Adjuvant anti-PD-1 therapy in high-risk cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma: <i>post hoc</i> insights from the C-POST and KEYNOTE-630 studies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cutaneous squamous-cell carcinoma (cSCC) is cured with surgery with or without radiotherapy in most cases, but patients with high-risk features remain prone to recurrence. Until recently, no systemic adjuvant therapy was available. Recently, two phase III trials assessed post-operative anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1): C-POST (cemiplimab), which met its primary endpoint, and KEYNOTE-630 (pembrolizumab), which did not.

Methods

We compared the eligibility criteria and risk definitions of both trials. Published disease-free survival (DFS) curves were digitized, and individual patient data (IPD) were reconstructed with validated algorithms. DFS was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier estimates, log-rank tests, Cox models, and restricted mean survival time. Subgroup

SUBMITTER: Cavalieri S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12818155 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature