Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42168759›Full record

Trial reportHead & neck2026

Randomized Phase II Trial of Consolidation Pembrolizumab After Definitive Chemoradiotherapy in Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: KCSG HN19-09, CONPELAN Study.

Sang Hoon Chun, Seyoung Seo, Jang Ho Cho, Keon-Uk Park, Sang-Cheol Lee, Yong Won Choi, Tak Yun, Seong Hoon Shin, Sung-Bae Kim, Seungeun Lee and 2 more

Abstract readClinical Trial, Phase IIRandomized Controlled TrialMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Head & neck, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Trial
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Sang Hoon ChunDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Seyoung SeoDepartment of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1201-3194
Jang Ho ChoDivision of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Gil Medical Center, Gachon University College of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.
Keon-Uk ParkDepartment of Internal Medicine, Keimyung University Dongsan Hospital, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Sang-Cheol LeeDivision of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, Cheonan, Republic of Korea.
Yong Won ChoiDepartment of Hematology-Oncology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, Republic of Korea.
Tak YunRare Cancers Clinic, Center for Specific Organs Cancer, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Republic of Korea.
Seong Hoon ShinDepartment of Internal Medicine, Kosin University Gospel Hospital, Busan, Republic of Korea.
Sung-Bae KimDepartment of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Seungeun LeeLunit, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Chang Ho AhnLunit, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Bhumsuk KeamDepartment of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8196-4247

Funding

National R&D Program for Cancer Control through the National Cancer Center, funded by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea RS-2022-CC125163
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe benefit of consolidation programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade after chemoradiotherapy in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remains unclear.

methodsPatients with stages II-IVB NPC were randomized (2:1) to pembrolizumab 200 mg or placebo every 3 weeks for up to 17 cycles after chemoradiotherapy. The primary endpoint was 3-year progression-free survival (PFS).

resultsFifty-three patients were randomized (pembrolizumab, n = 34; placebo, n = 19). The 3-year PFS rates were 56.5% and 57.8% in the pembrolizumab and placebo arms, respectively (one-sided p = 0.142; stratified HR, 0.408). Grade 3 or higher adverse events occurred only in the pembrolizumab arm (8.8%). In an exploratory analysis (n = 40), high intratumoral TIL density was associated with reduced recurrence in the pembrolizumab arm (OR, 0.04; p = 0.010) but not the placebo arm.

conclusionsConsolidation pembrolizumab did not improve PFS in unselected locally advanced NPC. Exploratory immune profiling suggested a predictive signal warranting prospective validation.

Indexed as

Antibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedAntineoplastic Agents, ImmunologicalChemoradiotherapyConsolidation ChemotherapyNasopharyngeal CarcinomaNasopharyngeal NeoplasmsAdultAgedFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedNeoplasm StagingProgression-Free SurvivalAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedAntineoplastic Agents, Immunologicalpembrolizumabchemoradiotherapyconsolidation therapynasopharyngeal carcinomaPD‐1pembrolizumabrandomized controlled trialtumor‐infiltrating lymphocytes

Identifiers

PMID42168759
PMCPMC13653293

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.