Clinical Report: Updated Meta-Analysis Excluding a Retracted Trial

Overview

After the LungTIME-C01 randomized trial was retracted, the authors repeated the time-of-day immunotherapy meta-analysis without its 210 participants. The revised analysis included 28 studies and 5919 patients; pooled estimates were HR 0.61 for overall survival and HR 0.65 for progression-free survival.

Background

The original systematic review and meta-analysis examined associations between time of immunotherapy administration and outcomes in advanced cancers. It included LungTIME-C01, which was subsequently retracted. The correction repeated the primary and subgroup analyses, sensitivity analyses, and assessments of heterogeneity and publication bias using the original statistical methods. The correction also revised the report’s text, tables, figures, and supplementary materials.

Data Highlights

Key Findings

• LungTIME-C01, listed as reference 10 in the original review, was retracted after publication.
• Excluding its 210 participants reduced the synthesis from 29 studies and 6129 patients to 28 studies and 5919 patients.
• The revised pooled overall-survival HR was 0.61 (95% CI, 0.52-0.71), compared with 0.60 (95% CI, 0.51-0.70) originally.
• The revised pooled progression-free-survival HR was 0.65 (95% CI, 0.57-0.74), compared with 0.62 (95% CI, 0.54-0.71) originally.
• The authors repeated the primary and subgroup analyses, sensitivity analyses, and evaluations of heterogeneity and publication bias using the original statistical methods.
• The correction revised the Key Points, Abstract, main text, Tables 1 and 2, Figures 1-3, and supplementary materials; Supplement 1 now includes a table documenting the excluded trial and reason for exclusion.

Clinical Implications

The corrected pooled estimates remain close to the originally reported estimates, although the progression-free-survival estimate changed from 0.62 to 0.65. The correction reports an updated evidence synthesis after exclusion of the retracted trial; it does not provide a separate clinical recommendation.

Conclusion

The meta-analysis was recalculated after LungTIME-C01 was retracted, with revised study counts and pooled estimates. The correction documents the exclusion and updates the associated analyses and report materials.

Related Resources & Content

1. JAMA Network Open, 2026 — Revised Meta-Analysis After Exclusion of Retracted Study
2. Buyse M, Carlson RW, Piedbois P, et al., Journal of Clinical Oncology, 1999 — Meta-Analyses of Published Results Are Unreliable
3. Kraemer HC, Journal of Clinical Oncology, 2017 — Multiple-Treatments Meta-Analysis: Are the Conclusions Supported by the Data?
4. ASCO Publications — Meta-Analyses of Published Results Are Unreliable
5. ASCO Publications — A novel approach to quantitatively synthesize subgroup findings from multiple trials.
6. Revised Meta-Analysis After Exclusion of Retracted Study
7. Morning versus afternoon administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer
8. Morning versus afternoon administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer | Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
9. Therapy for Stage IV Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer Without Driver Alterations: ASCO Living Guideline, 2026.3.1 | Journal of Clinical Oncology