Extending Dabrafenib + Trametinib Beneficial in Stage III Melanoma
Extending adjuvant dabrafenib + trametinib beyond one year linked to better relapse-free survival
By Dermsquared Editorial Team | July 02, 2025
WEDNESDAY, July 2, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with BRAF V600E/K-positive, completely resected stage III melanoma, extending adjuvant dabrafenib and trametinib beyond one year was associated with significantly better relapse-free survival (RFS), according to a study published online May 13 in The Journal of Dermatology.
Dong-Dong Jia, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Hangzhou, and colleagues reviewed medical records from six centers to examine whether extending dabrafenib plus trametinib beyond one year offers additional clinical benefit in adults with BRAF V600E/K-positive, completely resected stage III melanoma. Patients were classified as those who received 12 months of adjuvant dabrafenib plus trametinib and those who received more than one year of therapy. The primary end point was RFS.
One hundred twenty-two patients were included, of whom 77 received more than one year of adjuvant therapy. The researchers found that the group receiving more than one year of adjuvant therapy experienced significantly better RFS; in a multivariate analysis, longer therapy independently reduced recurrence risk (hazard ratio, 2.42). There was no difference seen in adverse event profiles between the groups; toxicity-related treatment modifications mainly occurred within the first year.
"To our knowledge, this is the first study to highlight the feasibility of prolonging adjuvant dabrafenib plus trametinib in resected stage III melanoma, which may provide a basis for future prospective research," the authors write.