Pembrolizumab versus placebo after resection of stage IIB or IIC melanoma: final analysis of distant metastasis-free survival in KEYNOTE-716

The multinational phase 3 KEYNOTE-716 trial randomized patients after resection of stage IIB or IIC melanoma to pembrolizumab or placebo for about a year. Final analysis of the distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) has now been published, with a median follow-up of 39.4 months. DMFS was better with pembrolizumab versus placebo among all patients (A), among patients with stage IIB disease (B), among patients with stage IIC disease (C), and this benefit of pembrolizumab was seen in all subgroups (D). Recurrence-free survival also was better with pembrolizumab versus placebo among all patients (A), among patients with stage IIB disease (B), among patients with stage IIC disease, and in all subgroups (D). The safety profile of pembrolizumab was manageable and consistent with previous reports. The authors conclude that these results support the use of adjuvant pembrolizumab after resection of stage IIB or IIC melanoma.