Role of PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors in the treatment of recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta‐analysis

xlomafota13 shared this article with you from Inoreader Role of PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors in the treatment of recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta‐analysis Via Clinical Otolaryngology Abstract Background The use of immunotherapy to treat recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck has become a popular research topic in recent years, and many clinical trials have been carried out. Objectives To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors in the treatment of recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and other databases up to 1 November 2019 for publications reporting the use of PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors in the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Revman 5.0 was used for combination analysis, and the overall survival (OS), progression‐free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR), and adverse events were determined. Results Five articles were included. Compared with other treatment methods, this meta‐analysis showed that treatment with PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors can significantly improve OS (P < 0.0001), but there was no significant improvement in PFS or ORR. The risk of anaemia and nausea was significantly reduced by treatment with PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors. Conclusions and Significance Treatment with PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors alone can improve the overall survival rate for recurrent/metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck but there is no obvious advantage in other aspects and adverse events. View on the web Inoreader. Take back control of your news feed. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.