Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42645637›Full record

Observational studyInternational journal of clinical oncology2026

Real-world safety and effectiveness of nivolumab in patients with cancer of unknown primary: results from a nationwide post-marketing surveillance in Japan.

Akira Kawasaki, Akito Kakuuchi, Ayumi Akamatsu, Misato Nakanishi, Chikara Honda

Abstract readMulticenter StudyObservational Study
In one paragraph

Observational study in International journal of clinical oncology, 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

5 authors.

Akira KawasakiPharmacovigilance Division, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 1-8-2 Kyutaromachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 541-8564, Japan.
Akito KakuuchiOncology Medical Affairs, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan.
Ayumi AkamatsuPharmacovigilance Division, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 1-8-2 Kyutaromachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 541-8564, Japan. a.akamatsu@ono-pharma.com.
Misato NakanishiPharmacovigilance Division, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 1-8-2 Kyutaromachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 541-8564, Japan.
Chikara HondaPharmacovigilance Division, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 1-8-2 Kyutaromachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka, 541-8564, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCancer of unknown primary (CUP) is associated with poor prognosis. In December 2021, nivolumab was approved in Japan for the treatment of CUP based on a small phase II trial. This post-marketing surveillance (PMS) evaluated the real-world safety and effectiveness of nivolumab in Japanese patients with CUP.

methodsThis prospective, observational, PMS enrolled patients with CUP who initiated nivolumab between April 2022 and June 2023 at 66 institutions. Patients were observed for 6 months. Safety outcomes were treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs), and effectiveness outcomes included overall response rate (ORR) and overall survival (OS). Analyses were descriptive.

resultsAmong 151 patients in the safety set, the median age was 70 years and 79.5% had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) 0-1. Any grade and Grade ≥ 3 TRAEs occurred in 25.2% and 11.9% of patients, respectively. Frequently reported TRAEs included interstitial lung disease (3.3%), hepatic function abnormal (2.6%), and hypothyroidism (2.6%). There was one TRAE (neutropenia) resulting in death. In the effectiveness set (n = 144), the ORR was 21.5%. ORR was higher in patients without prior systemic therapy (25.4% vs. 18.2%) and in those with lymph node-only involvement (36.6% vs. 15.5%). The 6-month OS rate was 71.0%, and median OS was not reached. The 6-month OS rates were greater in patients with PS 0-1 and lymph node-only involvement.

conclusionsNivolumab was tolerated in patients with CUP in routine practice in Japan, with no new safety concerns, and indicated antitumor activity consistent with clinical trial results.

trial registrationJapan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT2041240121).

Indexed as

Antineoplastic Agents, ImmunologicalNeoplasms, Unknown PrimaryNivolumabAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansJapanMaleMiddle AgedProduct Surveillance, PostmarketingProspective StudiesTreatment OutcomeAntineoplastic Agents, ImmunologicalNivolumabCancer of unknown primaryImmunotherapyNivolumabPost-marketing surveillanceReal-world evidence

Identifiers

PMID42645637
PMCPMC13615158

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.