Effectiveness of Pembrolizumab in Head and Neck Cancer
Author Information
Author(s): Muacevic Alexander, Adler John R, Meenu Meenakshi, Dhiman Pravesh, Kumar Muninder, Pradhan Pranita, Pandey Shivam
Primary Institution: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bilaspur
Hypothesis
What is the effectiveness and safety of pembrolizumab in patients with recurrent or metastatic or unresectable head and neck squamous cell cancer in real-world practice?
Conclusion
Pembrolizumab monotherapy showed a better overall response rate and fewer adverse events compared to combination therapy with chemotherapy.
Supporting Evidence
- Pembrolizumab monotherapy improved overall response rates compared to combination therapy.
- Adverse events were reported less frequently in the monotherapy group.
- Overall survival rates were similar between monotherapy and combination therapy.
Takeaway
This study looked at how well a cancer drug called pembrolizumab works for patients with a specific type of head and neck cancer. It found that using pembrolizumab alone is often better than using it with other treatments.
Methodology
A systematic review and meta-analysis of real-world data from studies on pembrolizumab in head and neck cancer.
Potential Biases
High risk of selection bias and outcome assessment bias due to the non-randomized nature of the studies.
Limitations
The studies included were retrospective and had a high risk of bias, limiting the strength of the evidence.
Participant Demographics
Included patients with recurrent/metastatic/unresectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, with varying ages and health statuses.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.61
Confidence Interval
0.45 to 0.84
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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