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Cancer research

Sex-Specific Survival Differences in Metastatic Melanoma Patients

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A new study published in the European Journal of Cancer has investigated sex-specific survival differences in metastatic melanoma patients who received first-line therapy. The prospective multicenter DeCOG skin cancer registry ADOREG included 2032 patients, with 1274 males (62.7%) and 758 females (37.3%), who received immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) or BRAF/MEK-directed targeted therapy (TT) between May 2010 and December 2020. The study found no significant sex-specific differences in survival, neither in the total cohort nor by treatment type.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study included 2032 patients, with 1274 males (62.7%) and 758 females (37.3%), who received ICI (n = 1484) or TT (n = 548) between May 2010 and December 2020.
  • At median follow-up of 28.6 months, no significant sex-specific differences in survival could be detected, neither in the total cohort nor by treatment type: PFS (total, p = 0.86; ICI, p = 0.46; TT, p = 0.21), OS (total, p = 0.60; ICI, p = 0.20; TT, p = 0.30).
  • Multivariable Cox regression analyses also did not show a relevant prognostic influence by sex.
  • Subgroup analyses were performed according to ICI therapy type, and in n = 872 patients treated with PD-1 monotherapy, a survival advantage (PFS, p = 0.041; OS, p = 0.07) could be detected for males by univariable and multivariable analyses.
  • No overall sex-specific survival differences were detected for metastatic melanoma patients in the first-line therapy setting.

Statistics:

  • A total of 2032 patients were included in the study, with 1274 males (62.7%) and 758 females (37.3%).
  • The study found no significant sex-specific differences in survival, neither in the total cohort (PFS, p = 0.86; OS, p = 0.60) nor by treatment type (ICI, p = 0.46; TT, p = 0.21).
  • The median follow-up period was 28.6 months.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Findings from Bielefeld University Yields New Findings on Skin Cancer (Sex-specific Survival In Advanced Metastatic Melanoma-a Decog Study On 2032 Patients of the Multicenter Prospective Skin Cancer Registry Adoreg). Immunotherapy Weekly. September 24, 2025; p 1071.
  • European Journal of Cancer. Sex-specific Survival In Advanced Metastatic Melanoma-a Decog Study On 2032 Patients of the Multicenter Prospective Skin Cancer Registry Adoreg. European Journal of Cancer, 2025;227.

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