Retreatment with nivolumab for patients with recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck cancer. (1st February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wakasugi, Tetsuro; Takeuchi, Shoko; Ohkubo, Jun-ichi; Suzuki, Hideaki
• Is Part Of: Acta oto-laryngologica. Volume 142:Number 2(2022)
• Page Start: 206
• Page End: 212
• Publication Date: 2022-02-01
• Subjects: Retreatment -- nivolumab -- head and neck cancer -- recurrent -- metastatic; Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; Ear -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Throat -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Otolaryngology -- Electronic Resources; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases; 617.8
• DOI: 10.1080/00016489.2022.2033317
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-6489

Abstract

Abstract: Background: After treatment with an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) is discontinued, retreatment with an ICI is a potential sequential treatment, but the clinical efficacy/safety data for this treatment of recurrent and/or metastatic head and neck cancer (R/M-HNC) are limited. Aims/Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of retreatment with nivolumab in R/M HNC. Materials and Methods: We divided the 29 eligible R/M-HNC patients who discontinued ICI treatment at our hospital into two cohorts to analyze the clinical characteristics and the efficacy of the salvage therapy: the Niv cohort (nivolumab retreatment) and the no-Niv cohort (no nivolumab retreatment). Results: The Niv cohort's median overall survival (OS) of 17.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.7–32.3) was significantly prolonged compared to that of the no-Niv cohort: 5.8 months (95%CI: 2.4–9.2, p = .034). The Niv cohort achieved objective response rate of 16.7% and a disease control rate of 50.0%. No adverse events > grade 3 occurred in the Niv cohort. Conclusion: Nivolumab retreatment is an option for sequential treatment post-immunotherapy.