Re-challenge of Platinum-based Chemotherapy for Platinum-refractory Patients with Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Cancer: Claims Data Analysis in Japan

Background: The role of platinum rechallenge in head and neck cancer (HNC) has not yet been fully evaluated.

Objectives: It is our goal to assess the real-world treatment patterns and usefulness of platinum rechallenge in patients with platinum-refractory recurrent or metastatic HNC receiving platinum rechallenge.

Methods: This is a retrospective study using data from a Japanese hospital claims database stored in electronic hospital information systems. Patients with HNC or undefined histology with an HNC diagnosis using the disease code, between January 1, 2013 and September 30, 2016, were included. Patients diagnosed with other malignancies on or before the initial diagnosis of HNC and those without cancer stage information in the database were excluded from the study.

Results: A total of 43 994 patients were identified from the database as HNC patients. Of those, in patients who had cancer progression within 6 months after platinum-based chemotherapy administered for primary or recurrent disease (N=842), the median treatment duration of platinum rechallenge for platinum refractory patients was only 1 cycle. The second-line treatment continuation rate at 6 months was 20.1% for patients who received platinum rechallenges and 32.8% for those who received non-platinum-based regimens.

Conclusions: The findings from this study of data from routine clinical practice suggest that the benefit of platinum rechallenge in a platinum-refractory setting would be limited.