Comparative efficacy of cemiplimab versus other systemic treatments for advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma

To estimate the comparative efficacy of cemiplimab, a programmed cell death protein 1 inhibitor, versus EGFR inhibitors, pembrolizumab and platinum-based chemotherapy in terms of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival. We performed an indirect treatment comparison of cemiplimab and other available systemic therapies for patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Cemiplimab was associated with benefits in OS (hazard ratios range: 0.07–0.52) and progression-free survival (hazard ratios range: 0.30–0.67) versus EGFR inhibitors and pembrolizumab (data from KEYNOTE-629). Cemiplimab was more efficacious versus platinum-based chemotherapy in terms of OS. Cemiplimab may offer improvements in survival for advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma patients compared with existing systemic therapies. Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is a common type of skin cancer that is usually cured by surgery. For some patients, it progresses to a form that cannot be cured by surgery and/or radiotherapy, classified as advanced CSCC. Due to a historical lack of treatment options, other medications have been used in these patients without formal approval. Cemiplimab is a therapy that helps patients fight some types of cancer by boosting the body’s natural defenses. Cemiplimab is the first treatment approved for advanced CSCC in the USA and is also approved in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Europe and Israel. Pembrolizumab, another therapy similar to cemiplimab, has also been investigated and was recently approved in the USA. Currently, there are no clinical trials directly comparing how well cemiplimab works versus existing treatments in patients with advanced CSCC. We performed an indirect treatment comparison using data from clinical studies of cemiplimab and these other systemic therapies. The findings suggest that cemiplimab improves survival relative to other systemic therapies in patients with advanced CSCC. Compared with other systemic treatments, #cemiplimab may increase survival in patients with advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. #CSCC #cemiplimab #ComparativeEfficacy #advancedCSCC #PDL1 #EGFR #skincancer #cutaneoussquamouscellcarcinoma #nonmelanomaskincancer.