Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40234665›Full record

ArticleBritish journal of cancer2025

Adjuvant BRAF/MEK versus anti-PD-1 in BRAF-mutant melanoma: a propensity score matched survival analysis.

M Bloem, M M de Meza, A J M van den Eertwegh, M J B Aarts, F W P J van den Berkmortel, C U Blank, W A M Blokx, M J Boers-Sonderen, J J Bonenkamp, C D M Boreel and 12 more

Abstract readComparative Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in British journal 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. Advances in Cancer Immunotherapy for Solid Tumors.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026
    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

22 authors.

M BloemScientific Bureau, Dutch Institute for Clinical Auditing, Leiden, The Netherlands. m.bloem@lumc.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9843-4285
M M de MezaDepartment of Biomedical Data Sciences, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.
A J M van den EertweghDepartment of Medical Oncology, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Centre, Cancer Centre Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
M J B AartsDepartment of Medical Oncology, GROW School for Oncology and Reproduction, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
F W P J van den BerkmortelDepartment of Medical Oncology, Zuyderland Medical Centre Sittard, Sittard-Geleen, The Netherlands.
C U BlankDepartment of Medical Oncology & Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7945-5846
W A M BlokxDepartment of Pathology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
M J Boers-SonderenDepartment of Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
J J BonenkampDepartment of Surgery, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
C D M BoreelScientific Bureau, Dutch Institute for Clinical Auditing, Leiden, The Netherlands.
J W B de GrootIsala Oncology Centre, Isala, Zwolle, The Netherlands.
J B A G HaanenDepartment of Medical Oncology & Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
G A P HospersDepartment of Medical Oncology, University Medical Centre Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3047-7892
E KapiteijnDepartment of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4814-6426
O J van NotDepartment of Dermatology, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands.
D PiersmaDepartment of Internal Medicine, Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands.
B RikhofDepartment of Internal Medicine, Medical Centre Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands.
A M Stevense-den BoerDepartment of Internal Medicine, Amphia Hospital, Breda, The Netherlands.
A A M van der VeldtDepartment of Medical Oncology and Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0446-1907
G VreugdenhilDepartment of Internal Medicine, Maxima Medical Centre, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
K P M SuijkerbuijkDepartment of Medical Oncology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3604-5430
M W J M WoutersScientific Bureau, Dutch Institute for Clinical Auditing, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAdjuvant BRAF/MEK inhibitors (BRAF/MEK) and anti-PD-1 therapy have become the standard care in resected stage III/IV melanoma. A head-to-head clinical trial comparison is lacking.

methodsAll stage III BRAF-mutant melanoma patients who received adjuvant BRAF/MEK or anti-PD-1 (2018-2022) were included from the Dutch Melanoma Treatment Registry. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to compare 1- and 2-year recurrence-free survival (RFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and overall survival (OS), and toxicity rates.

findingsAmong 952 patients (226 BRAF/MEK and 726 anti-PD-1), BRAF/MEK-treated patients had lower disease stages (16·4% versus 9·9% stage IIIA; p < 0·01) and more often comorbidities (75·2% versus 63·4%; p < 0·01). Median follow-up was 29 months. PSM created two similar groups of 223 patients. RFS, DMFS, and OS were not significantly different before and after PSM. Two-year RFS was 62% (95% CI 55-71) for BRAF/MEK and 65% (95% CI 58-72) for anti-PD-1; 2-year DMFS was 81% (95% CI 74-87) versus 81% (95% CI 75-86); 2-year OS was 86% (95% CI 81-92) versus 89% (95% CI 85-94), respectively. Grade ≥ 3 toxicity was reported in 11·7% (BRAF/MEK) and 13·4% (anti-PD-1).

conclusionAfter PSM, no significant differences in outcomes were observed between adjuvant anti-PD-1 and BRAF/MEK-treated patients with stage III BRAF-mutant melanoma.

Indexed as

Immune Checkpoint InhibitorsMelanomaProtein Kinase InhibitorsProto-Oncogene Proteins B-rafAdultAgedAged, 80 and overChemotherapy, AdjuvantFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMutationProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorPropensity ScoreSurvival AnalysisBRAF protein, humanImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsPDCD1 protein, humanProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorProtein Kinase InhibitorsProto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf

Identifiers

PMID40234665
PMCPMC12152172

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.