In a nutshell
This study wanted to find out how well patients with advanced melanoma treated with certain medications survived outside of clinical trials. The study found that patients treated with nivolumab (Opdivo) and ipilimumab (Yervoy) or patients treated with anti-PD1 antibodies had longer survival compared to those treated with BRAF/MEK inhibition.
Some background
There are many types of treatment for melanoma cancer. It is very common for melanoma cancer to have a mutation called BRAF V600. This makes the cancer slightly more difficult to treat. The best type of treatment for this kind of cancer is not known.
Methods & findings
This study had 567 patients. All of the patients had advanced melanoma with the BRAF V600 mutation. 297 patients were treated with a BRAF or MEK inhibitor such as vemurafenib (Zelvoraf), cobimetinib (Cotellic), dabrafenib (Tafinlar), or trametinib (Mekinist). 162 patients were treated with anti PD1 antibodies such as nivolumab or pembrolizumab (Keytruda). 108 patients were treated with nivolumab and ipilimumab. The patients were followed for an average of 22.4 months after treatment.
On average, the patients treated with anti PD1 antibodies survived for 39.5 months. On average, patients treated with BRAF/MEK inhibitors survived for 13.2 months. The average survival was not reached (was longer than the follow-up period) for patients treated with nivolumab and ipilimumab.
The bottom line
The study found that patients with advanced melanoma with a BRAF V600 mutation survived for the longest when treated with nivolumab and ipilimumab.
The fine print
This study had a rather short follow-up period. Longer-term studies are needed.
Published By :
Cancer Medicine
Date :
Nov 03, 2019
