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NCT03085719

Targeting PD-1 Therapy Resistance With Focused High or High and Low Dose Radiation in SCCHN

Active, enrolled Phase 2 Results posted Last updated 25 February 2025
What this trial tests

Phase 2 trial testing Pembrolizumab in Head and Neck Cancer in 18 participants. Participants enrolled and being followed up; not accepting new ones.

Timeline
30 June 2017
Primary endpoint
1 November 2022
31 October 2027

Quick facts

Lead sponsorDana-Farber Cancer Institute
PhasePhase 2
StatusActive, enrolled
Study typeINTERVENTIONAL
Allocationnon randomized
Designsequential
Maskingnone
Primary purposetreatment
Enrollment18
Start date30 June 2017
Primary completion1 November 2022
Estimated completion31 October 2027
Sites1 location across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

Conditions studied

Sponsor

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Who can join

18 and older, any sex, with Head and Neck Cancer. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Results — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Per-arm endpoint measurements with 95% confidence intervals where reported. Source: trial results section.

Progression-Free Surival Primary · 1 year

The primary endpoint of this study is progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 3 months. Patients are considered progression-free at 3 months if progression is not observed at the 3-month disease assessment. PFS is defined as the time from registration to disease progression per RECIST or death, whichever occurred first. Progressive Disease is defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of diameters of target lesions, which must also demonstrate an absolute increase of at least 5 mm (with reference to the smallest sum on study). The appearance of one or more new lesions is also considered pr

GroupValue95% CI
High Dose Radiation + Pembrolizumab1
High Dose + Low Dose Radiation + Pembrolizumab8

Adverse events — posted to ClinicalTrials.gov

Time frame: Adverse events were evaluated from baseline through the end of treatment (30 days after the last study intervention), for a maximum total duration of 15 months. This time period varied depending on how many total treatment cycles each patient was given.. Reporting threshold: 0%. Adverse-event reports describe events observed during the trial — not all are caused by the drug.

High Dose Radiation + Pembrolizumab
Serious: 3/6 (50%)
Deaths: 6/6
High Dose + Low Dose Radiation + Pembrolizumab
Serious: 7/12 (58%)
Deaths: 10/12

Serious adverse events (24 terms)

ReactionSystemHigh Dose Radiation + Pemb…High Dose + Low Dose Radia…
DysphagiaGastrointestinal disorders
Oral/nasal bleedingGastrointestinal disorders
Laryngeal edemaRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
EsophagitisGastrointestinal disorders
SepsisInfections and infestations
Lung InfectionInfections and infestations
FallInjury, poisoning and procedural complications
HypotensionVascular disorders
AspirationRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
ColitisGastrointestinal disorders
DyspneaRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Esophageal HemorrhageGastrointestinal disorders
Atrial FibrillationCardiac disorders
HypomagnesemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
Injury, poisoning and procedural complications - Other, specifyInjury, poisoning and procedural complications
Intraoperative skin injuryInjury, poisoning and procedural complications
Respiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disordersRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Thromboembolic eventVascular disorders
Tracheostomy site bleedingInjury, poisoning and procedural complications
VomitingGastrointestinal disorders
Death NOSGeneral disorders
Eye infectionEye disorders
Oral hemorrhageGastrointestinal disorders
PneumonitisRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Other adverse events (70 terms — click to expand)

