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Using biomarkers to guide safe stopping of immunotherapy in advanced melanoma

A Phase II Study of Biomarker Driven Early Discontinuation of Anti-PD-1 Therapy in Patients With Advanced Melanoma (PET-Stop)

Phase 2 Interventional Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group · NCT04462406

This study is testing if patients with advanced melanoma can safely stop their immunotherapy after a year if their scans show no signs of cancer.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment150 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorEastern Cooperative Oncology Group Research network
Drugs / interventionsNivolumab, Pembrolizumab, ipilimumab
Locations482 sites (Fairhope, Alabama and 481 other locations)
Trial IDNCT04462406 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This phase II trial investigates the use of biomarkers from PET/CT imaging to determine if patients with unresectable stage IIIB-IV melanoma can safely discontinue anti-PD-1 therapy after 12 months. The primary objective is to assess the 12-month event-free survival rate following therapy discontinuation in patients with disease control and negative imaging or biopsy results. Secondary objectives include evaluating pathologic responses, overall survival, and treatment-related adverse events. The study aims to improve treatment strategies by potentially shortening the duration of therapy based on biomarker assessments.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are patients with unresectable stage IIIB-IV melanoma who have been on anti-PD-1 therapy for approximately 12 months and have measurable disease.

Not a fit: Patients with melanoma from ocular primary sites or those who have not responded to anti-PD-1 therapy may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could allow patients to safely reduce their exposure to immunotherapy while maintaining disease control.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have explored biomarker-guided therapy adjustments, showing promise, but this specific approach is novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria 
Inclusion Criteria:

* STEP 0 PRE-REGISTRATION INCLUSION CRITERIA
* Patient must have active advanced melanoma, defined as unresectable stage IIIB-IV by American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition
* Patient must have melanoma originating from cutaneous, acral-lentiginous, or mucosal primary sites. Patients with melanoma of unknown primary site are eligible. Patients must not have melanoma from an ocular primary site
* Patient must have had measurable disease by immune related Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (imRECIST) prior to start of initial anti-PD-1 therapy
* Patient must be actively receiving standard of care anti-PD-1 therapy, currently be 52 weeks (+/- 2 weeks) from start of anti-PD-1 therapy, and have not experienced a toxicity that prevents them from continuing on therapy. Permitted systemic anti-PD-1 therapy regimens include:

  * Nivolumab 240 mg IV every (Q)2weeks or 480 mg IV Q4weeks
  * Pembrolizumab 200 mg IV Q3weeks or 400 mg IV Q6weeks
  * Nivolumab 1 mg/kg plus ipilimumab 3 mg/kg IV Q3weeks induction x 4 doses, followed by nivolumab 240 mg IV Q2weeks or 480 mg IV Q4weeks maintenance
  * Nivolumab 3 mg/kg plus Ipilimumab 1 mg/kg IV Q3weeks induction x 4 doses, followed by nivolumab 240 mg IV Q2weeks or 480 mg IV Q4weeks maintenance
  * Pembrolizumab 2 mg/kg (or 200 mg flat dose) plus Ipilimumab 1 mg/kg IV Q3weeks induction x 4 doses, followed by pembrolizumab 200 mg IV Q3weeks or 400 mg IV Q6weeks maintenance
* Patient must have an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-2
* Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients on effective anti-retroviral therapy with undetectable viral load within 6 months are eligible for this trial. Patients with detectable viral loads are excluded as it is unclear if these patients have a low risk of melanoma progression off anti-PD-1 treatment
* For patients with evidence of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, the HBV viral load must be undetectable on suppressive therapy, if indicated
* Patients with a history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection must have been treated and cured. For patients with HCV infection who are currently on treatment, they are eligible if they have an undetectable HCV viral load
* Patients with a prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatment does not have the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen are eligible for this trial
* Patients with known history or current symptoms of cardiac disease, or history of treatment with cardiotoxic agents, should have a clinical risk assessment of cardiac function using the New York Heart Association Functional Classification. To be eligible for this trial, patients should be class 2B or better
* Patient must have experienced complete response, partial response, or stable disease on restaging CT scans by imRECIST that is maintained on restaging scans obtained at week 52 (+/- 2 weeks) from start of initial anti-PD-1 therapy
* Patient must have completed an FDG-PET/CT scan at week 52 (+/- 2 weeks) from start of initial anti-PD-1 therapy

