RECRUITING

Testing What Happens When an Immunotherapy Drug (Pembrolizumab) is Given by Itself Compared to the Usual Treatment of Chemotherapy With Radiation After Surgery for Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Study Overview

This clinical trial focuses on testing the efficacy of different digital interventions to promote re-engagement in cancer-related long-term follow-up care for adolescent and young adult (AYA) survivors of childhood cancer.

Description

This phase II trial studies the effect of pembrolizumab alone compared to the usual approach (chemotherapy \[cisplatin and carboplatin\] plus radiation therapy) after surgery in treating patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that has come back (recurrent) or patients with a second head and neck cancer that is not from metastasis (primary). Radiation therapy uses high energy radiation or protons to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Cisplatin is in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells. Carboplatin is also in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works in a way similar to the anticancer drug cisplatin, but may be better tolerated than cisplatin. Carboplatin works by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving pembrolizumab alone after surgery may work better than the usual approach in shrinking recurrent or primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Official Title

A Phase II Randomized Trial of Adjuvant Therapy With Pembrolizumab After Resection of Recurrent/Second Primary Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma With High Risk Features

Quick Facts

Study Start:2021-04-27
Study Completion:2026-02-28
Study Type:Not specified
Phase:Not Applicable
Enrollment:Not specified
Status:RECRUITING

Study ID

NCT04671667

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Ages Eligible for Study:18 Years to 79 Years
Sexes Eligible for Study:ALL
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:No
Standard Ages:ADULT, OLDER_ADULT
Inclusion CriteriaExclusion Criteria
  1. * Patient must be between 18 and 79 years of age
  2. * Patient must have locoregionally recurrent or second primary HNSCC (oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, hypopharynx) in a previously radiated field
  3. * Patient must have undergone surgery with gross total resection and must be randomized within 8 weeks of surgery
  4. * Patients must have high risk disease defined as:
  5. * Positive margins and/or extra nodal extension (ENE)
  6. * Positive margins are defined as malignancy at or within 1 mm of the margin. High grade dysplasia (i.e. carcinoma in situ) at the margin is also considered positive
  7. * ENE may be either gross or microscopic
  8. * Patient must have a PD-L1 Combined Positive Score (CPS) \>= 1 in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA) certified laboratory. Testing can be done locally as long as it is done in a CLIA certified laboratory. This testing must be on the tumor specimen from the resection of the patient's recurrent or second primary HNSCC
  9. * Patient must have had prior radiation to the area of recurrent or second primary tumor. This is defined as \> 50% of the presurgical tumor volume having previously received a dose of \> 45 Gy as determined by the treating radiation oncologist
  10. * Patient must have completed prior radiation a minimum of 6 months prior to randomization
  11. * Patient must not have any evidence of distant disease based on baseline imaging done within 28 days prior to randomization
  12. * Patient must not have received anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy for recurrent disease. If the patient received anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy as part of initial upfront curative intent treatment (either as part of definitive non-surgical therapy or in the adjuvant setting) in the past, the last dosage of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy must have been given greater than one year prior to randomization
  13. * Patient must have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-1
  14. * Patient must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document. Patients with impaired decision-making capacity (IDMC) who have a legally authorized representative (LAR) or caregiver and/or family member available will also be considered eligible
