Neoadjuvant plus adjuvant dabrafenib and trametinib versus adjuvant dabrafenib and trametinib in patients with stage III melanoma: a single-center retrospective cohort study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective To assess the impact of combined neoadjuvant and adjuvant dabrafenib plus trametinib versus adjuvant-only therapy on event-free survival (EFS) in patients with resected stage III BRAF-mutant melanoma.Methods Data from patients with confirmed stage III BRAFV600E/K-mutant melanoma treated at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital between May 2019 and December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 32 patients were included (neoadjuvant + adjuvant, n = 10; adjuvant-only, n = 22).Results There was no statistically significant difference in EFS between the groups (log-rank p = 0.55), nor were there significant differences in OS observed (log-rank p = 0.82). Surgical resection was performed on all patients in the combined therapy group, with 50% achieving a pathological complete response (pCR) and the remaining 50% a pathological partial response (pPR). No significant differences in EFS (log-rank p = 0.09) or OS (log-rank p = 0.11) were found based on the pathological response. The toxicity profile was consistent with previous reports.Conclusion In this single-center retrospective cohort, neoadjuvant-plus-adjuvant dabrafenib and trametinib was feasible, enabling timely surgery with manageable toxicities. Survival outcomes were comparable to adjuvant-only therapy, and pathological responses in the neoadjuvant cohort provide exploratory prognostic information.
Authors: Dong-Dong Jia, Tao Li
Language: English
Topic: Melanoma and MAPK Pathways
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4416673950