Programmed death 1 (PD-1) and ligand (PD-L1) inhibitors in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Immunotherapy
• Clinical Trials

Background:

• Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors represent a significant advancement in cancer treatment.
• These immunotherapies have shown promise for patients diagnosed with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze the efficacy and safety of PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors in HNSCC patients.
• To compare outcomes between PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitor treatments within the HNSCC population.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of eleven clinical trials involving 1088 HNSCC patients.
• Outcomes assessed included median overall survival (mOS), median progression-free survival (mPFS), Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria, and treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs).

Main Results:

• The overall median overall survival (mOS) was 7.97 months, and the mean median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 2.84 months.
• PD-1 inhibitors demonstrated a significantly lower rate of RECIST Progressive Disease (42.61%) compared to PD-L1 inhibitors (56.79%) (P < 0.001).
• The incidence of any-grade treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) was similar between the two inhibitor types (62.7%).

Conclusions:

• The meta-analysis confirms the efficacy of both PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors in treating HNSCC.
• A potential difference in RECIST criteria outcomes between PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors warrants further investigation into their clinical significance.