Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Real-World Experience from a Canadian Comprehensive Cancer Centre

Koch Hein, E.C.; Vilbert, M.; Hirsch, I.; Fernando Ribeiro, M.; Muniz, T.P.; Fournier, C.; Abdulalem, K.; Saldanha, E.F.; Martinez, E.; Spreafico, A.; Hogg, D.H.; Butler, M.O.; Saibil, S.D. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Real-World Experience from a Canadian Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Cancers 2023, 15, 4312. Koch Hein, E.C.; Vilbert, M.; Hirsch, I.; Fernando Ribeiro, M.; Muniz, T.P.; Fournier, C.; Abdulalem, K.; Saldanha, E.F.; Martinez, E.; Spreafico, A.; Hogg, D.H.; Butler, M.O.; Saibil, S.D. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Real-World Experience from a Canadian Comprehensive Cancer Centre. Cancers 2023, 15, 4312.

Abstract

: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) cemiplimab and pembrolizumab have revolutionized the treatment of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ICI in a real-world cSCC population, including patients with conditions which would exclude clinical trial participation. In this single-center, retrospective cohort study, we included all non-trial patients with advanced cSCC treated with ICI between 2017 and 2022. We evaluated investigator-assessed best overall response (BOR) and immune-related adverse events (irAEs). We correlated survival outcomes with age, performance status, immune status and irAEs. For the 36 patients identified, best overall response (BOR) to ICI was partial response (PR) in 41.7%, complete response (CR) in 27.8%, and stable disease in (SD) 13.9% of patients. The PFS rate at 1 year was 63%; median PFS was not reached (NR). The median OS was 38.6 months (95% CI 25.4-NR). Immune compromised patients, ECOG performance 2-3, and age ≥75 years were not significantly associated with PFS or OS. IrAE grade 3-4 were seen in 13.9% of patients. In our Canadian experience with real-world patients, ICI was an effective and safe treatment for advanced cSCC patients. Patients achieved great benefit with ICI regardless of age, immune status or ECOG performance status.

Keywords

cemiplimab; pembrolizumab; immune checkpoint inhibitor; PD-1; cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

Subject

Medicine and Pharmacology, Oncology and Oncogenics

Copyright: This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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