Aim: To understand the treatment patterns and outcomes for stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, patients receiving second-line or later drug therapy.
Materials & methods: Real-world data were collected from 1152 patients in the USA, France, Germany and the UK through a retrospective chart analysis and patient-reported outcomes were collected using validated questionnaires in a subgroup of patients.
Results: Forty-four percent of patients had stage IVA/B disease. A total of 77, 19 and 3% of patients had received two, three and four plus lines of active drug treatment. Platinum- and cetuximab-based regimens were common at early treatment lines. Time to progression was short (5.2 months post first line), survival rates low and patient-reported health status poor.
Conclusion: Novel therapies that could improve clinical and patient-reported outcomes would address a significant unmet need.
Keywords: advanced/metastatic; metastatic head and neck cancer; real-world; squamous cell carcinoma.