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NCT03765918 · OUTCOME

Adjuvant Treatment: Change From Baseline in EORTC QLQ-H&N35 (Items 35-38) Swallowing Combined Score at Week 51

Study of Pembrolizumab Given Prior to Surgery and in Combination With Radiotherapy Given Post-surgery for Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (MK-3475-689) · Source last updated 2026-07-31

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

Measure
LEAST_SQUARES_MEAN
Unit
Score on a scale
Interval / dispersion
95% Confidence Interval
Time frame
Baseline and Week 51

What was measured

EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 is a 35-item questionnaire to assess QoL of head and neck cancer participants and consists of 7 multi-item scales (pain in the mouth, problems with 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 indicated more problems. Per protocol, the change from baseline in EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 swallowing symptoms (Items 35-38) combined score for all randomized participants was presented.

Analysis population: All randomized participants who received at least one dose of study treatment and had at least one EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 assessment data available for this outcome measure at Baseline and at Week 51.

Groups in this outcome

Pembrolizumab + Standard of Care (SOC)

Neoadjuvant treatment: Participants received 200 mg pembrolizumab by intravenous (IV) infusion administered on Day 1 of a 21-day cycle for 2 cycles (up to 6 weeks) prior to surgery. Adjuvant treatment: Following surgical resection, participants received 200 mg pembrolizumab, IV infusion, on Day 1 of a 21-day cycle for 15 cycles (up to 45 weeks) plus investigator's choice of SOC treatment regimen consisting of radiotherapy, with or without cisplatin 100 mg/m\^2, IV infusion, on Day 1 of a 21-day cycle for 3 cycles (up to 9 weeks).

Standard of Care (SOC)

Adjuvant treatment: Following surgical resection, participants received investigator's choice of SOC treatment regimen consisting of radiotherapy, with or without cisplatin 100 mg/m\^2, IV infusion, on Day 1 of a 21-day cycle for 3 cycles (up to 9 weeks).

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 + Standard of Care (SOC)356
Standard of Care (SOC)306

Reported measurements

Source class 1
Values in Score on a scale · Interval/dispersion: 95% Confidence Interval
GroupValueSpreadLowerUpperComment
Pembrolizumab + Standard of Care (SOC)1.57Not reported-2.075.21Not reported
Standard of Care (SOC)2.05Not reported-1.775.88Not reported

Source statistical analyses

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

  1. ci Lower Limit
    -5.41
    ci Num Sides
    TWO_SIDED
    ci Pct Value
    95
    ci Upper Limit
    4.45
    group Ids
    1. OG000
    2. OG001
    non Inferiority Comment
    Based on a cLDA model with the PRO scores as the response variable with covariates for treatment by study visit interaction, and stratification factors by primary tumor site, tumor stage, and PD-L1 status.
    non Inferiority Type
    OTHER
    p Value
    0.8475
    p Value Comment
    Two-sided p-value based on cLDA model.
    param Type
    Difference in Least Square Means
    param Value
    -0.48
    statistical Method
    cLDA model
Complete source fields
analyses
  1. ci Lower Limit
    -5.41
    ci Num Sides
    TWO_SIDED
    ci Pct Value
    95
    ci Upper Limit
    4.45
    group Ids
    1. OG000
    2. OG001
    non Inferiority Comment
    Based on a cLDA model with the PRO scores as the response variable with covariates for treatment by study visit interaction, and stratification factors by primary tumor site, tumor stage, and PD-L1 status.
    non Inferiority Type
    OTHER
    p Value
    0.8475
    p Value Comment
    Two-sided p-value based on cLDA model.
    param Type
    Difference in Least Square Means
    param Value
    -0.48
    statistical Method
    cLDA model
classes
  1. categories
    1. measurements
      1. group Id
        OG000
        lower Limit
        -2.07
        upper Limit
        5.21
        value
        1.57
      2. group Id
        OG001
        lower Limit
        -1.77
        upper Limit
        5.88
        value
        2.05
denoms
  1. counts
    1. group Id
      OG000
      value
      356
    2. group Id
      OG001
      value
      306
    units
    Participants
description
EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 is a 35-item questionnaire to assess QoL of head and neck cancer participants and consists of 7 multi-item scales (pain in the mouth, problems with 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 indicated more problems. Per protocol, the change from baseline in EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 swallowing symptoms (Items 35-38) combined score for all randomized participants was presented.
dispersion Type
95% Confidence Interval
groups
  1. description
    Neoadjuvant treatment: Participants received 200 mg pembrolizumab by intravenous (IV) infusion administered on Day 1 of a 21-day cycle for 2 cycles (up to 6 weeks) prior to surgery. Adjuvant treatment: Following surgical resection, participants received 200 mg pembrolizumab, IV infusion, on Day 1 of a 21-day cycle for 15 cycles (up to 45 weeks) plus investigator's choice of SOC treatment regimen consisting of radiotherapy, with or without cisplatin 100 mg/m\^2, IV infusion, on Day 1 of a 21-day cycle for 3 cycles (up to 9 weeks).
    id
    OG000
    title
    Pembrolizumab + Standard of Care (SOC)
  2. description
    Adjuvant treatment: Following surgical resection, participants received investigator's choice of SOC treatment regimen consisting of radiotherapy, with or without cisplatin 100 mg/m\^2, IV infusion, on Day 1 of a 21-day cycle for 3 cycles (up to 9 weeks).
    id
    OG001
    title
    Standard of Care (SOC)
param Type
LEAST_SQUARES_MEAN
population Description
All randomized participants who received at least one dose of study treatment and had at least one EORTC QLQ-H\&N35 assessment data available for this outcome measure at Baseline and at Week 51.
reporting Status
POSTED
time Frame
Baseline and Week 51
title
Adjuvant Treatment: Change From Baseline in EORTC QLQ-H&N35 (Items 35-38) Swallowing Combined Score at Week 51
type
SECONDARY
unit Of Measure
Score on a scale

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Preserved source evidence · Not medical advice