Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40510355›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in immunology2025

The efficacy and safety of regorafenib/fruquintinib combined with PD-1/PD-L1 for metastatic colorectal cancer: a meta-analysis based on single-arm studies.

Fan Yang, Ying Mao, Hanyu Huang, Wen Luo, Li Liu, Wenzhi Chen

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in immunology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Fan YangState Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Ying MaoDepartment of Oncology, Suining Central Hospital, Suining, China.
Hanyu HuangState Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
Wen LuoDepartment of Oncology, Suining Central Hospital, Suining, China.
Li LiuDepartment of Oncology, Suining Central Hospital, Suining, China.
Wenzhi ChenState Key Laboratory of Ultrasound in Medicine and Engineering, College of Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objective: The efficacy of regorafenib or fruquintinib in combination with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treatment has not been elucidated. This study aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of this combination therapy. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were systematically retrieved until July 24, 2024. A meta-analysis was carried out for the overall objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and the incidence of grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events (AEs). Non-overlapping 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were considered statistically significant. Results: 26 studies encompassing 1,409 patients were analyzed. Pooled analysis revealed an ORR of 6% (95% CI: 3%-12%), a DCR of 62% (95% CI: 55%-68%), a median PFS of 3.84 months (95% CI: 3.19-4.49 months), a median OS of 13.08 months (95% CI: 10.17-16.00 months), and an incidence rate of grade 3-4 AEs of 21% (95% CI: 15%-28%). In subgroup analyses, the fruquintinib-based regimen demonstrated significantly superior efficacy compared to regorafenib-based therapy, with higher ORR (16% [95% CI: 13%-21%] vs 3% [95% CI: 1%-9%]), DCR (79% [95% CI: 72%-85%] vs 54% [95% CI: 47%-61%]), and median PFS (5.40 months [95% CI: 4.60-6.19] vs 3.00 months [95% CI: 2.47-3.52]). Median OS was numerically but not significantly longer with fruquintinib (14.35 months [95% CI: 10.68-18.02] vs 12.70 months [95% CI: 8.79-16.61]). Liver metastasis status strongly influenced outcomes, with significantly lower ORR (3% [95% CI: 1%-13%] vs 49% [95% CI: 32%-76%]) and shorter median PFS (2.37 months [95% CI: 1.77-2.96] vs 3.50 months [95% CI: 3.09-3.91]) in patients with liver involvement. Conclusion: The combination of regorafenib or fruquintinib with PD-1/PD-L1 shows moderate efficacy and acceptable safety in the treatment of mCRC. The fruquintinib-based regimen may be superior to the regorafenib-based regimen, and patients without liver metastasis may derive greater benefits. These findings offer new insights for treating mCRC, although they should be validated through large randomized controlled trials. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, identifier CRD42024582268.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsColorectal NeoplasmsPyridinesB7-H1 AntigenHumansImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsNeoplasm MetastasisPhenylurea CompoundsProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorTreatment OutcomeB7-H1 AntigenCD274 protein, humanImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsPDCD1 protein, humanPhenylurea CompoundsProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorPyridinesregorafenibfruquintinibmeta-analysismetastatic colorectal cancerPD-1/PD-L1 inhibitorsregorafenib

Identifiers

PMID40510355
PMCPMC12159013

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.