  15. * Patient must not be pregnant or breast-feeding due to the potential harm to an unborn fetus and possible risk for adverse events in nursing infants with the treatment regimens being used. All patients of childbearing potential must have a blood test or urine study within 14 days prior to randomization to rule out pregnancy. A urine or serum pregnancy test must be repeated within 72 hours prior to receiving the first dose of pembrolizumab or chemotherapy if the test done for eligibility/randomization is done outside of this 72 hour window. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required. A patient of childbearing potential is defined as anyone, regardless of sexual orientation or whether they have undergone tubal ligation, who meets the following criteria: 1) has achieved menarche at some point, 2) has not undergone a hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy; or 3) has not been naturally postmenopausal (amenorrhea following cancer therapy does not rule out childbearing potential) for at least 24 consecutive months (i.e., has had menses at any time in the preceding 24 consecutive months)
  16. * Patient must not expect to conceive or father children by using by using accepted and effective method(s) of contraception or by abstaining from sexual intercourse while on study treatment, and continue for 120 days after the last dose of study treatment
  17. * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1,500/mcL (obtained =\< 28 days prior to protocol randomization)
  18. * Platelets \>= 100,000/mcL (obtained =\< 28 days prior to protocol randomization)
  19. * Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) (obtained =\< 28 days prior to protocol randomization)
  20. * Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase \[SGPT\]) =\< 3.0 x institutional ULN (obtained =\< 28 days prior to protocol randomization)
  21. * Creatinine clearance \> 30 ml/min using the Cockcroft-Gault formula (obtained =\< 28 days prior to protocol randomization)
  22. * Patient must not have a current active infection that requires systemic treatment at time of randomization
  23. * Patient must not have a history of non-infectious pneumonitis requiring steroids within 3 years prior to randomization
  24. * Patient must not have a history of solid organ transplant or stem cell transplant
  25. * Patient must not be on immunosuppressive medication within 7 days prior to randomization, EXCEPT for the following: a) intranasal, inhaled, topical steroids, or local steroid injection (e.g., intra-articular injection); b) systemic corticosteroids at physiologic doses =\< 10 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent; c) steroids as premedication for hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., CT scan premedication)
  26. * Patients with known history or current symptoms of cardiac disease, or history of treatment with cardiotoxic agents, should have a clinical risk assessment of cardiac function using the New York Heart Association Functional classification. Patients with New York Heart Association class III or IV heart failure are not eligible
  27. * Patient must not have received a live vaccine within 30 days prior to the first dose of study drug. Examples of live vaccines include, but are not limited to, the following: measles, mumps, rubella, varicella/zoster (chicken pox), yellow fever, rabies, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), and typhoid vaccine. Seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally killed virus vaccines and are allowed; however, intranasal influenza vaccines (e.g., FluMist \[registered trademark\]) are live attenuated vaccines and are not allowed
  28. * Patient must not have severe hypersensitivity (\>= grade 3) to pembrolizumab and/or any of its excipients
  29. * Patient must not have an active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in past 2 years (i.e., with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs). Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency) is not considered a form of systemic treatment and is allowed
  30. * Patient must not have a known psychiatric or substance abuse disorder that would interfere with the participant's ability to cooperate with the requirements of the study
  31. * Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients on effective anti-retroviral therapy with undetectable viral load within 6 months are eligible for this trial as long as they have not been HIV-infected with a history of Kaposi sarcoma and/or multicentric Castleman disease
  32. * Patient must not have a known history of hepatitis B (defined as hepatitis B surface antigen \[HBsAg\] reactive) or known active hepatitis C virus (defined as HCV ribonucleic acid \[RNA\] \[qualitative\] is detected) infection
  33. * NOTE: No testing for hepatitis B and hepatitis C is required unless mandated by a local health authority
  1. Pregnancy or breastfeeding
  2. Severe psychiatric disorders
  3. Active substance abuse
  4. Unstable medical conditions
  5. Inability to comply with study requirements

