantinos ChristofyllakisDepartment of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Medical School, University of Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
Claudia PföhlerDepartment of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Medical School, University of Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
Moritz BewarderDepartment of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Medical School, University of Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
Cornelia S L MüllerDepartment of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Medical School, University of Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
Lorenz ThurnerDepartment of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Medical School, University of Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
Torben RixeckerDepartment of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Medical School, University of Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
Thomas VogtDepartment of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Medical School, University of Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
Stephan StilgenbauerDepartment of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Medical School, University of Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
Krista YordanovaDepartment of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, Medical School, University of Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
Dominic Kaddu-MulindwaDepartment of Hematology, Oncology, Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Medical School, University of Saarland, Homburg, Germany.
Saarland University · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionMultiple agents are approved in the adjuvant setting of completely resected high-risk (stages IIC-IV) malignant melanoma. Subgroups may benefit differently depending on the agent used. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficiency and tolerability of available options in the post interferon era across following subgroups: patient age, stage, ulceration status, lymph node involvement, BRAF status.

methodsThe PubMed and Cochrane Library databases were searched without restriction in year of publication in June and September 2020. Data were extracted according to the PRISMA Guidelines from two authors independently and were pooled according to the random-effects model. The predefined primary outcome was recurrence-free survival (RFS). Post-data extraction it was noted that one trial (BRIM8) reported disease-free survival which was defined in the exact same way as RFS.

resultsFive prospective randomized placebo-controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. The drug regimens included ipilimumab, pembrolizumab, nivolumab, nivolumab/ipilimumab, vemurafenib, and dabrafenib/trametinib. Adjuvant treatment was associated with a higher RFS than placebo (HR 0.57; 95% CI= 0.45-0.71). Nivolumab/ipilimumab in stage IV malignant melanoma was associated with the highest RFS benefit (HR 0.23; 97.5% CI= 0.12-0.45), followed by dabrafenib/trametinib in stage III BRAF-mutant melanoma (HR 0.49; 95% CI= 0.40-0.59). The presence of a BRAF mutation was associated with higher RFS rates (HR 0.30; 95% CI= 0.11-0.78) compared to the wildtype group (HR 0.60; 95% CI= 0.44-0.81). Patient age did not influence outcomes (≥65: HR 0.50; 95% CI= 0.36-0.70, <65: HR 0.58; 95% CI= 0.46-0.75). Immune checkpoint inhibitor monotherapy was associated with lower RFS in non-ulcerated melanoma. Patients with stage IIIA benefited equally from adjuvant treatment as those with stage IIIB/C. Nivolumab/ipilimumab and ipilimumab monotherapy were associated with higher toxicity.

conclusionAdjuvant therapy should not be withheld on account of advanced age or stage IIIA alone. The presence of a BRAF mutation is prognostically favorable in terms of RFS. BRAF/MEK inhibitors should be preferred in the adjuvant treatment of BRAF-mutant non-ulcerated melanoma.

Indexed as

adjuvantBRAF/ MEK inhibitorsBRAF mutationcheckpoint inhibitorsimmunotherapymelanomameta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID33680957
PMCPMC7930562
OpenAlexW3132999256

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.