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NCT02358031 · OUTCOME

Pembro Combo vs Control: TTD in the EORTC QLQ- H&N35 Swallowing Score (Kaplan-Meier Method)

A Study of Pembrolizumab (MK-3475) for First Line Treatment of Recurrent or Metastatic Squamous Cell Cancer of the Head and Neck (MK-3475-048/KEYNOTE-048) · Source last updated 2025-07-18

Results reported by the registry submitting party. Population, time horizon, units and missing values must be read together.

Measure
MEDIAN
Unit
Months
Interval / dispersion
95% Confidence Interval
Time frame
Baseline up to approximately 12 months

What was measured

EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 is a 35-item questionnaire developed to assess QoL of head and neck cancer participants and consists of 7 multi-item scales that assess pain, swallowing, senses, speech, social eating, social contact and sexuality. Participant responses to the Swallowing scale (Items 35-38) were scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at all to 4=Very much). Raw scores were standardized by linear transformation so that scores ranged from 0 to 100; a higher score indicating more problems. TTD in EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 Swallowing Score defined as the time from baseline to the first onset of a ≥10 point decrease from baseline, with confirmation. Per protocol, TTD in EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 Swallowing Score, for the first course of treatment, was compared between all participants of pembro combo arm and control arm as a pre-specified secondary analysis; and compared separately between all participants of pembro mono arm and control arm and is presented later in the record.

Analysis population: All participants in the pembro combo arm and control arm who completed the EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 and had received ≥1 dose of study drug. 20 in the control arm enrolled during an enrollment pause of the pembro combo arm were excluded. Per protocol, the pembro mono arm was compared to the control arm separately and not included in this analysis.

Groups in this outcome

Pembrolizumab Monotherapy (Pembro Mono)

Participants received pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously (IV) on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle for up to 35 cycles (up to \~2 years).

Pembrolizumab + Chemotherapy (Pembro Combo)

Participants received pembrolizumab 200 mg IV on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle for up to 35 cycles (up to \~2 years); plus cisplatin 100 mg/m\^2 IV or carboplatin at a target area under the curve of 5 (AUC 5) IV, per Investigator's choice, on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\]); plus 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) 1000 mg/m\^2/day IV continuous from Day 1-4 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\]).

Cetuximab + Chemotherapy (Control)

Participants received cetuximab on Day 1 at a dose of 400 mg/m\^2 IV, and then 250 mg/m\^2 IV on Day 1 of each subsequent week until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity; plus cisplatin 100 mg/m\^2 IV or carboplatin AUC 5 IV (Investigator's choice) on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\] for platinum-based therapy); plus 5-FU 1000 mg/m\^2/day IV continuous from Day 1-4 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\]).

Group identifiers and denominators belong to this outcome only. They may differ in another outcome or in safety reporting.

Analysis denominator · Participants

GroupSource count
Pembrolizumab Monotherapy (Pembro Mono)0
Pembrolizumab + Chemotherapy (Pembro Combo)268
Cetuximab + Chemotherapy (Control)260

Reported measurements

Source class 1
Values in Months · Interval/dispersion: 95% Confidence Interval
GroupValueSpreadLowerUpperComment
Pembrolizumab + Chemotherapy (Pembro Combo)NANot reportedNANANA=Median and 95% confidence interval limits not reached due to an insufficient number of participants with the event.
Cetuximab + Chemotherapy (Control)NANot reportedNANANA=Median and 95% confidence interval limits not reached due to an insufficient number of participants with the event.

Source statistical analyses

Group order, estimate direction, methods and comments are retained. No treatment ranking is inferred.

