NCT02444741

Brief Summary

This randomized phase I/II trial studies the side effects and best dose of pembrolizumab when given together with stereotactic body radiation therapy or non-stereotactic wide-field radiation therapy (conventional radiation therapy) and to see how well they work in treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer. 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. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Stereotactic body radiation therapy uses special equipment to position a patient and deliver radiation to tumors with high precision. This method can kill tumor cells with fewer doses over a shorter period and cause less damage to normal tissue. Giving pembrolizumab together with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells.

Trial Health

75
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
126

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for phase_1

Timeline
4mo left

Started Sep 2015

Longer than P75 for phase_1

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
active not recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress96%
Sep 2015Sep 2026

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

May 12, 2015

Completed
2 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

May 14, 2015

Completed
4 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

September 17, 2015

Completed
11 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

September 30, 2026

Expected
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

September 30, 2026

Last Updated

October 9, 2025

Status Verified

October 1, 2025

Enrollment Period

11 years

First QC Date

May 12, 2015

Last Update Submit

October 7, 2025

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

  • Disease response, according to immune related response criteria (Phase I/II)

    Treatment success will be defined as radiographic complete response or partial response measured using Pearson chi-squared or Fisher exact tests.

    Beginning 3 months after initiation of treatment

  • Incidence of toxicity (Phase I/II)

    Graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0.

    Up to 90 days after completion of treatment

  • Maximum tolerated dose of pembrolizumab and stereotactic body radiation therapy (Phase I)

    Graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0.

    22 days

  • Maximum tolerated dose of pembrolizumab and non-stereotactic wide-field radiation therapy (Phase I)

    Graded according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 4.0.

    22 days

  • Objective response (complete response + partial response) of the non-irradiated disease sites, according to Out-Field immune related response criteria (Phase II)

    Assesed according to Out-Field immune related response criteria. Treatment success will be defined as radiographic complete response or partial response measured using Pearson chi-squared or Fisher exact tests.

    Up to 5 years

Secondary Outcomes (2)

  • Progression-free survival (Phase II)

    From the time of enrollment to first evidence of progressive disease, assessed at 3 months after treatment initiation

  • Overall survival

    Receipt of the first pembrolizumab dose to death, assessed up to 5 years

Study Arms (7)

Group I, Phase I (pembrolizumab + SBRT)

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients who exhibit a lung lesion of size and location amenable to SBRT receive pembrolizumab IV over 30 minutes on day 1. Patients also receive SBRT in 4 fractions daily on days 2-5 or either IMRT, PBRT, or 3D-CRT in 15 fractions total concurrent with pembrolizumab administration on days 1-19. Treatment repeats every 21 days for up to 16 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Radiation: 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation TherapyRadiation: Intensity-Modulated Radiation TherapyOther: Laboratory Biomarker AnalysisBiological: PembrolizumabRadiation: Proton Beam Radiation TherapyRadiation: Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

Group I, Phase II (pembrolizumab + SBRT)

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients who exhibit a lung lesion with size and location amenable to SBRT receive pembrolizumab IV on day 1 and SBRT on days 44-47 or IMRT, PBT, or 3D-CRT on days 43-61. Treatment with pembrolizumab repeats every 21 days for up to 16 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity.

Other: Laboratory Biomarker AnalysisBiological: PembrolizumabRadiation: Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

Group II, Phase I (pembrolizumab + IMRT, PBRT or 3D-CRT)

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients who exhibit a lung lesion of size or location not amenable to SBRT, but amenable to WFRT receive pembrolizumab as in Group I and either IMRT, PBRT, or 3D-CRT in 15 fractions total on days 1-19 concurrent with pembrolizumab administration.

Radiation: 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation TherapyRadiation: Intensity-Modulated Radiation TherapyOther: Laboratory Biomarker AnalysisBiological: PembrolizumabRadiation: Proton Beam Radiation Therapy

Group II, Phase II (pembrolizumab + XRT upon PD)

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients who exhibit a lung lesion with size and location amenable to SBRT receive pembrolizumab IV as in Group I without XRT. At the first planned efficacy evaluation (5 weeks), patients exhibiting PD are treated with SBRT concurrent with the remaining cycles of pembrolizumab. In the event that lesion size has progressed to the point where the attending physician no longer considers SBRT safe, then the patient will be salvaged with IMRT, PBRT, or 3D-CRT and analyzed as part of the fourth treatment group.

