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Updated: Sep 26, 2025
A 3D Organotypic Melanoma Spheroid Skin Model
Published on: May 18, 2018
Long-Term Outcomes of Targeted Therapy after First-Line Immunotherapy in BRAF-Mutated Advanced Cutaneous Melanoma
Paweł Rogala1, Anna M Czarnecka1,2, Bożena Cybulska-Stopa3
1Department of Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melansoma, Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 02-781 Warsaw, Poland.
Background:
Currently, limited data on targeted therapy and immunotherapy sequencing in patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma is available. Targeted therapy and immunotherapy are expected to be comparable in terms of overall survival (OS) when used as second-line therapies; therefore, understanding the characteristics of patients who completed sequential treatment is needed.
Methods:
The primary objective of this study was to analyze the efficacy of BRAFi/MEKi activity as second-line therapy in patients with advanced melanoma. We also aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of patients with advanced melanoma who were treated sequentially with immunotherapy and targeted therapy. We enrolled 97 patients treated between 1st December 2015 and 31st December 2020 with first-line immunotherapy with programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) checkpoint inhibitors; and for the second-line treatment with at least one cycle of BRAFi/MEKi therapy with follow-up through 31 January 2022.
Results:
Median OS since first-line treatment initiation was 19.9 months and 12.8 months since initiation of BRAFi/MEKi treatment. All BRAFi/MRKi combinations were similarly effective. Median progression free survival (PFS) was 7.5 months since initiation of any BRAFi/MEKi treatment.
Conclusions:
BRAFi/MEKi therapy is effective in the second-line in advanced and metastatic melanoma patients. For the first time, the efficacy of all BRAFi/MEKi combinations as second-line therapy is shown.
Insights
BRAF inhibitor/MEK inhibitor (BRAFi/MEKi) therapy shows effectiveness as a second-line treatment for advanced melanoma. This study provides new insights into sequential treatment strategies for BRAF-mutant melanoma patients.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Melanoma Research
- Cancer Therapeutics
Background:
- Limited data exists on sequencing targeted therapy and immunotherapy for BRAF-mutant melanoma.
- Understanding sequential treatment is crucial as overall survival (OS) is comparable for second-line therapies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the efficacy of BRAF inhibitor/MEK inhibitor (BRAFi/MEKi) therapy as second-line treatment in advanced melanoma.
- To describe clinical characteristics of patients undergoing sequential immunotherapy and targeted therapy.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 97 advanced melanoma patients treated between December 2015 and December 2020.
- First-line treatment: Programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitors; Second-line treatment: BRAFi/MEKi therapy.
- Follow-up data collected through January 2022.
Main Results:
- Median OS since first-line treatment initiation was 19.9 months.
- Median OS since BRAFi/MEKi initiation was 12.8 months.
- Median progression-free survival (PFS) after BRAFi/MEKi treatment was 7.5 months.
Conclusions:
- BRAFi/MEKi therapy demonstrates efficacy as a second-line treatment for advanced and metastatic melanoma.
- This study is the first to present the efficacy of all BRAFi/MEKi combinations in the second-line setting.
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