Combining adaptive radiation therapy with immunotherapy for advanced lung cancer treatment

SiCARIO (Split Course Adaptive Radioimmunotherapy) for the Treatment of Oligometastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Using Biologically-Adaptive Radiotherapy - A Phase I/II Study

This study is testing a new way of giving radiation therapy along with immunotherapy to see if it helps people with advanced lung cancer feel better and live longer.

Quick facts

• Phase: Phase1; Phase2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 25 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (Academic / other)
• Drugs / interventions: chemotherapy, immunotherapy, prednisone, pembrolizumab, ipilimumab, cemiplimab, atezolizumab, nivolumab, radiation, ipilmumab
• Locations: 1 site (Nashville, Tennessee)
• Trial ID: NCT05501665 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This clinical trial evaluates the safety and effectiveness of split-course adaptive radiation therapy combined with immunotherapy, specifically pembrolizumab, with or without chemotherapy for patients with stage IV lung cancer. The approach involves adjusting the intensity of radiation therapy based on the patient's response to treatment. The study aims to assess not only the safety and efficacy of this regimen but also to identify biomarkers that could predict treatment response. Patients will be assigned to one of several standard treatment regimens based on their tumor characteristics and PD-L1 status.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates include adults aged 18 and older with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer that has spread to nearby tissues or lymph nodes.

Not a fit: Patients with early-stage lung cancer or those who are not eligible for the specified treatment regimens may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this treatment could improve survival rates and quality of life for patients with advanced lung cancer.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise in combining adaptive radiation therapy with immunotherapy, suggesting potential for success in this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* Age \>= 18 years at time of informed consent
* • Histologically documented or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of stage IVA or IVB (M1b or M1c) or locally advanced (not eligible for standard of care \[SOC\] chemoradiation) non-small cell lung cancer with evaluable disease per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version (v) 1.1 criteria
* Available tumor material (\< 6 months old) adequate for confirmation of programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression per local standard of care testing
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-2
* Adequate organ function to receive therapy as determined by investigators and other treating physicians
* Participants with brain metastases that can be comprehensively managed with surgery and/or stereotactic radiosurgery, prior to initiation of chemo-immunotherapy are allowed. Number of brain metastases allowed is not specified at eligibility is at discretion of investigator
* Contraceptive use should be initiated or continued per guidance in labeling for approved chemotherapies
* Female patients must be non-pregnant and not breastfeeding.

  * If woman of childbearing potential (WOCBP), must utilize highly effective contraceptive method (failure rate of \< 1% per year) throughout intervention period and continued per guidance specified in labeling for approved chemotherapies. Must have negative pregnancy test (serum or urine) within 1 week prior to initiation of first cycle of therapy
* Eligible for immunotherapy-based systemic regimens per judgment of patient's study physician
* Able to submit written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Mixed small cell histology
* Confirmed candidate (per study physician) for alternative systemic therapy if preferred by treating physician (i.e. mEGFR, ALK, KRAS G12C or ROS1 mutations). Testing not required for enrollment
* Brain metastases that would require administration of whole brain radiotherapy for management on required screening brain MRI within 21 days of day 1 of study treatment
* Symptomatic malignant ascites or malignant pleural effusion (sampling not required). Pleural metastases are allowed if deemed targetable with radiotherapy
* Major surgery (requiring general anesthesia or at discretion of study physician) within 4 weeks prior to study enrollment that would prevent treatment with SiCARIO regimen
* History of organ transplant requiring therapeutic immunosuppression
* Known clinically significant (per study physician) acute or chronic infections including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) or active tuberculosis (testing not required). Patients with HBV and HCV must be on stable dose of antiviral therapy on study entry
* Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III-IV congestive heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension (average systolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 or average diastolic blood pressure greater than or equal to 90 despite optimal medical therapy), unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrythmia, active peptic ulcer disease, bleeding diatheses or psychiatric illness that would limit in the judgment of the study physician
* Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization within 30 days of day 1 of study treatment
* History of prior independent malignancy within 3 years of enrollment, except for adequately treated basal or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, adequately treated carcinoma in situ (e.g. cervix or non-invasive bladder cancer)
* Receipt of prior \>1 cycle of immune checkpoint inhibitor for current malignancy (prior cytotoxic chemotherapy is allowed)
* Prior radiotherapy that would preclude delivery of protocol- based radiotherapy to normal organ tolerance per patient's study physician
* Current or prior use of immunosuppressive medications within 28 days of enrollment with exception of intranasal or inhaled corticosteroids or systemic steroids at physiologic doses (equivalent to less than or equal to 10 mg/day of prednisone). Systemic steroids required during therapy for adverse event (AE) management and for residual neurologic complications from management of central nervous system (CNS) metastases are allowed at doses exceeding 10 mg/day of prednisone equivalents
* Active autoimmune disease requiring systemic treatment within past 1 year
* Receipt of live attenuated vaccine within 30 days of enrollment
* Use of prohibited concomitant drug within 30 days of enrollment
* Known severe (\>= grade 3 Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events \[CTCAE\]) hypersensitivity to study intervention or formulation
* Concurrent enrollment in another clinical trial (unless observational or within follow-up period)
* Any condition at discretion of investigator that will preclude participation in the study

Where this trial is running

Nashville, Tennessee

• Vanderbilt University/Ingram Cancer Center — Nashville, Tennessee, United States (Recruiting)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Evan Osmundson, MD, PhD — Vanderbilt University/Ingram Cancer Center
• Study coordinator: Vanderbilt-Ingram Service for Timely Access

Conditions Lung Non-Small Cell Carcinoma; Stage IV Lung Cancer AJCC v8; Stage III Lung Cancer; Oligometastasis; Adaptive Radiotherapy; Immunotherapy