Pembrolizumab-Chemotherapy Versus Pembrolizumab in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A PD-L1 CPS-Stratified Analysis of Updated KEYNOTE-048 Data.
Shasha Xing, Songchen Shi, Meile Jin et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial analyzed updated data from KEYNOTE-048 to compare the efficacy of pembrolizumab-chemotherapy versus pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with PD-L1 CPS ≥ 1. In the CPS 1-19 subgroup, pembrolizumab-chemotherapy showed a numerically longer median progression-free survival (PFS2) of 10.1 months compared to 8.0 months for monotherapy.
Key findings
- In the CPS 1-19 subgroup, median PFS2 was 10.1 months for pembrolizumab-chemotherapy versus 8.0 months for monotherapy.
- Overall survival (OS) in the CPS 1-19 subgroup was 12.8 months for combination therapy compared to 10.8 months for monotherapy.
- For CPS ≥ 20, median PFS2 was similar at 11.3 months for pembrolizumab-chemotherapy and 11.7 months for monotherapy.
- Efficacy was comparable in the CPS ≥ 20 subgroup, with OS of 14.7 months for combination therapy and 14.9 months for monotherapy.
Why it matters
The findings suggest that treatment strategies for HNSCC can be refined based on PD-L1 CPS levels, potentially optimizing patient outcomes while minimizing toxicity. Understanding these differences can guide clinicians in selecting appropriate first-line therapies.