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Priming Immunotherapy in Advanced Disease With Radiation

Priming Immunotherapy in Advanced Disease With Radiation

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03313804
Enrollment
76
Registered
2017-10-18
Start date
2017-10-26
Completion date
2026-02-16
Last updated
2026-03-11

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Brief summary

This study proposes to treat metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and head/neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) patients who are already initiating an immune checkpoint inhibitor (such as Nivolumab, Atezolizumab or Pembrolizumab) for disease treatment as per FDA approved guidelines. In these patients we will deliver a short-course radiation to a single systemic (non-CNS) site within 14 days of receiving the first dose of immune checkpoint inhibitors. This sequence allows radiation to release tumor antigens from immune inaccessible areas such as necrotic tumor or low perfusion to provide a robust anti-tumor immune response with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The primary objective is to assess six-month progression free survival (PFS) compared to historical control.

Detailed description

Subjects with front-line or relapsed NSCLC or relapsed HNSCC who are intended to receive standard of care immune checkpoint inhibitors without a contraindication to Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) to a single cancer deposit greater than 1 cm (metastasis or primary cancer) will be enrolled. Subjects will receive standard of care (SOC) immune checkpoint inhibitors and within 2 weeks of initiation, and will receive either: * SBRT to target to achieve Biological Equivalent Dose (BED) \> 100 Gy OR * 30 Gy fractionated radiation therapy (RT) delivered as a 3 dimensional (3-D) dose. The lesion choice will be made by the treating radiation oncologist and will be directed to a single malignant focus (non-CNS) that measures ≥ 1 cm. Essentially, the goals of both techniques are the same but SBRT is reserved for lesions that are readily encompassed by a single field with large RT fractions in which dose-limiting organs are within safe limits.

Interventions

DRUGImmune checkpoint inhibitor

Standard of care immune checkpoint inhibitor

RADIATIONRadiation Therapy

Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy OR Fractionated radiation therapy

Sponsors

John L. Villano, MD, PhD
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1. Histologically proven advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer or squamous cell carcinoma head and neck with tumor at least 1 cm in size. 2. Eligible for treatment with radiation therapy. 3. Prior treatment: chemotherapy or radiotherapy or surgery. 1. Prior chemotherapy or radiation must have concluded ≥ 21 days prior to the start of study treatment. 2. No limit is placed on prior systemic treatment, but subjects must be eligible for immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy, for an FDA approved indication. 3. No major surgery within 14 days of start of study treatment. 4. No previous or concurrent malignancy is allowed except for adequately treated basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer, in situ cervical cancer, or other cancer for which the patient has been disease free for the past 3 years. 5. Age ≥ 18 years. 6. Life expectancy ≥ 3 months. 7. Required initial laboratory values: 1. Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,000/mm3 2. Platelets ≥ 100,000/mm3 3. Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x ULN 4. AST and ALT if no hepatic metastasis ≤ 2.5 times x ULN 5. AST and ALT with hepatic metastasis ≤ 5 x ULN 6. Creatinine ≤ 1.5 x ULN and Requires CrCl ≥ 60ml/min (per 24-hour urine collection or calculated according to the Cockcroft-Gault formula) 8. Non pregnant and non-nursing women. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test performed within 7 days prior to the start of treatment. Women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (barrier method of birth control) prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation. Subjects should use adequate birth control for at least 3 months after the last administration of immune checkpoint inhibitors. 9. Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

Exclusion criteria

1. Active clinically serious infection \> CTCAE Grade 2. 2. Serious non-healing wound, ulcer or bone fracture. 3. Prior treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors. 4. Ineligible for immune checkpoint inhibitors based on package insert of the chosen immune checkpoint inhibitor (e.g., uncontrolled immunologic disorders, active hepatitis, active colitis, active pneumonitis, uncontrolled/active hormone gland problems - including thyroid, pituitary, adrenal glands and pancreas). 5. Major surgical procedure (including craniotomy and open brain biopsy) or significant traumatic injury within 14 days prior to registration or those patients who receive a non-CNS minor surgical procedures (e.g. core biopsy or fine needle aspiration) within 3 days prior to registration. There is no waiting period for central line placement. There is a 7-day window for recovery prior to registration for patients who underwent stereotactic biopsy of the brain. 6. Participants may not have uncontrolled inter-current illness. This includes, but is not limited to: ongoing or active infection; symptomatic congestive heart failure (NYHA class III or IV); unstable angina pectoris or new onset angina that began within the last 3 months; cardiac ventricular arrhythmias requiring anti-arrhythmic therapy; or thrombotic/embolic events such as cerebrovascular accident, including transient ischemic attacks within the past 6 months. Uncontrolled hypertension defined as systolic blood pressure \>150 mmHg or diastolic pressure \> 90 mmHg, despite optimal medical management. Known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or chronic Hepatitis B or C. Known Grade 3 or 4 neurotoxicity.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Proportion of Participants Alive and Without Progression6-months post enrollmentProgression-free survival will be calculated as a rate, time from enrollment in the study to progression at 6-months post enrollment.

