Two‐year follow‐up of a randomized phase III clinical trial of nivolumab vs. the investigator's choice of therapy in the Asian population for recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (CheckMate 141)

• DOI: 10.1002/hed.26331
• Publication Date: 2020-06-25T05:22:40Z
• Authors: Chia‐Jui Yen; Naomi Kiyota; Nobuhiro Hanai; Shunji Takahashi; Tomoya Yokota; Shigemichi Iwae; Yasushi Shimizu; Ruey‐Long Hong; Masahiro Goto; Jin‐Hyoung Kang; Wing Sum Kenneth Li; Robert L. Ferris; Maura Gillison; Toshimitsu Endo; Vijayvel Jayaprakash; Makoto Tahara
• Keywords: nivolumab; Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck; Asian population; clinical trial; Original Articles; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Nivolumab; 0302 clinical medicine; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Humans; immunotherapy; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Follow-Up Studies

AbstractBackgroundThe present study evaluated the 2‐year survival of the Asian population in the CheckMate 141 trial.MethodsThe CheckMate 141 trial included patients with recurrent or metastatic (R/M) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). In the present study, 34 Asian patients (nivolumab group: 23 patients; investigator's choice of therapy [IC] group: 11 patients) were analyzed.ResultsThe median overall survival (OS) was 12.1 and 6.2 months for the nivolumab and IC groups, respectively. The estimated 2‐year OS rates were 22.7% and 0% for the nivolumab and IC groups, respectively. In the nivolumab group, the patients with any treatment‐related adverse events (TRAEs), including skin‐related disorders, showed better OS than the patients without any TRAEs.ConclusionsNivolumab demonstrated prolonged OS benefits in the Asian population with platinum‐refractory R/M SCCHN and a favorable safety profile. TRAEs, including skin‐related disorders, may be favorable prognostic factors for nivolumab efficacy.Clinical trial registrationNCT02105636.