Contacts and Locations

Principal Investigator

Dan P Zandberg
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group

Study Locations (Sites)

University of Alabama at Birmingham Cancer Center
Birmingham, Alabama, 35233
United States
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, Arkansas, 72205
United States
Kaiser Permanente-Anaheim
Anaheim, California, 92806
United States
Kaiser Permanente-Bellflower
Bellflower, California, 90706
United States
Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center
Los Angeles, California, 90027
United States
Kaiser Permanente-Ontario
Ontario, California, 91761
United States
Sutter Cancer Centers Radiation Oncology Services-Roseville
Roseville, California, 95661
United States
Sutter Roseville Medical Center
Roseville, California, 95661
United States
Smilow Cancer Center/Yale-New Haven Hospital
New Haven, Connecticut, 06510
United States
Yale University
New Haven, Connecticut, 06520
United States
Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center-Trumbull
Trumbull, Connecticut, 06611
United States
Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center - Waterford
Waterford, Connecticut, 06385
United States
MedStar Washington Hospital Center
Washington, District of Columbia, 20010
United States
UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at Coral Gables
Coral Gables, Florida, 33146
United States
UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at Deerfield Beach
Deerfield Beach, Florida, 33442
United States
University of Florida Health Science Center - Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida, 32610
United States
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine-Sylvester Cancer Center
Miami, Florida, 33136
United States
UM Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at Plantation
Plantation, Florida, 33324
United States
Moffitt Cancer Center-International Plaza
Tampa, Florida, 33607
United States
Moffitt Cancer Center - McKinley Campus
Tampa, Florida, 33612
United States
Moffitt Cancer Center
Tampa, Florida, 33612
United States
Emory Proton Therapy Center
Atlanta, Georgia, 30308
United States
Emory University Hospital Midtown
Atlanta, Georgia, 30308
United States
Emory University Hospital/Winship Cancer Institute
Atlanta, Georgia, 30322
United States
Memorial Health University Medical Center
Savannah, Georgia, 31404
United States
Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois, 60611
United States
John H Stroger Jr Hospital of Cook County
Chicago, Illinois, 60612
United States
University of Illinois
Chicago, Illinois, 60612
United States
Carle at The Riverfront
Danville, Illinois, 61832
United States
Cancer Care Specialists of Illinois - Decatur
Decatur, Illinois, 62526
United States
Decatur Memorial Hospital
Decatur, Illinois, 62526
United States
Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Kishwaukee
DeKalb, Illinois, 60115
United States
Carle Physician Group-Effingham
Effingham, Illinois, 62401
United States
Crossroads Cancer Center
Effingham, Illinois, 62401
United States
Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Delnor
Geneva, Illinois, 60134
United States
Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital
Lake Forest, Illinois, 60045
United States
Carle Physician Group-Mattoon/Charleston
Mattoon, Illinois, 61938
United States
Loyola University Medical Center
Maywood, Illinois, 60153
United States
HSHS Saint Elizabeth's Hospital
O'Fallon, Illinois, 62269
United States
Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
Springfield, Illinois, 62702
United States
Springfield Clinic
Springfield, Illinois, 62702
United States
Springfield Memorial Hospital
Springfield, Illinois, 62781
United States
Carle Cancer Center
Urbana, Illinois, 61801
United States
The Carle Foundation Hospital
Urbana, Illinois, 61801
United States
Northwestern Medicine Cancer Center Warrenville
Warrenville, Illinois, 60555
United States
Reid Health
Richmond, Indiana, 47374
United States
Mission Cancer and Blood - Ankeny
Ankeny, Iowa, 50023
United States
Heartland Oncology and Hematology LLP
Council Bluffs, Iowa, 51503
United States
Methodist Jennie Edmundson Hospital
Council Bluffs, Iowa, 51503
United States
Iowa Methodist Medical Center
Des Moines, Iowa, 50309
United States
Mission Cancer and Blood - Des Moines
Des Moines, Iowa, 50309
United States
Broadlawns Medical Center
Des Moines, Iowa, 50314
United States
Iowa Lutheran Hospital
Des Moines, Iowa, 50316
United States
Methodist West Hospital
West Des Moines, Iowa, 50266-7700
United States
University of Kansas Cancer Center
Kansas City, Kansas, 66160
United States
University of Kansas Cancer Center-Overland Park
Overland Park, Kansas, 66210
United States
University of Kansas Hospital-Indian Creek Campus
Overland Park, Kansas, 66211
United States
University of Kansas Hospital-Westwood Cancer Center
Westwood, Kansas, 66205
United States
University of Kentucky/Markey Cancer Center
Lexington, Kentucky, 40536
United States
The James Graham Brown Cancer Center at University of Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky, 40202
United States
UofL Health Medical Center Northeast
Louisville, Kentucky, 40245
United States
Maryland Proton Treatment Center
Baltimore, Maryland, 21201
United States
University of Maryland/Greenebaum Cancer Center
Baltimore, Maryland, 21201
United States
Central Maryland Radiation Oncology in Howard County
Columbia, Maryland, 21044
United States
UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center/Tate Cancer Center
Glen Burnie, Maryland, 21061
United States
Tufts Medical Center
Boston, Massachusetts, 02111
United States
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109
United States
Wayne State University/Karmanos Cancer Institute
Detroit, Michigan, 48201
United States
Weisberg Cancer Treatment Center
Farmington Hills, Michigan, 48334
United States
Sanford Joe Lueken Cancer Center
Bemidji, Minnesota, 56601
United States
University of Mississippi Medical Center
Jackson, Mississippi, 39216
United States
Saint Francis Medical Center
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, 63703
United States
Siteman Cancer Center at West County Hospital
Creve Coeur, Missouri, 63141
United States
University of Kansas Cancer Center - North
Kansas City, Missouri, 64154
United States
University of Kansas Cancer Center - Lee's Summit
Lee's Summit, Missouri, 64064
United States
University of Kansas Cancer Center at North Kansas City Hospital
North Kansas City, Missouri, 64116
