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An Observational Research Study for Cancer Patients on Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, DiRECT Study

Disparities in Results of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment (DiRECT): A Prospective Cohort Study of Cancer Survivors Treated With Anti-PD-1/Anti-PD-L1 Immunotherapy in a Community Oncology Setting

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT05364086
Acronym
DiRECT
Enrollment
2100
Registered
2022-05-06
Start date
2022-04-26
Completion date
2030-01-31
Last updated
2026-03-13

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

Conditions

Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Cell Neoplasm, Malignant Solid Neoplasm

Brief summary

This study compares treatment outcomes between patients of African American/Black (AA) ancestry and European American/White (EA) ancestry currently receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment. Collecting samples of blood and saliva and health and treatment information from racially diverse patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment over time may help doctors better understand health care disparities among all cancer patients.

Detailed description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. To compare incidence of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) grade 2-5 immune-related adverse reactions (irAEs) between African American (AA) and European American (EA) patients within the first year of starting immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To compare objective response rate (ORR) to ICI treatment between AA and EA patients within the first year of starting ICI treatment. II. To compare health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measured using the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Preference (Patient Reported Outcomes \[PRO\] Pr) summary score and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Immune Checkpoint Modulator (FACT-ICM) between AA and EA patients within 1 year of starting ICI treatment. EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES: I. To compare AA and EA patients on severity (i.e., CTCAE grade) and timing of irAEs within 1 year of starting ICI treatment. II. To assess disease, treatment, individual, and behavioral factors as predictors of grade 2-5 irAEs, and as potential causes of racial differences in irAEs, within 1 year of starting ICI treatment. III. To compare AA and EA patients on long-term outcomes (e.g., progression-free survival \[PFS\], overall survival \[OS\], and HRQOL beyond the first year) at the end of the study period. IV. To assess the impact of irAEs and disease, treatment, behavioral, and individual factors on ICI outcomes (ORR, HRQOL, PFS, OS), and as potential causes of racial differences in outcomes, at the end of the study period. V. To compare ICI treatment patterns (e.g., delay and discontinuation of ICI treatment) between AA and EA patients within 1 year of starting ICI treatment. VI. To assess irAEs, treatment, disease, and individual factors, including healthcare barriers, as possible reasons for suboptimal treatment patterns, and as potential causes of racial differences, within 1 year of starting ICI treatment. VII. To collect optional stool samples and an additional blood sample at the time of the occurrence of grade 3-4 irAEs to strengthen the biobank for future research on ICI response and racial disparities. OUTLINE: This is an observational study. Patients complete questionnaires and undergo collection of blood, saliva, and optional stool samples before 1st and 2nd infusion of immunotherapy. Patients also complete additional questionnaires undergo additional collection of blood samples 6 months after 1st infusion of immunotherapy and then every year after 1st infusion of immunotherapy. A tumor sample will also be collected at the beginning of the study and patients medical records will be reviewed. Patients may also optionally complete an interview following their 2nd infusion of immunotherapy.

Interventions

PROCEDUREBiospecimen Collection

Undergo collection of tumor, blood, saliva and stool samples

OTHERElectronic Health Record Review

Review of medical records

OTHERInterview

Complete an interview

OTHERQuality-of-Life Assessment

Ancillary studies

OTHERQuestionnaire Administration

Complete questionnaires

Sponsors

University of Rochester NCORP Research Base
Lead SponsorOTHER
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
CollaboratorNIH

Study design

Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility

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

Inclusion criteria

* Be 18 years of age or older * Self-identify as African/African American/black (AA), or European American/ Caucasian/white (EA) * Patients may identify a Hispanic/Latino ethnicity in combination with an AA or EA racial identity * Have a current diagnosis of invasive cancer at stage I-IV * Patients may have a history of previous cancer diagnosis and cancer treatment not involving immunotherapy * Be scheduled to receive anti-PD-1/-L1 ICI-containing therapy alone or in combination with co-treatments (including alternative ICIs) * Be able to speak and read English or Spanish * Be able to provide informed consent

Exclusion criteria

* Identify as Asian, Pacific Islander, or American Indian/Alaskan Native * Be diagnosed with melanoma (because melanoma is very rare in AAs) * Currently participate in any trials of a cancer therapeutic nature; participation in noninterventional trial, or trials of symptom control or supportive nature is allowed; participation in future cancer therapeutic trials after completing the A2 assessment (e.g., after the second infusion of ICIs) is also allowed * Have received prior immunotherapy for cancer, including checkpoint inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T therapy, cytokine therapy, and/or Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) for bladder cancer

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Racial differences in the incidence of Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) grade 2-5 immune-related adverse reactions (irAEs)Within 1 year after starting immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatmentWill be evaluated in bivariate analysis by Chi-square, Wilcoxon rank-sum test, or two sample t-tests.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Racial differences in overall response rate (ORR) between African American (AA) and European American (EA) patientsWithin 1 year after starting ICI treatmentMultivariable modeling will be conducted to adjust for covariates.
Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) - PROPrWithin 1 year after starting ICI treatmentWill be assessed by Patient Reported Outcomes Preference (PROPr). This is a T-score with a mean of 50 and a standard deviation of 0.
Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) - FACT-ICMWithin 1 year after starting ICI treatmentWill be assessed by Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Immune Checkpoint Modulator (FACT-ICM), which is a count of symptoms.

Countries

United States

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORCharles Kamen, PhD

University of Rochester NCORP Research Base

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 14, 2026