Clinical trial Recruiting at 8 sites Phase 2 Interventional Ages 18 to 70

Combining low-dose radiotherapy with chemoimmunotherapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma with liver metastasis

Official title: Low-dose Radiotherapy and Chemoimmunotherapy in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma With Liver Metastasis

Run by Hunan Cancer Hospital · NCT06788002 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing whether adding low-dose radiation to chemotherapy and immunotherapy can help people with nasopharyngeal cancer that has spread to the liver feel better and improve their treatment results.

More Nasopharyngeal Cancinoma (NPC) trials

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years to 70 Years
SexAll
Enrollment26 (estimated)
SponsorHunan Cancer Hospital
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionschemotherapy, prednisone, penpulimab, Immunotherapy
Locations8 sites (Changsha, Hunan and 7 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedJanuary 14, 2025
Main results expectedJune 30, 2026
Study endsJune 30, 2027
Registry record updatedJuly 7, 2026
Trial IDNCT06788002 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 to 70 with histologically confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma and liver metastasis.

Probably not a fit

Patients with other types of cancer or those who have not been diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma will not benefit from this study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This study evaluates the effectiveness and safety of adding low-dose radiotherapy to a regimen of chemotherapy and immunotherapy for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma that has spread to the liver. The chemotherapy involves the use of gemcitabine and cisplatin, while the immunotherapy component includes penpulimab. The goal is to determine if this combined approach can improve treatment outcomes for patients with advanced disease.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this treatment could provide a new effective option for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma and liver metastasis.

How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown promise in combining radiotherapy with immunotherapy and chemotherapy, suggesting potential for success in this approach.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age ≥ 18 years and ≤ 70 years, male or non-pregnant female.
2. Histologically confirmed with nonkeratinizing carcinoma of the nasopharynx (differentiated or undifferentiated type, WHO II or III)
3. Stage IVB (AJCC 8th edition staging)
4. De novo nasopharyngeal carcinoma with liver metastasis, or patients who had received curative treatment (radical radiotherapy or radical radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy) and developed liver metastasis more than 6 months after treatment completion.
5. ECOG performance status: 0 or 1
6. Must have at least one measurable lesion (assessed according to RECIST v1.1)
7. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1.5 × 10\^9/L; platelets ≥ 100 × 10\^9/L; hemoglobin ≥ 90 g/L.
8. International normalized ratio (INR) or prothrombin time (PT) ≤ 1.5 × upper limit of normal (ULN); activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) ≤ 1.5 × ULN
9. Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 × ULN or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 60 mL/min.
10. Serum total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 × ULN (patients with Gilbert's syndrome may be included if total bilirubin \< 3 × ULN); AST and ALT ≤ 5 × ULN (because of liver metastasis)

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with tumor recurrence at the primary site who have previously received radical radiotherapy.
2. Tumor invasion involving major blood vessels, with a high risk of significant bleeding as assessed by the investigator.
3. Systemic anticancer therapy, including hormone therapy, administered within 28 days prior to the initiation of the study treatment.
4. Previous treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (e.g., PD-1/PD-L1, CTLA-4).
5. Patients with active autoimmune diseases or a history of autoimmune diseases with a risk of recurrence.
6. Known history of other malignancies (except cured basal cell carcinoma or carcinoma in situ of the cervix).
7. Conditions requiring systemic corticosteroid therapy (equivalent to \>10 mg/day of prednisone or similar medications) or other immunosuppressive therapy within ≤14 days prior to treatment.
8. Uncontrolled diabetes or laboratory abnormalities ≥Grade 1 in potassium, sodium, or corrected calcium levels despite standard treatment, or ≥Grade 3 hypoalbuminemia within ≤14 days before treatment.
9. History of the following diseases: interstitial lung disease, non-infectious pneumonitis, or uncontrolled diseases, including pulmonary fibrosis or acute lung disease.
10. Severe chronic or active infections requiring systemic antibiotics, antifungals, or antivirals within ≤14 days before the first dose of the investigational drug (including tuberculosis infection).
11. Known history of HIV infection.
12. Untreated chronic hepatitis B patients or hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers with HBV DNA ≥500 IU/mL, or active hepatitis C virus (HCV) carriers.
13. Any major surgery requiring general anesthesia within ≤28 days prior to treatment.
14. Previous allogeneic stem cell transplantation or organ transplantation.
15. Any cardiovascular risk factors, including: cardiac chest pain that restricts daily instrumental activities ≤28 days before treatment. Symptomatic pulmonary embolism within ≤3 months before treatment. Acute myocardial infarction within ≤6 months before treatment. History of heart failure meeting New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class III or IV within ≤6 months before treatment. Grade ≥2 ventricular arrhythmias within ≤6 months before treatment. History of cerebrovascular accident within ≤6 months before the first dose of the investigational drug.
16. Evident bleeding tendencies or clinically significant bleeding symptoms ≤28 days prior to randomization, including but not limited to gastrointestinal bleeding, nasal bleeding (excluding epistaxis or retrograde blood-stained nasal discharge), and persistent bleeding disorders or coagulopathy.
17. Known allergy to any component of the investigational drug or a history of severe hypersensitivity to other monoclonal antibodies.
18. Peripheral neuropathy of Grade ≥2 as defined by NCI CTCAE v5.0.
19. Administration of live vaccines within ≤4 weeks prior to treatment.
20. Underlying medical conditions (including laboratory abnormalities) or alcohol/drug abuse or dependency that could impair drug administration, interpretation of drug toxicity, or adverse events (AEs), or could compromise study compliance or execution.
21. Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
22. Other factors deemed by the investigator that could lead to the premature termination of the study, such as other severe illnesses, significant laboratory abnormalities, or family/social factors that could affect participant safety or the collection of study data.

Where it's running

  • Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University,
    Changsha, Hunan, China
    Recruiting
  • Xiangya Hospital of Central South University
    Changsha, Hunan, China
    Recruiting
  • Hunan Cancer Hospital
    Changsha, Hunan, China
    Recruiting
  • Hunan Cancer Hospital
    Changsha, Hunan, China
    Recruiting
  • The First People's Hospital of Chenzhou
    Chenzhou, Hunan, China
    Recruiting
  • Hunan University of Medicine General Hospital
    Huaihua, Hunan, China
    Recruiting
Show 2 more locations
  • The Central Hospital of Shaoyang
    Shaoyang, Hunan, China
    Recruiting
  • Yueyang Central Hospital
    Yueyang, Hunan, China
    Recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 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.