Treatment options for cisplatin-ineligible patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review

There is no agreed-upon standard option for patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA HNSCC) unfit for cisplatin-based regimens. Therefore, we performed a systematic review to explore alternative options for this population.

We searched PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases for observational studies and clinical trials (CTs) assessing treatment options for LA HNSCC cisplatin-ineligible patients. This study was registered in PROSPERO under the number CRD42023483156.

This systematic review included 24 studies (18 observational studies and 6 CTs), comprising 4450 LA HNSCC cisplatin-ineligible patients. Most patients were treated with cetuximab-radiotherapy [RT] (50.3%), followed by carboplatin-RT (31.7%). In seven studies reporting median overall survival (OS) in patients treated with cetuximab-RT, it ranged from 12.8 to 46 months. The median OS was superior to 40 months in two studies assessing carboplatin-RT, and superior to 15 months in two studies assessing RT alone. For other regimens such as nimotuzumab-RT, docetaxel-RT, and carboplatin-RT plus paclitaxel the median OS was 21, 25.5, and 28 months, respectively.

Our systematic review supports the use of a variety of therapy combinations for LA HNSCC cisplatin-ineligible patients. We highlight the urgent need for clinical studies assessing treatment approaches in this population.