Radiation: 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation TherapyRadiation: Intensity-Modulated Radiation TherapyOther: Laboratory Biomarker AnalysisBiological: PembrolizumabRadiation: Proton Beam Radiation TherapyRadiation: Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

Group III, Phase II (pembrolizumab + IMRT, PBRT, or 3D-CRT)

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients who exhibit a lung lesion with size and location not amenable to SBRT, but amenable to WFRT receive pembrolizumab IV as in Group I and IMRT, PBRT, or 3D-CRT on days 43-61.

Radiation: Intensity-Modulated Radiation TherapyOther: Laboratory Biomarker AnalysisBiological: PembrolizumabRadiation: Proton Beam Radiation Therapy

Group IV, Phase II (pembrolizumab + XRT upon PD)

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients who exhibit a lung lesion with size and location not amenable to SBRT, but amenable to WFRT receive pembrolizumab IV as in Group I without XRT. The decision on when to start XRT will be assessed first at week 5 (after the second dose of pembrolizumab). If a patient has PD based on irRC then XRT will be delivered after the third dose of pembrolizumab, while patients with SD or PR will not start XRT and will continue to be followed. These patients will then have follow up CT scans 5 weeks after course 3 and then approximately every 3 months for the remainder of the trial; any patient at this point with PD will then have XRT delivered with the sixth dose of pembrolizumab.

Radiation: 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation TherapyRadiation: Intensity-Modulated Radiation TherapyOther: Laboratory Biomarker AnalysisBiological: PembrolizumabRadiation: Proton Beam Radiation Therapy

Group V, Phase II (low dose radiation therapy)

EXPERIMENTAL

Patients with lesions amenable to SBRT or WFRT receive pembrolizumab IV as in Group I. Patients also receive either IMRT, PBRT, or 3D-CRT in 15 fractions to the primary lesions and low dose radiation therapy to other lesions on days 43-61 or SBRT in 4 fractions to primary lesions and low dose radiation therapy to other lesions on days 44-47.

Radiation: 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation TherapyRadiation: Intensity-Modulated Radiation TherapyOther: Laboratory Biomarker AnalysisBiological: PembrolizumabRadiation: Proton Beam Radiation TherapyRadiation: Radiation TherapyRadiation: Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

Interventions

Undergo 3D-CRT

Also known as: 3-dimensional radiation therapy, 3D Conformal, 3D CONFORMAL RADIATION THERAPY, 3D CRT, 3D-CRT, Conformal Therapy, Radiation Conformal Therapy, Radiation, 3D Conformal
Group I, Phase I (pembrolizumab + SBRT)Group II, Phase I (pembrolizumab + IMRT, PBRT or 3D-CRT)Group II, Phase II (pembrolizumab + XRT upon PD)Group IV, Phase II (pembrolizumab + XRT upon PD)Group V, Phase II (low dose radiation therapy)

Undergo IMRT

Also known as: IMRT, Intensity Modulated RT, Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy, Radiation, Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy
Group I, Phase I (pembrolizumab + SBRT)Group II, Phase I (pembrolizumab + IMRT, PBRT or 3D-CRT)Group II, Phase II (pembrolizumab + XRT upon PD)Group III, Phase II (pembrolizumab + IMRT, PBRT, or 3D-CRT)Group IV, Phase II (pembrolizumab + XRT upon PD)Group V, Phase II (low dose radiation therapy)

Correlative studies

Group I, Phase I (pembrolizumab + SBRT)Group I, Phase II (pembrolizumab + SBRT)Group II, Phase I (pembrolizumab + IMRT, PBRT or 3D-CRT)Group II, Phase II (pembrolizumab + XRT upon PD)Group III, Phase II (pembrolizumab + IMRT, PBRT, or 3D-CRT)Group IV, Phase II (pembrolizumab + XRT upon PD)Group V, Phase II (low dose radiation therapy)
PembrolizumabBIOLOGICAL

Given IV

Also known as: Keytruda, Lambrolizumab, MK-3475, SCH 900475
Group I, Phase I (pembrolizumab + SBRT)Group I, Phase II (pembrolizumab + SBRT)Group II, Phase I (pembrolizumab + IMRT, PBRT or 3D-CRT)Group II, Phase II (pembrolizumab + XRT upon PD)Group III, Phase II (pembrolizumab + IMRT, PBRT, or 3D-CRT)Group IV, Phase II (pembrolizumab + XRT upon PD)Group V, Phase II (low dose radiation therapy)