  * Patients with PET/CT positive for hypermetabolic lesions: If a core needle, punch or excisional biopsy and pathological review of a representative lesion was not performed prior to pre-registration (Step 0) must either:

    * Be amenable to undergo a biopsy. Patient must not be on anticoagulation therapy or, if on anti-coagulation therapy, patient must be able to hold treatment for a biopsy procedure (core needle, punch or excisional biopsy). Anti-coagulation therapy is defined as low molecular weight heparin, warfarin, factor Xa inhibitor, or direct thrombin inhibitor
    * Have documentation of inability to perform the biopsy due to feasibility or safety concerns
* Leukocytes \>= 3,000/mcL (obtained =\< 4 weeks prior to protocol registration)
* Absolute neutrophil count \>= 1,500/mcL (obtained =\< 4 weeks prior to protocol registration)
* Platelets \>= 100,000/mcL (obtained =\< 4 weeks prior to protocol registration)
* Total bilirubin =\< institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) (patients with history of Gilbert's syndrome are permitted to have a total bilirubin \> 1.5 x institutional ULN) (obtained =\< 4 weeks prior to protocol registration)
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\])/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase \[SGPT\]) =\< 2.5 x institutional ULN (obtained =\< 4 weeks prior to protocol registration)
* Creatinine =\< 1.5 x institutional ULN (obtained =\< 4 weeks prior to protocol registration)
* STEP 1 REGISTRATION INCLUSION CRITERIA
* Patient met all eligibility criteria outlined above
* Patient must register to Step 1 within 4 weeks of registration to Step 0
* Patients must meet one of the following criteria:

  * Patient had no positive hypermetabolic lesions on the week 52 FDG-PET/CT.
  * Patients with positive hypermetabolic lesion(s) on the week 52 FDG-PET/CT (positive hypermetabolic = standard uptake volume \[SUV\] \> pooled mediastinal blood), one of the following must have occurred:

    * A representative lesion was biopsied (core needle, punch or excisional biopsy) within 14 days of registration to Step 0 and subsequent pathology review performed to determine the presence or absence of viable tumor
    * Documentation is present that the patient is not able to undergo biopsy of a hypermetabolic lesion due to feasibility or safety concerns, i.e., the lesion location that is not amenable to biopsy

Exclusion Criteria:

* STEP 0 PRE-REGISTRATION EXCLUSION CRITERIA
* Patient must not be receiving concurrent anti-tumor therapies in addition to the standard of care anti-PD-1 regimens. Patients who are receiving bisphosphonates and RANKL inhibitors for management of bone metastases are eligible
* Patient must not have brain metastases
* Women must not be pregnant or breast-feeding due to potential harm to an unborn fetus and possible risk for adverse events in nursing infants with the anti-PD-1 regimens being used. All females of childbearing potential must have a blood test or urine study within 14 days prior to registration to rule out pregnancy. A female of childbearing potential is defined as any woman, regardless of sexual orientation or whether they have undergone tubal ligation, who meets the following criteria: 1) has achieved menarche at some point, 2) has not undergone a hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy; or 3) has not been naturally postmenopausal (amenorrhea following cancer therapy does not rule out childbearing potential) for at least 24 consecutive months (i.e., has had menses at any time in the preceding 24 consecutive months)
* Women of childbearing potential and sexually active males must not conceive or father children by using accepted and effective method(s) of contraception or by abstaining from sexual intercourse from the time of study registration and continuing until at least 5 months after the last dose of anti-PD-1 treatment for female patients and for at least 7 months after the last dose of anti-PD-1 treatment for male patients who are sexually active with a women of childbearing potential (WOCBP)

Where this trial is running

Fairhope, Alabama and 481 other locations

+432 more sites — see ClinicalTrials.gov for the full list.

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 → Find more trials like this →
Conditions Advanced MelanomaClinical Stage III Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8Clinical Stage IV Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8Melanoma of Unknown PrimaryPathologic Stage IIIB Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8Pathologic Stage IIIC Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8Pathologic Stage IIID Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8Pathologic Stage IV Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.