  1. ci Lower Limit
    0.69
    ci Num Sides
    TWO_SIDED
    ci Pct Value
    95
    ci Upper Limit
    1.59
    group Description
    TTD in EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 Swallowing Score was compared between all participants of the pembro combo arm and the control arm. Comparison based on Cox regression model with Efron's method of tie handling with treatment as a covariate stratified by ECOG (0 vs. 1), HPV status (Positive vs. Negative) and PD-L1 TPS status (Strongly Positive, Not Strongly Positive).
    group Ids
    1. OG001
    2. OG002
    non Inferiority Type
    OTHER
    p Value
    0.5836
    p Value Comment
    No formal hypothesis testing performed; nominal p-value provided for treatment comparison.
    param Type
    Hazard Ratio (HR)
    param Value
    1.05
    statistical Method
    Regression, Cox
Complete source fields
analyses
  1. ci Lower Limit
    0.69
    ci Num Sides
    TWO_SIDED
    ci Pct Value
    95
    ci Upper Limit
    1.59
    group Description
    TTD in EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 Swallowing Score was compared between all participants of the pembro combo arm and the control arm. Comparison based on Cox regression model with Efron's method of tie handling with treatment as a covariate stratified by ECOG (0 vs. 1), HPV status (Positive vs. Negative) and PD-L1 TPS status (Strongly Positive, Not Strongly Positive).
    group Ids
    1. OG001
    2. OG002
    non Inferiority Type
    OTHER
    p Value
    0.5836
    p Value Comment
    No formal hypothesis testing performed; nominal p-value provided for treatment comparison.
    param Type
    Hazard Ratio (HR)
    param Value
    1.05
    statistical Method
    Regression, Cox
classes
  1. categories
    1. measurements
      1. comment
        NA=Median and 95% confidence interval limits not reached due to an insufficient number of participants with the event.
        group Id
        OG001
        lower Limit
        NA
        upper Limit
        NA
        value
        NA
      2. comment
        NA=Median and 95% confidence interval limits not reached due to an insufficient number of participants with the event.
        group Id
        OG002
        lower Limit
        NA
        upper Limit
        NA
        value
        NA
denoms
  1. counts
    1. group Id
      OG000
      value
      0
    2. group Id
      OG001
      value
      268
    3. group Id
      OG002
      value
      260
    units
    Participants
description
EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 is a 35-item questionnaire developed to assess QoL of head and neck cancer participants and consists of 7 multi-item scales that assess pain, swallowing, senses, speech, social eating, social contact and sexuality. Participant responses to the Swallowing scale (Items 35-38) were scored on a 4-point scale (1=Not at all to 4=Very much). Raw scores were standardized by linear transformation so that scores ranged from 0 to 100; a higher score indicating more problems. TTD in EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 Swallowing Score defined as the time from baseline to the first onset of a ≥10 point decrease from baseline, with confirmation. Per protocol, TTD in EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 Swallowing Score, for the first course of treatment, was compared between all participants of pembro combo arm and control arm as a pre-specified secondary analysis; and compared separately between all participants of pembro mono arm and control arm and is presented later in the record.
dispersion Type
95% Confidence Interval
groups
  1. description
    Participants received pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously (IV) on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle for up to 35 cycles (up to \~2 years).
    id
    OG000
    title
    Pembrolizumab Monotherapy (Pembro Mono)
  2. description
    Participants received pembrolizumab 200 mg IV on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle for up to 35 cycles (up to \~2 years); plus cisplatin 100 mg/m\^2 IV or carboplatin at a target area under the curve of 5 (AUC 5) IV, per Investigator's choice, on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\]); plus 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) 1000 mg/m\^2/day IV continuous from Day 1-4 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\]).
    id
    OG001
    title
    Pembrolizumab + Chemotherapy (Pembro Combo)
  3. description
    Participants received cetuximab on Day 1 at a dose of 400 mg/m\^2 IV, and then 250 mg/m\^2 IV on Day 1 of each subsequent week until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity; plus cisplatin 100 mg/m\^2 IV or carboplatin AUC 5 IV (Investigator's choice) on Day 1 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\] for platinum-based therapy); plus 5-FU 1000 mg/m\^2/day IV continuous from Day 1-4 of each 3-week cycle (6 cycle maximum \[up to \~4 months\]).
    id
    OG002
    title
    Cetuximab + Chemotherapy (Control)
param Type
MEDIAN
population Description
All participants in the pembro combo arm and control arm who completed the EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 and had received ≥1 dose of study drug. 20 in the control arm enrolled during an enrollment pause of the pembro combo arm were excluded. Per protocol, the pembro mono arm was compared to the control arm separately and not included in this analysis.
reporting Status
POSTED
time Frame
Baseline up to approximately 12 months
title
Pembro Combo vs Control: TTD in the EORTC QLQ- H&N35 Swallowing Score (Kaplan-Meier Method)
type
SECONDARY
unit Of Measure
Months

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