Long-Term CheckMate 238 Data Support Adjuvant Nivolumab Vs Ipilimumab in Resected Melanoma
Source: OncLive, February 2024
Adjuvant nivolumab (Opdivo) continued to significantly improve relapse-free survival (RFS) over ipilimumab (Yervoy) in patients with resected stage III or IV melanoma, according to 7-year minimum follow-up efficacy data from the phase 3 CheckMate 238 study (NCT02388906) presented at the 2023 ESMO Congress.
In all patients, treatment with nivolumab (n = 453) resulted in a median RFS of 61.1 months (95% CI, 42.9-not reached [NR]) vs 24.2 months (95% CI, 16.6-35.1) with ipilimumab (n = 453; HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.62-0.88). The 84-month RFS rates with nivolumab and ipilimumab were 45% and 38%, respectively. Nivolumab demonstrated a RFS benefit over ipilimumab spanning the majority of patient subsets, including those with stage IIIB or IIIC disease, and regardless of BRAF mutational status.
In those with stage IIIB disease, those who received nivolumab (n = 166) experienced a median RFS that was NR (95% CI, 61.1-NR) vs 42.3 months (95% CI, 21.8-NR) with ipilimumab (n = 147; HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.53-1.01). The respective 84-month RFS rates were 53% and 46%, respectively. Within the stage IIIC disease subset, those given nivolumab (n = 202) experienced a median RFS of 41.5 months (95% CI, 22.1-62.4) vs 16.8 months (95% CI, 10.8-29.6) with ipilimumab (n = 219; HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.60-1.00). The respective 84-month RFS rates were 39% and 34%, respectively.