SynthesisThe oncologist2025
Dabrafenib and trametinib vs anti-PD(L)1 for the adjuvant treatment of locally advanced BRAF-mutant melanoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in The oncologist, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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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.
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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.
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Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Durable benefits, but no improvements in overall survival: what can we learn from CheckMate 238 after 9 years of follow-up?Translational cancer research · 2026Article
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PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundBoth dabrafenib and trametinib (D + T) and anti-PD(L)1s have been shown to improve recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with stage III or resected stage IV BRAF-mutant melanoma. However, no randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have directly compared them in the adjuvant setting, creating uncertainties about the optimal approach. This systematic review and meta-analysis address this knowledge gap.
methodsA comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Scopus was conducted to identify studies comparing D + T with anti-PD(L)1 therapies. Studies with overlapping populations were excluded. Statistical analyses employed a random-effects model, with heterogeneity assessed via I 2 statistics. This study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42024553421).
resultsEight observational studies (2394 patients) met the inclusion criteria. No eligible RCTs were identified. Median follow-up ranged from 10 to 53 months. Dabrafenib and trametinib improved RFS compared to anti-PD(L)1 therapies (hazard ratio [HR] 0.53, 95% CI, 0.40-0.70, P < .01; I 2 = 55%). However, no significant difference was observed in overall survival (OS) (HR 0.83, 95% CI, 0.60-1.15, P = .27; I 2 = 0%). Subgroup and sensitivity analyses yielded similar results. Dabrafenib and trametinib was associated with a higher rate of treatment discontinuation due to adverse events (AEs), with a relative risk of 1.57 (95% CI, 1.30-1.91, P < .01; I 2 = 0%), corresponding to a risk difference of 8% (95% CI, 5%-12%, P < .01; I 2 = 0%).
conclusionsDabrafenib and trametinib demonstrated superiority over anti-PD(L)1 therapies in terms of RFS. However, no OS benefit was observed, and D + T was associated with a higher risk of treatment discontinuation. These findings should be considered when counseling patients, as the choice of adjuvant therapy may need to be tailored to individual preferences and tolerability.
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