Enhanced overall and progression-free survival in advanced melanoma patients undergoing targeted therapy alongside antithrombotic treatment – Insights from a multicenter study involving 1296 patients from the prospective skin cancer registry ADOReg

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Noah Zimmermann - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Julian Kött - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Tim Zell - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Ali Zeinal Abedini - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Chiara L. Blomen - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Stella Belz - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Benjamin Deitert - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Isabel Heidrich - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Glenn Geidel - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Alessandra Rünger - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Daniel J. Smit - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Michael Weichenthal - , University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein Campus Kiel (Author)
  • Selma Ugurel - , Bielefeld University (Author)
  • Ulrike Leiter - , University Hospital Tübingen (Author)
  • Carola Berking - , University Hospital at the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (Author)
  • Ralf Gutzmer - , Ruhr University Bochum (Author)
  • Dirk Schadendorf - , University Hospital Essen, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) West, University of Duisburg-Essen (Author)
  • Imke von Wasielewski - , Hannover Medical School (MHH) (Author)
  • Peter Mohr - , Elbe Clinics Stade/Buxtehude (Author)
  • Friedegund Meier - , Department of Dermatology, National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus Dresden (Author)
  • Rudolf Herbst - , Fresenius AG (Author)
  • Jochen Utikal - , German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg University  (Author)
  • Patrick Terheyden - , University of Lübeck (Author)
  • Sebastian Haferkamp - , University of Regensburg, Bavarian Center for Cancer Research (BZKF) (Author)
  • Claudia Pföhler - , Saarland University (Author)
  • Martin Kaatz - , SRH Wald-Klinikum Gera , DRK Hospital Chemnitz-Rabenstein (Author)
  • Fabian Ziller - , DRK Hospital Chemnitz-Rabenstein (Author)
  • Jens Ulrich - , Harzklinikum Dorothea Christiane Erxleben GmbH (Author)
  • Frank Meiss - , University Medical Center Freiburg, University of Freiburg (Author)
  • Alexander T. Bauer - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Stefan W. Schneider - , University of Hamburg (Author)
  • Christoffer Gebhardt - , University of Hamburg (Author)

Abstract

Background Targeted therapies (TT) improve outcomes in BRAF-mutant melanoma. Pre-clinical data suggest that anticoagulation (AC) and platelet aggregation inhibition (PAI) may have antitumoral effects. We evaluated the impact of concomitant AC or PAI on outcomes in patients receiving TT. Methods We analyzed 1296 patients with unresectable stage III-IV BRAF-mutant melanoma treated with BRAF plus MEK inhibitors (2016–2024) in the prospective multicenter ADOReg registry. Patients were categorized as receiving no antithrombotic therapy (ATT; n = 1125), PAI (n = 73; acetylsalicylic acid or clopidogrel), or AC (n = 98; direct oral anticoagulants, low-molecular-weight heparin, or vitamin K antagonists). Results Median follow-up was 1.3 years. Compared with patients without ATT, those receiving AC had significantly improved 12-month progression-free survival (PFS; HR 0.55, 95 % CI 0.39–0.78, p = 0.001) and overall survival (OS; HR 0.35, 95 % CI 0.19–0.64, p = 0.001). Direct oral anticoagulants showed the most pronounced PFS benefit (HR 0.40, 95 % CI 0.25–0.64, p < 0.001). PAI was not associated with a significant difference in PFS, but multivariable Cox regression indicated a reduced hazard of death (HR 0.48, 95 % CI 0.27–0.87, p = 0.015). Conclusion Concomitant AC, particularly factor Xa-inhibiting direct oral anticoagulants, was associated with improved survival in melanoma patients undergoing TT. These findings support prospective trials evaluating AC as concomitant therapy in advanced melanoma.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number116195
JournalEuropean journal of cancer
Volume234
Publication statusPublished - 5 Feb 2026
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 41448065
ORCID /0000-0003-4340-9706/work/210355488

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Anticoagulation, Melanoma, Targeted therapy