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Combining capecitabine with pembrolizumab for triple negative breast cancer after surgery

A Phase II Study to Evaluate CAPecitabine Plus Pembrolizumab as Post-operative Adjuvant Therapy for Triple Negative Breast Cancer With Residual Disease After Neoadjuvant Chemo-immunotherapy

PHASE2 · UNICANCER · NCT05973864

This study is testing if combining the cancer drugs capecitabine and pembrolizumab can help people with triple negative breast cancer who still have some cancer left after surgery live longer without the disease coming back.

Quick facts

PhasePHASE2
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment220 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorUNICANCER (other)
Drugs / interventionspembrolizumab, chemotherapy, immunotherapy
Locations20 sites (Amiens and 19 other locations)
Trial IDNCT05973864 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This clinical trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of combining capecitabine with pembrolizumab in patients with triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) who have residual disease following neoadjuvant chemotherapy and surgery. The study will evaluate the impact of this combination on invasive disease-free survival over a two-year period. An external cohort of patients treated with pembrolizumab alone will also be monitored to allow for comparative analysis. Participants will receive pembrolizumab injections, capecitabine tablets, and local radiotherapy as part of their treatment regimen.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older with histologically confirmed triple negative breast cancer who have residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Not a fit: Patients who do not have triple negative breast cancer or those who have achieved a complete pathological response after neoadjuvant therapy may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve disease-free survival rates for patients with triple negative breast cancer.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promising results with similar combinations of immunotherapy and chemotherapy in treating triple negative breast cancer, suggesting potential for success.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria 
• CRITERIA FOR EXPERIMENTAL ARM :

Inclusion criteria (for experimental arm):

Patients eligible for this study must meet ALL of the following criteria:

1. Patient must have signed a written informed consent prior to any trial specific procedures. When the patient is physically unable to give their written consent, a trusted person of their choice, independent from the investigator or the sponsor, can confirm in writing the patient's consent;
2. Subject ≥18 years of age on day of signing informed consent form (ICF);
3. Histologically proven TNBC defined as follows:

   1. HER2 negativity (ASCO/CAP criteria)
   2. AND less than 10% of cells stained by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for ER and PgR;
4. TNBC patients previously treated by standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy with a minimum of 6 cycles of immunochemotherapy containing pembrolizumab, per standard of care (and pembrolizumab label) and anthracyclines and/or taxanes (with/without carboplatin). Other drugs may be acceptable following discussion with the sponsor (with the exclusion of capecitabine);
5. Complete resection of the breast tumor(s) (and of any invaded lymph node);
6. No complete pathological response, defined as RCB Class I, II or III (per local assessment);
7. Available representative formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor block from surgery specimen with its histological report;
8. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status \<2;
9. Adequate organ and bone marrow function. All screening lab tests should be performed within 28 days before inclusion;
10. Resolution to at least grade 1 of all acute toxicities from previous therapies including immune-related toxicity due to pembrolizumab, except alopecia and grade 2 immune-related endocrinopathies controlled by hormone replacement which are allowed;
11. Minimal/maximal period for prior treatments (i.e. minimal delay from last dose of prior treatment to C1D1): breast surgery (the wound must have healed prior to C1D1) ≥2 weeks (maximum 10 weeks); last pembrolizumab injection ≥3 weeks;
12. Women of child-bearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 7 days before C1D1;
13. Women of child-bearing potential and male patients must agree to use 1 effective form of contraception from the time of the negative pregnancy test up to 6 months after the last dose of study drugs;
14. Patient should be able and willing to comply with study visits and procedures as per protocol;
15. Patients must be affiliated to a Social Security System (or equivalent).

Non-inclusion criteria (for experimental arm):

Patients eligible for this study must not meet ANY of the following criteria:

1. Radiological or clinical evidence of metastatic disease documented by imaging or clinical examination performed during screening period;
2. Has received capecitabine or other ICI than pembrolizumab in the NAC regimen;
3. Has a known additional malignancy, excepted skin basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or in situ cervical cancer or previously treated malignancy with no evidence of disease for ≥2 years;
4. Presents a contraindication to continue pembrolizumab treatment as per respective SmPC including known hypersensitivity;
5. Previous immune-related adverse event of any grade due to pembrolizumab that led to permanent discontinuation of pembrolizumab;
6. Presents a contraindication to capecitabine treatment as per SmPC (See EMA website for most recent edition of SmPC);
7. Complete DPD (Dihydropyrimidine Dehydrogenase) deficiency (a systematic screening of DPD deficiency must be performed);
8. Patient with active infection ;
9. Patients with history of uncontrolled or symptomatic cardiac disease ;
10. Patients having received brivudine within 4 weeks prior to inclusion;
11. Require the use of one of the following forbidden treatments during the study treatment period:

    * Any investigational anticancer therapy other than the protocol specified treatment;
    * Any concurrent chemotherapy, immunotherapy, biologic for cancer treatment, other than the ones stated in the protocol;
12. Pregnant women or women who are breast-feeding;
13. Patients unwilling or unable to comply with the medical follow-up required by the trial because of geographic, familial, social, or psychological reasons;
14. Persons deprived of their liberty or under protective custody or guardianship;
15. Participation in another therapeutic trial within the 30 days prior to randomization.

    * CRITERIA FOR STANDARD OF CARE TREATED EXTERNAL COHORT

Inclusion criteria (for standard of care treated external cohort) :

Patients eligible for this cohort must meet ALL of the following criteria:

1. Patient information prior to study entry and non-opposition to data collection
2. Subject ≥18 years of age ;
3. Histologically proven TNBC defined as follows:

   1. HER2 negativity (ASCO/CAP criteria)
   2. AND less than 10% of cells stained by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for ER and PgR;
4. TNBC patients previously treated by standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy with a minimum of 6 cycles of immunochemotherapy containing pembrolizumab, per standard of care (and pembrolizumab label) and anthracyclines and/or taxanes (with/without carboplatin). Other drugs may be acceptable following discussion with the sponsor (with the exclusion of capecitabine);
5. Complete resection of the breast tumor(s) (and of any invaded lymph node);
6. No complete pathological response, defined as RCB Class I, II or III (per local assessment);
7. Patient should have received at least one injection of pembrolizumab as post-surgery treatment (concomitantly or after radiotherapy).

Non-exclusion criteria (for standard of care treated external cohort) :

Patients eligible for this study must not meet ANY of the following criteria:

1. Radiological or clinical evidence of metastatic disease documented by imaging or clinical examination after surgery.
2. Has received capecitabine or other ICI than pembrolizumab in the NAC regimen;
3. Has a known additional malignancy, excepted skin basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or in situ cervical cancer or previously treated malignancy with no evidence of disease for ≥2 years;
4. Any investigational anticancer therapy (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, biologic for cancer treatment) other than pembrolizumab only as adjuvant treatment.

Where this trial is running

Amiens and 19 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.