Undergo PBRT

Also known as: PBRT, Proton, Proton Radiation Therapy, Radiation, Proton Beam
Group I, Phase I (pembrolizumab + SBRT)Group II, Phase I (pembrolizumab + IMRT, PBRT or 3D-CRT)Group II, Phase II (pembrolizumab + XRT upon PD)Group III, Phase II (pembrolizumab + IMRT, PBRT, or 3D-CRT)Group IV, Phase II (pembrolizumab + XRT upon PD)Group V, Phase II (low dose radiation therapy)

Undergo low dose radiation therapy

Also known as: Cancer Radiotherapy, ENERGY_TYPE, Irradiate, Irradiated, Irradiation, Radiation, Radiation Therapy, NOS, Radiotherapeutics, Radiotherapy, RT, Therapy, Radiation
Group V, Phase II (low dose radiation therapy)

Undergo SBRT

Also known as: SABR, SBRT, Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiation Therapy
Group I, Phase I (pembrolizumab + SBRT)Group I, Phase II (pembrolizumab + SBRT)Group II, Phase II (pembrolizumab + XRT upon PD)Group V, Phase II (low dose radiation therapy)

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Pathologically confirmed non-small lung cancer; for patients in group 5, any solid tumor histology to be included
  • Stage IV metastatic disease (only during the phase II)
  • At least one thoracic or liver lesion amenable to radiation, for group 5 we need one area that can safely receive SBRT or WFRT, not restricted to lung or liver sites
  • At least one additional non-contiguous lesion to the irradiated lesion amenable to radiographic evaluation
  • Be willing and able to provide written informed consent/assent for the trial
  • Have measurable disease based on immune related response criteria (irRC) criteria
  • Have a performance status of 0 or 1 on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance scale
  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1,500 /mcL (performed within 28 days prior to study registration up to the first dose of study drug)
  • Platelets \>= 100,000 /mcL (performed within 28 days prior to study registration up to the first dose of study drug)
  • Hemoglobin \>= 9 g/dL or \>= 5.6 mmol/L (performed within 28 days prior to study registration up to the first dose of study drug)
  • Serum creatinine =\< 1.5 X upper limit of normal (ULN) or measured or calculated creatinine clearance (glomerular filtration rate \[GFR\] can also be used in place of creatinine or calculated creatinine clearance \[CrCl\]) or \>= 60 mL/min for subject with creatinine levels \> 1.5 X institutional ULN (creatinine clearance should be calculated per institutional standard) (performed within 28 days prior to study registration up to the first dose of study drug)
  • Serum total bilirubin =\< 1.5 X ULN or direct bilirubin =\< ULN for subjects with total bilirubin levels \> 1.5 ULN (performed within 28 days prior to study registration up to the first dose of study drug)
  • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) =\< 2.5 X ULN or =\< 5 X ULN for subjects with liver metastases (performed within 28 days prior to study registration up to the first dose of study drug)
  • International normalized ratio (INR) or prothrombin time (PT) =\< 1.5 X ULN unless subject is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or partial prothrombin time (PTT) is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants (performed within 28 days prior to study registration up to the first dose of study drug)
  • Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) =\< 1.5 X ULN unless subject is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or PTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants (performed within 28 days prior to study registration up to the first dose of study drug)
  • +5 more criteria

You may not qualify if:

  • Is currently participating in or has participated in a study of an investigational agent (except glutamine) or using an investigational device within 4 weeks of the first dose of treatment or 5 half lives, whichever is shorter
  • Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving systemic steroid therapy or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of trial treatment; unless the steroid therapy is for physiological replacement
  • Has a diagnosis of active scleroderma, lupus, or other autoimmune disease which by the opinion of the treating radiation oncologist precludes safe radiation therapy
  • Has had prior radiation therapy to all available thoracic and liver lesions such that additional radiation therapy is unsafe by the opinion of the treating radiation oncologist
  • Has had a prior monoclonal antibody within 4 weeks or 5 half-lives, which ever is shorter, prior to study day 1 or who has not recovered (i.e., =\< grade 1 or at baseline) from adverse events due to agents administered more than 4 weeks earlier
  • Has had prior chemotherapy or targeted small molecule therapy within 2 weeks prior to study day 1 or who has not recovered (i.e., =\< grade 1 or at baseline) from adverse events due to a previously administered agent
  • Note: Subjects with =\< grade 2 neuropathy are an exception to this criterion and may qualify for the study
  • Note: If subject received major surgery, they must have recovered adequately from the toxicity and/or complications from the intervention prior to starting therapy
  • Has a known additional malignancy that is progressing or requires active treatment; exceptions include basal cell carcinoma of the skin, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or in situ cervical cancer that has undergone potentially curative therapy
  • Has known active central nervous system (CNS) metastases and/or carcinomatous meningitis; subjects with previously treated brain metastases may participate provided they are stable (without evidence of progression by imaging for at least four weeks prior to the first dose of trial treatment and any neurologic symptoms have returned to baseline), have no evidence of new or enlarging brain metastases, and are not using steroids for at least 7 days prior to trial treatment
  • Has an active autoimmune disease requiring systemic treatment within the past 3 months or a documented history of clinically severe autoimmune disease, or a syndrome that requires systemic steroids or immunosuppressive agents; subjects with vitiligo or resolved childhood asthma/atopy would be an exception to this rule; subjects that require intermittent use of bronchodilators or local steroid injections would not be excluded from the study; subjects with hypothyroidism stable on hormone replacement or Sjogren's syndrome will not be excluded from the study
  • Has evidence of interstitial lung disease or active, non-infectious pneumonitis
  • Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy or hospital admission
  • Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, or laboratory abnormality that might confound the results of the trial, interfere with the subject's participation for the full duration of the trial, or is not in the best interest of the subject to participate, in the opinion of the treating investigator
  • Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial
  • +6 more criteria

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

M D Anderson Cancer Center

Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

Location

Related Publications (4)

  • Butner JD, Martin GV, Wang Z, Corradetti B, Ferrari M, Esnaola N, Chung C, Hong DS, Welsh JW, Hasegawa N, Mittendorf EA, Curley SA, Chen SH, Pan PY, Libutti SK, Ganesan S, Sidman RL, Pasqualini R, Arap W, Koay EJ, Cristini V. Early prediction of clinical response to checkpoint inhibitor therapy in human solid tumors through mathematical modeling. Elife. 2021 Nov 9;10:e70130. doi: 10.7554/eLife.70130.

  • Theelen WSME, Chen D, Verma V, Hobbs BP, Peulen HMU, Aerts JGJV, Bahce I, Niemeijer ALN, Chang JY, de Groot PM, Nguyen QN, Comeaux NI, Simon GR, Skoulidis F, Lin SH, He K, Patel R, Heymach J, Baas P, Welsh JW. Pembrolizumab with or without radiotherapy for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: a pooled analysis of two randomised trials. Lancet Respir Med. 2021 May;9(5):467-475. doi: 10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30391-X. Epub 2020 Oct 20.

  • Welsh J, Menon H, Chen D, Verma V, Tang C, Altan M, Hess K, de Groot P, Nguyen QN, Varghese R, Comeaux NI, Simon G, Skoulidis F, Chang JY, Papdimitrakopoulou V, Lin SH, Heymach JV. Pembrolizumab with or without radiation therapy for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: a randomized phase I/II trial. J Immunother Cancer. 2020 Oct;8(2):e001001. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2020-001001.

  • Chen D, Menon H, Verma V, Guo C, Ramapriyan R, Barsoumian H, Younes A, Hu Y, Wasley M, Cortez MA, Welsh J. Response and outcomes after anti-CTLA4 versus anti-PD1 combined with stereotactic body radiation therapy for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: retrospective analysis of two single-institution prospective trials. J Immunother Cancer. 2020 Jan;8(1):e000492. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2019-000492.

Related Links

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung

Interventions

Radiotherapy, ConformalRadiotherapy, Intensity-ModulatedpembrolizumabProton TherapyProtonsRadiotherapyRadiationRadiosurgery

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Carcinoma, BronchogenicBronchial NeoplasmsLung NeoplasmsRespiratory Tract NeoplasmsThoracic NeoplasmsNeoplasms by SiteNeoplasmsLung DiseasesRespiratory Tract Diseases

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Radiotherapy, Computer-AssistedTherapeuticsHeavy Ion RadiotherapyCations, MonovalentCationsIonsElectrolytesInorganic ChemicalsHydrogenElementsGasesNucleonsElementary ParticlesPhysical PhenomenaStereotaxic TechniquesNeurosurgical ProceduresSurgical Procedures, OperativeInvestigative Techniques

Study Officials

  • James Welsh

    M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 1
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

May 12, 2015

First Posted

May 14, 2015

Study Start

September 17, 2015

Primary Completion (Estimated)

September 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

September 30, 2026

Last Updated

October 9, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-10

Locations