Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42602046›Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in pharmacology2026

Efficacy and safety of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors versus chemotherapy or cetuximab in the treatment of platinum-refractory recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

Zhongji Chen, Zhong Zhong, Weiming Liang, Qiwen Feng, Minyao Wu, Lidai Lin, Guanlan Huang, Xiaoxia Tang, Jieru Quan, Jiayong Wei and 1 more

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in pharmacology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

11 authors.

Zhongji Chen *The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China.
Zhong Zhong *Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Nanning First People's Hospital (The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University), Nanning, China.
Weiming LiangThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China.
Qiwen FengThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China.
Minyao WuThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China.
Lidai LinThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China.
Guanlan HuangThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China.
Xiaoxia TangThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China.
Jieru QuanSchool of Economics and Management, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China.
Jiayong WeiThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China.
Jiongying QinThe First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Guangxi University of Science and Technology, Liuzhou, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: This meta-analysis was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors versus chemotherapy or cetuximab in the treatment of platinum-refractory recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC). Materials and Methods: Four databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) were searched for RCTs comparing PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors versus chemotherapy or cetuximab in the treatment of platinum-refractory R/M HNSCC, from the database's establishment to 2 January 2026. Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and treatment-related adverse events (trAEs) were subjected to meta-analyses. Results: Five RCTs were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis included a group of 1,700 patients diagnosed with platinum-refractory R/M HNSCC. Within this cohort, 926 patients were administered PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, while 774 patients received chemotherapy or cetuximab. Compared with chemotherapy or cetuximab, PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors yielded superior OS (HR: 0.80, 95% CI: 0.72 to 0.89, P < 0.01), lower incidence of grade 3-5 trAEs (RR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.30 to 0.45, P < 0.01) and any grade trAEs (RR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.69 to 0.79, P < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in the ORR (RR: 1.01, 95% CI: 0.71 to 1.51, P = 0.94) or PFS (HR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.90 to 1.11, P = 0.99) between the two groups. Conclusion: The results indicated that PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors were effective for platinum-refractory R/M HNSCC particularly in populations with high PD-L1 expression and exhibited a superior safety profile compared to chemotherapy or cetuximab. Additional well designed RCTs are required in the future to validate our conclusion. Clinical Trial Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420251020053, identifier PROSPERO (CRD420251020053).

Indexed as

meta-analysismetastaticnasopharynxoverall survivalPD-1 inhibitorPD-L1 inhibitorplatinum-refractorysquamous cell carcinoma of head and neck

Identifiers

PMID42602046
PMCPMC13473282

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

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.