Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40061137›Full record

ArticleExploration of targeted anti-tumor therapy2025

Concomitant exposure to benzodiazepines during pembrolizumab-based therapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a propensity-score matched analysis of monitoring agency data.

Fabrizio Nelli, Enzo Maria Ruggeri, Antonella Virtuoso, Diana Giannarelli, Armando Raso, Federica Natoni, Gloria Pessina, Daniele Remotti, Mario Giovanni Chilelli, Carlo Signorelli and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Exploration of targeted anti-tumor therapy, 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.

Fabrizio NelliDepartment of Oncology and Hematology, Thoracic Oncology Unit, Central Hospital of Belcolle, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.
Enzo Maria RuggeriDepartment of Oncology and Hematology, Medical Oncology Unit, Central Hospital of Belcolle, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7790-0056
Antonella VirtuosoDepartment of Oncology and Hematology, Thoracic Oncology Unit, Central Hospital of Belcolle, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8888-9657
Diana GiannarelliBiostatistics Unit, Scientific Directorate, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli, IRCCS, 00136 Rome, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6085-1195
Armando RasoDepartment of Oncology and Hematology, Thoracic and Interventional Radiology, Central Hospital of Belcolle, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1273-9905
Federica NatoniDepartment of Oncology and Hematology, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Central Hospital of Belcolle, 0100 Viterbo, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8320-584X
Gloria PessinaDepartment of Oncology and Hematology, Molecular Biology and Genetics, Central Hospital of Belcolle, 0100 Viterbo, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3315-4762
Daniele RemottiDepartment of Oncology and Hematology, Pathology Unit, Central Hospital of Belcolle, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9428-9207
Mario Giovanni ChilelliDepartment of Oncology and Hematology, Medical Oncology Unit, Central Hospital of Belcolle, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.
Carlo SignorelliDepartment of Oncology and Hematology, Medical Oncology Unit, Central Hospital of Belcolle, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9710-4962
Agnese FabbriDepartment of Oncology and Hematology, Medical Oncology Unit, Central Hospital of Belcolle, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3357-6343

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aim: The interaction of concomitant benzodiazepine (BZD) exposure during immune checkpoint blockade has not been comprehensively investigated to date. This research aimed to determine the influence of BZD intake on the survival outcomes of patients with metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving pembrolizumab-based therapies. Methods: We included consecutive patients with advanced NSCLC who were given frontline pembrolizumab, whether as exclusive therapy or combined with platinum-based chemotherapy. The classification of BZD relied on the molecular composition, distinguishing between Results: During the time frame from April 2018 to May 2023, we enrolled 258 patients, 156 (60.5%) and 102 (39.5%) of whom received pembrolizumab alone or the combination regimen, respectively. We identified 108 (41.8%) exposed patients (BZD cohort) in comparison to all others (no-BZD cohort). After applying propensity-score matching, 108 cases were relevant for each cohort. After a median follow-up of 16.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 13.1-19.7] months, univariate analysis revealed no significant differences in terms of progression-free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS) between BZD cohorts. However, patients exposed to Conclusions: BZD exposure may impact the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced NSCLC. The specific composition may influence the choice among different compounds.

Indexed as

benzodiazepineschemotherapyConcomitant medicationsefficacyfirst-line therapyimmune checkpoint blockadenon-small-cell lung cancerpembrolizumab

Identifiers

PMID40061137
PMCPMC11886376

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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.