Multicenter phase 2 trial of pembrolizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced penile squamous cell carcinoma
Prof. Fernando Cotait Maluf
Advanced penile squamous cell carcinoma (aPSCC) is associated with poor survival. The phase 2 HERCULES trial, at 11 centers in Brazil, included 37 patients with aPSCC who received pembrolizumab plus platinum-based chemotherapy as first-line therapy. The overall response rate was 39.4%, with a median progression-free survival of 5.4 months and a median overall survival of 9.6 months. Treatment-related adverse events of grade 3 or 4 occurred in 51% of patients. The authors conclude that pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy may be a first-line option for aPSCC, with a manageable safety profile.