United States
Washington University School of Medicine
Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110
United States
Siteman Cancer Center-South County
Saint Louis, Missouri, 63129
United States
Siteman Cancer Center at Christian Hospital
Saint Louis, Missouri, 63136
United States
Siteman Cancer Center at Saint Peters Hospital
Saint Peters, Missouri, 63376
United States
Mercy Hospital Springfield
Springfield, Missouri, 65804
United States
Benefis Sletten Cancer Institute
Great Falls, Montana, 59405
United States
Logan Health Medical Center
Kalispell, Montana, 59901
United States
Community Medical Center
Missoula, Montana, 59804
United States
Nebraska Cancer Specialists/Oncology Hematology West PC - MECC
Omaha, Nebraska, 68114
United States
Nebraska Methodist Hospital
Omaha, Nebraska, 68114
United States
Oncology Associates PC
Omaha, Nebraska, 68114
United States
University of New Mexico Cancer Center
Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87106
United States
Mount Sinai Union Square
New York, New York, 10003
United States
Mount Sinai Chelsea
New York, New York, 10011
United States
Mount Sinai Hospital
New York, New York, 10029
United States
Stony Brook University Medical Center
Stony Brook, New York, 11794
United States
Randolph Hospital
Asheboro, North Carolina, 27203
United States
Cone Health Cancer Center
Greensboro, North Carolina, 27403
United States
Annie Penn Memorial Hospital
Reidsville, North Carolina, 27320
United States
Sanford Bismarck Medical Center
Bismarck, North Dakota, 58501
United States
Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center
Fargo, North Dakota, 58122
United States
Indu and Raj Soin Medical Center
Beavercreek, Ohio, 45431
United States
Dayton Physicians LLC-Miami Valley South
Centerville, Ohio, 45459
United States
Miami Valley Hospital South
Centerville, Ohio, 45459
United States
Cleveland Clinic Foundation
Cleveland, Ohio, 44195
United States
Premier Blood and Cancer Center
Dayton, Ohio, 45409
United States
Dayton Physician LLC - Englewood
Dayton, Ohio, 45415
United States
Miami Valley Hospital North
Dayton, Ohio, 45415
United States
Atrium Medical Center-Middletown Regional Hospital
Franklin, Ohio, 45005-1066
United States
Dayton Physicians LLC-Atrium
Franklin, Ohio, 45005
United States
Miami Valley Cancer Care and Infusion
Greenville, Ohio, 45331
United States
Greater Dayton Cancer Center
Kettering, Ohio, 45409
United States
Kettering Medical Center
Kettering, Ohio, 45429
United States
Upper Valley Medical Center
Troy, Ohio, 45373
United States
Cancer Centers of Southwest Oklahoma Research
Lawton, Oklahoma, 73505
United States
University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73104
United States
Clackamas Radiation Oncology Center
Clackamas, Oregon, 97015
United States
Providence Cancer Institute Clackamas Clinic
Clackamas, Oregon, 97015
United States
Providence Newberg Medical Center
Newberg, Oregon, 97132
United States
Providence Portland Medical Center
Portland, Oregon, 97213
United States
Providence Saint Vincent Medical Center
Portland, Oregon, 97225
United States
UPMC Altoona
Altoona, Pennsylvania, 16601
United States
Geisinger Medical Center
Danville, Pennsylvania, 17822
United States
Geisinger Medical Oncology-Lewisburg
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, 17837
United States
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107
United States
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19111
United States
Jefferson Torresdale Hospital
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19114
United States
Temple University Hospital
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19140
United States
University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15232
United States
UPMC-Shadyside Hospital
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15232
United States
UPMC-Passavant Hospital
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15237
United States
Geisinger Wyoming Valley/Henry Cancer Center
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, 18711
United States
UPMC Memorial
York, Pennsylvania, 17408
United States
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina, 29425
United States
Avera Cancer Institute
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57105
United States
Sanford USD Medical Center - Sioux Falls
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57117-5134
United States
Avera Cancer Institute at Yankton
Yankton, South Dakota, 57078
United States
Vanderbilt University/Ingram Cancer Center
Nashville, Tennessee, 37232
United States
Huntsman Cancer Institute/University of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112
United States
VCU Massey Cancer Center at Stony Point
Richmond, Virginia, 23235
United States
Virginia Commonwealth University/Massey Cancer Center
Richmond, Virginia, 23298
United States
ThedaCare Regional Cancer Center
Appleton, Wisconsin, 54911
United States
HSHS Sacred Heart Hospital
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, 54701
United States
Saint Vincent Hospital Cancer Center Green Bay
Green Bay, Wisconsin, 54301
United States
Saint Vincent Hospital Cancer Center at Saint Mary's
Green Bay, Wisconsin, 54303
United States
Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, 53051
United States
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53226
United States
Drexel Town Square Health Center
Oak Creek, Wisconsin, 53154
United States
Saint Vincent Hospital Cancer Center at Sturgeon Bay
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, 54235-1495
United States
Froedtert West Bend Hospital/Kraemer Cancer Center
West Bend, Wisconsin, 53095
United States

Collaborators and Investigators

Sponsor: National Cancer Institute (NCI)

  • Dan P Zandberg, PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR, ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group

Study Record Dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Registration Dates

Study Start Date2021-04-27
Study Completion Date2026-02-28

Study Record Updates

Study Start Date2021-04-27
Study Completion Date2026-02-28

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

  • Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • Recurrent Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • Recurrent Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • Recurrent Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma
  • Recurrent Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma