Immunotherapy in head and neck cancer: aiming at EXTREME precision

Table 1 Peer-reviewed data from large phase III trials conducted in patients with recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

Study, line (year)	N	Regimen (treatment arms A, B, C)	Response rate (%)	Median progression-free survival (months)	Median overall survival (months)
ECOG 5397 1^st line (2005) [34]	112/	A: P + cetuximab^b	26^e	4.2	9.2
ECOG 5397 1^st line (2005) [34]	117	B: P + placebo	10	2.7	8.0
EXTREME 1^st line (2008) [18]	442/	A: PF/CF + cetuximab^b	36^e	5.6^e	10.1^e
EXTREME 1^st line (2008) [18]	442^a	B: PF/CF	20	3.3	7.4
SPECTRUM 1^st line (2013) [35]	657/	A: PF + panitumumab^b	36^e	5.8^e	11.1
SPECTRUM 1^st line (2013) [35]	657^a	B: PF	25	4.6	9.0
IMEX 2^nd line (2009) [36]	456/	A: Gefitinib (250 mg)^b	2.7	ND	5.6
	486^a	B: Gefitinib (500 mg)^b	7.6	ND	6.0
		C: MTX	3.9	ND	6.7
ZALUTE 2^nd line (2011) [37]	286/	A: Z^b + BSC	6.3	2.3^e	6.7
ZALUTE 2^nd line (2011) [37]	286^a	B: BSC (optional MTX)	1.1	1.9	5.2
ECOG 1302 2^nd line (2013) [38]	177/	A: D + gefitinib^b	12.5	3.5 (TTP)	7.3
ECOG 1302 2^nd line (2013) [38]	239^a	B: D + placebo	6.2	2.1 (TTP)	6.0
LUX-Head&Neck1 2^nd line (2015) [39]	483/	A: Afatinib^c	10.2	2.6^e	6.8
LUX-Head&Neck1 2^nd line (2015) [39]	483^a	B: MTX	5.6	1.7	6.0
CheckMate-141 2^nd line (2016) [23]	361/	A: Nivolumab^d	13.3^e	2.0	7.5^e
CheckMate-141 2^nd line (2016) [23]	361^a	B: MTX or D or cetuximab^b	5.8	2.3	5.1

N number of patients analysed for response/efficacy, P cisplatin, C carboplatin, F 5-fluorouracil, MTX methotrexate, Z zalutumumab, BSC best supportive care, D docetaxel, ND no data, TTP time to progression
^aintention-to-treat population
^bepidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor
^cirreversible HER family receptor blocker
^dprogrammed cell death protein-1 inhibitor
^esignificant differences

ISSN: 1741-7015