Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41179119›Full record

ReviewTherapeutic advances in medical oncology2025

Antibody-drug conjugates versus docetaxel for previously treated advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Saqib Raza Khan, Laís Marques Eiras, Gabriel Boldt, Jacques Raphael, Daniel Breadner

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Therapeutic advances in medical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

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

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Review
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

5 authors.

Saqib Raza KhanSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3742-534X
Laís Marques EirasSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Gabriel BoldtSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8356-6338
Jacques RaphaelSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Daniel BreadnerSchulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University, A3-913 800 Commissioners Road East, London, ON N6A5W9, Canada Verspeeten Family Cancer Centre, London Health Sciences Centre, London, ON, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5379-7621

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Docetaxel, following progression on immunotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy, remains the standard of care for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) but offers limited promise. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) may improve outcomes in this population. Objectives: Data from the literature, mainly randomized controlled trials (RCTs), have shown discrepancies. This report evaluates the efficacy and safety of ADCs versus docetaxel in previously treated advanced NSCLC. Design: The systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted focusing on phase II/III RCTs to synthesize available evidence regarding efficacy outcomes and safety of ADCs compared to docetaxel. Data resources and methods: Databases (PubMed (MEDLINE), EMBASE, and Cochrane Library), clinical trial registries, and proceedings of global oncology conferences from January 2015 to November 2024 were screened comparing ADC versus docetaxel. Two researchers independently completed data retrieval and screening work using Covidence. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool (RoB 2.0) was used to assess the methodological quality of the included RCTs. The primary outcomes include progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), while the secondary outcomes include objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and adverse events (AEs). The pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and odds ratios (ORs) were meta-analyzed using the appropriate generic variance and Mantel-Haenszel methods. Random-effect models were used to compute pooled estimates. Results: Of the 212 records screened, three RCTs involving 1597 patients were included. ADCs did not significantly improve PFS (pooled HR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.73-1.13). For OS, the pooled HR was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.78-1.00, Conclusion: Overall, there was no difference between the docetaxel and the ADC treatment arms; however, our findings report a significant survival benefit in the subgroup of patients with nonsquamous NSCLC pathology treated with ADCs compared to docetaxel with a manageable safety profile. Further research is needed to address heterogeneity, refine patient selection, and obtain more mature survival data with predictive biomarkers.

Indexed as

antibody–drug conjugateschemotherapymeta-analysisnon-small-cell lung canceroutcomes

Identifiers

PMID41179119
PMCPMC12579195

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

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.