Evidence mapPaperPMID 41818698Full record

ArticleThe oncologist2026

PD-1 inhibitor treatment outcomes for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in patients over 85: a comparative analysis.

Ido Amir, Nofar Edri, Itamar Averbuch, Nethanel Asher, Gal Markel, Amit Ritter, Dan Yaniv, Ofir Zavdy, Gideon Bachar, Lisa Cooper and 2 more

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

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

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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

12 authors.

Ido AmirDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva 4941492, Israel.ORCID 0000-0001-9146-2099
Nofar EdriDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva 4941492, Israel.
Itamar AverbuchGray Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.ORCID 0000-0003-1784-4528
Nethanel AsherGray Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.ORCID 0000-0002-4094-8045
Gal MarkelGray Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.ORCID 0000-0003-4835-891X
Amit RitterDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva 4941492, Israel.
Dan YanivDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva 4941492, Israel.ORCID 0000-0002-0654-1161
Ofir ZavdyDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva 4941492, Israel.ORCID 0000-0002-4381-216X
Gideon BacharDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva 4941492, Israel.
Lisa CooperGray Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.
Noga KurmanGray Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel.ORCID 0009-0003-3078-6868
Eyal YosefofDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, Petah Tikva 4941492, Israel.ORCID 0000-0001-8211-9774

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundProgrammed-cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors have become standard of care in the treatment of advanced or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). However, insufficient data exists regarding treatment outcomes and safety among elderly patients, including patients aged >85. PATIENTS AND

methodsWe retrospectively reviewed patients aged >85 (n = 52) and compared them with two control groups: 46 patients aged 71-84 and 32 patients <70, treated with cemiplimab for cSCC. Demographics, treatment characteristics, outcomes and toxicity were evaluated. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was applied when comparing survival outcomes.

resultsAlthough patients >85 had worse ECOG scores and less inclined to undergo surgery, no significant differences were noted in the overall response rates (68.8% and 76.1% for <70 and 71-84, respectively vs. 73.1% for >85, P = .744) or disease control rates (75% and 82.6% for <70 and 71-84, respectively vs. 75% for >85, P = .627). After IPTW adjustment, progression-free survival (PFS) did not differ between groups (HR = 1.08, 95% CI 0.55-2.13, P = .82). Cancer specific survival (CSS) also did not differ between groups (HR = 1.05, 95% CI 0.22-4.87, P = .955). However, overall survival (OS) was shorter among patients >85 (HR = 2.64, 95% CI 1.43-4.86, P = .002). Toxicity profiles were similar, although toxicity-related deaths occurred more frequently in the >85 cohort.

conclusionCemiplimab showed comparable efficacy and tolerability across age groups, with no significant difference in PFS and CSS, but shorter OS among very elderly patients with cSCC, reflecting competing non-cancer mortality rather than reduced treatment efficacy.

Indexed as

Antibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedCarcinoma, Squamous CellCutaneous Squamous Cell CarcinomaImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsProgrammed Cell Death 1 ReceptorSkin NeoplasmsAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedcemiplimabImmune Checkpoint InhibitorsPDCD1 protein, humanProgrammed Cell Death 1 Receptorcemiplimabcutaneous squamous cell carcinomaelderly patientsimmunotherapy outcomesPD-1 inhibitors

Identifiers

PMID41818698
PMCPMC13006055

What Socratic holds

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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 Socratic graph.