Secondary

MeasureTime frame
Percentage of (Programmed Death) PD-1+ CD4+ T (Helper) Cells and PD-1+ CD8+ T (Cytotoxic) Cells Prior to Treatment Versus With Concurrent Treatment.Assessed at specified points--1) prior to each cycle of therapy for 4 cycles (one cycle equals 6 weeks) 2) at disease progression (date first progression post-randomization, assessed up to 3 years) 3) when participant is off-study, assessed up to 3 years
Percentage of CD8+ T-cells That Are Gamma-interferon Positive During Treatment.Assessed at specified points--1) prior to each cycle of therapy for 4 cycles (one cycle equals 6 weeks) 2) at disease progression (date first progression post-randomization, assessed up to 3 years) 3) when participant is off-study, assessed up to 3 years
Percentage PD-L1+ CD4+ and PD-L1+ CD8+ T-cell Expression Differences During TreatmentAssessed at specified points--1) prior to each cycle of therapy for 4 cycles (one cycle equals 6 weeks) 2) at disease progression (date first progression post-randomization, assessed up to 3 years) 3) when participant is off-study, assessed up to 3 years

Countries

United States

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORJohn Villano, MD, PhD

University of Kentucky

Participant flow

Pre-assignment details

76 participants were enrolled but 1 participant never received treatment and therefore was not counted in the on treatment (started) number.

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor + Radiation
Immune checkpoint inhibitor (Nivolumab OR Pembrolizumab OR Atezolizumab) PLUS Radiation Therapy (Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy OR fractionated radiation therapy) Immune checkpoint inhibitor: Standard of care immune checkpoint inhibitor Radiation Therapy: Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy OR Fractionated radiation therapy
75
Total75

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicImmune Checkpoint Inhibitor + Radiation
Age, Continuous62.51 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 8.71
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
0 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
73 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
2 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
8 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
1 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
64 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
75 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
29 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
46 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
30 / 75
other
Total, other adverse events
72 / 75
serious
Total, serious adverse events
45 / 75

Outcome results

Primary

Proportion of Participants Alive and Without Progression

Progression-free survival will be calculated as a rate, time from enrollment in the study to progression at 6-months post enrollment.

Time frame: 6-months post enrollment

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor + RadiationProportion of Participants Alive and Without Progression.66 proportion of participants
Secondary

Percentage of CD8+ T-cells That Are Gamma-interferon Positive During Treatment.

Time frame: Assessed at specified points--1) prior to each cycle of therapy for 4 cycles (one cycle equals 6 weeks) 2) at disease progression (date first progression post-randomization, assessed up to 3 years) 3) when participant is off-study, assessed up to 3 years

Secondary

Percentage of (Programmed Death) PD-1+ CD4+ T (Helper) Cells and PD-1+ CD8+ T (Cytotoxic) Cells Prior to Treatment Versus With Concurrent Treatment.

Time frame: Assessed at specified points--1) prior to each cycle of therapy for 4 cycles (one cycle equals 6 weeks) 2) at disease progression (date first progression post-randomization, assessed up to 3 years) 3) when participant is off-study, assessed up to 3 years

Secondary

Percentage PD-L1+ CD4+ and PD-L1+ CD8+ T-cell Expression Differences During Treatment

Time frame: Assessed at specified points--1) prior to each cycle of therapy for 4 cycles (one cycle equals 6 weeks) 2) at disease progression (date first progression post-randomization, assessed up to 3 years) 3) when participant is off-study, assessed up to 3 years

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 12, 2026