Cemiplimab for Unresectable Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Experience From a Tertiary Center

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Dermatology
• Immunotherapy

Background:

• Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a common skin cancer.
• Advanced or metastatic cSCC poses treatment challenges, especially when surgery or radiotherapy are not options.
• Cemiplimab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, offers a potential therapeutic avenue.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the real-world effectiveness and safety of cemiplimab in patients with advanced cSCC.
• To determine the overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) with cemiplimab treatment.
• To assess adverse events (AEs) associated with cemiplimab in this patient cohort.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of demographic, histologic, and clinical data.
• Inclusion of patients with metastatic or locally advanced cSCC treated with cemiplimab from November 2018 to March 2023.
• Assessment of primary endpoint (ORR) and secondary endpoints (PFS, OS, AEs).

Main Results:

• An overall response rate (ORR) of 83.9% was observed in 31 patients, surpassing the 46.1% from the EMPOWER-CSCC 1 trial.
• Complete response was achieved by 64.5% of patients, and partial response by 19.4%.
• Two-year overall survival (OS) was 73.5%, comparable to existing trial data. Adverse events were reported in 77.4% of patients.

Conclusions:

• Cemiplimab demonstrates significant efficacy in a real-world setting for advanced cSCC patients.
• A substantial number of patients achieved complete response, highlighting treatment effectiveness.
• Further research is warranted to optimize cemiplimab dosing and treatment duration strategies.