ReactionSystemHigh Dose Radiation + Pemb…High Dose + Low Dose Radia…
FatigueGeneral disorders
AnemiaBlood and lymphatic system disorders
HyponatremiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
DysphagiaGastrointestinal disorders
HypophosphatemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
AnorexiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
DiarrheaGastrointestinal disorders
HypomagnesemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
Mucositis oralGastrointestinal disorders
NauseaGastrointestinal disorders
Platelet count decreasedInvestigations
Sore throatRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
Cardiac disorders - Other, specifyCardiac disorders
CoughRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
HyperglycemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
Infections and infestations - Other, specifyInfections and infestations
PruritusSkin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
HypoalbuminemiaMetabolism and nutrition disorders
Adrenal insufficiencyEndocrine disorders
AnxietyPsychiatric disorders
ArthralgiaMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Dermatitis radiationInjury, poisoning and procedural complications
Dry mouthGastrointestinal disorders
DysgeusiaNervous system disorders
Ear painEar and labyrinth disorders
EpistaxisRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
EsophagitisGastrointestinal disorders
OdynophagiaGastrointestinal disorders
Hearing impairedEar and labyrinth disorders
HiccupsRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
HypothyroidismEndocrine disorders
Tumor site bleedingInjury, poisoning and procedural complications
Laryngeal edemaRespiratory, thoracic and mediastinal disorders
MyalgiaMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Neck painMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders
Oral hemorrhageGastrointestinal disorders
PainGeneral disorders
Watering eyesEye disorders
FallInjury, poisoning and procedural complications
Back PainMusculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders

Most-reported serious reactions: Dysphagia, Oral/nasal bleeding, Laryngeal edema, Esophagitis, Sepsis, Lung Infection, Fall, Hypotension.

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03085719 adverse events section.

Sponsor's own description

This research study is studying immunotherapy in combination with radiation therapy as a possible treatment for head \& neck cancer that has worsened or spread to another organ or part of your body. The immunotherapy involved in this study is: MK-3475 (pembrolizumab or KEYTRUDA).

Publications & conference data

8 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

  1. Low-dose radiation treatment enhances systemic antitumor immune responses by overcoming the inhibitory stroma.
    Barsoumian HB, Ramapriyan R, Younes AI, Caetano MS, et al · · 2020 · cited 166× · PMID 33106386 · DOI 10.1136/jitc-2020-000537
  2. Radiation resistance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: dire need for an appropriate sensitizer.
    Hutchinson MND, Mierzwa M, D'Silva NJ. · · 2020 · cited 126× · PMID 32157215 · DOI 10.1038/s41388-020-1250-3
  3. Immunotherapy for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
    Moskovitz J, Moy J, Ferris RL. · · 2018 · cited 118× · PMID 29502288 · DOI 10.1007/s11912-018-0654-5
  4. Influence of low-dose radiation on abscopal responses in patients receiving high-dose radiation and immunotherapy.
    Menon H, Chen D, Ramapriyan R, Verma V, et al · · 2019 · cited 110× · PMID 31484556 · DOI 10.1186/s40425-019-0718-6
  5. Immune Modulation of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma and the Tumor Microenvironment by Conventional Therapeutics.
    Miyauchi S, Kim SS, Pang J, Gold KA, et al · · 2019 · cited 107× · PMID 30814108 · DOI 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-0871
  6. Immune Evasion by Head and Neck Cancer: Foundations for Combination Therapy.
    Horton JD, Knochelmann HM, Day TA, Paulos CM, et al · · 2019 · cited 65× · PMID 30961829 · DOI 10.1016/j.trecan.2019.02.007
  7. New developments in the management of head and neck cancer - impact of pembrolizumab.
    Saleh K, Eid R, Haddad FG, Khalife-Saleh N, et al · · 2018 · cited 60× · PMID 29497306 · DOI 10.2147/tcrm.s125059
  8. Combining Radiation and Immune Checkpoint Blockade in the Treatment of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
    Manukian G, Bar-Ad V, Lu B, Argiris A, et al · · 2019 · cited 57× · PMID 30895168 · DOI 10.3389/fonc.2019.00122

Verify or expand the search:

Other trials of Pembrolizumab

Trials testing the same drug.

Other recruiting trials for Head and Neck Cancer

Currently open trials in the same condition.

Other Dana-Farber Cancer Institute trials

Trials by the same sponsor.

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Data sources for this page

Drug Landscape aggregates and links these public records for informational use only. Always verify against the primary source before clinical or regulatory decisions. Canonical URL: https://druglandscape.com/trial/NCT03085719.

Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing