OBJECTIVES: This retrospective chart review study was conducted in France (FR), Germany (DE), and the United Kingdom (UK) to describe demographics, clinical characteristics, first (1L) and second line (2L) treatment patterns for patients with recurrent/metastatic (R/M) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) in the real-world setting.

METHODS: This chart review study examined patients newly diagnosed with R/M SCCHN between 01-June-2017 and 01-June-2018. Twenty-four oncologists contributed data on 101 patients (FR: N = 35, DE: N = 31, and UK: N = 35) age ≥18 years with histologically confirmed R/M SCCHN of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx. Patients enrolled in cancer treatment-related clinical trials since their R/M SCCHN diagnosis were excluded. Demographics and treatment data were analyzed descriptively.

RESULTS: Patients were a mean (SD) age of 63 (9) years, and 83% were current or former tobacco users. 72% had documented HPV testing, of which 49% were positive. Only 25% were tested for PD-L1 expression prior to 1L, with 77% of those being > 1. At 1L treatment initiation, 66% were platinum naïve/de novo, 18% were platinum sensitive, with the remainder platinum ineligible/refractory. Most (75%) had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1. In the 1L, EXTREME regimen (Cetuximab + Cisplatin or Carboplatin + 5-Fluorouracil) was administered to 38%, 41% received other platinum-based therapy with/without a taxane, 11% received nivolumab as a single agent, 9% received other cetuximab-based therapy, and 1% received pembrolizumab. 15% received radiotherapy in the 1L of treatment. Of the total, 64 patients (63%) received a 2L therapy. Of these, 78% received nivolumab and 3%, pembrolizumab.

CONCLUSIONS: Between 2017 and 2018, platinum-based regimens including EXTREME continued to be the mainstay of 1L R/M SCCHN in these countries, with immunotherapy having high uptake in 2L.