Spagnolo Francesco
Oncologia Medica 2, IRCCS Ospedale Policlinico San Martino, Genova.
Recenti Prog Med. 2020 Dec;111(12):39e-47e. doi: 10.1701/3509.34975.
The introduction of anti-PD-1 drugs as an adjuvant treatment for high risk melanoma has radically changed the everyday clinical practice, with an impact on the reduction of the risk of relapse close to 50%, as observed in phase 3 clinical trials. In patients whose tumors harbor a BRAF mutation, the combination of BRAF plus MEK inhibitors is also a valuable option, with outcomes in terms of 3-year RFS similar to those observed with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. However, numerous questions remain unanswered, particularly which is the best treatment in BRAF-mutant patients. The aim of this review was to analyze the results of randomized phase 3 clinical trials, with a focus on some hot topics and discussing the role of immunotherapy for the adjuvant treatment of BRAF-mutant melanoma.