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Using nivolumab with chemotherapy to treat nasopharyngeal carcinoma in young patients

A Phase 2 Study Using Chemoimmunotherapy With Gemcitabine, Cisplatin and Nivolumab in Newly Diagnosed Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (NPC)

Phase 2 Interventional National Cancer Institute (NCI) · NCT06064097

This study is testing if combining nivolumab with chemotherapy can help young patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma live longer and feel better while reducing side effects from radiation.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment50 (estimated)
AgesN/A to 21 Years
SexAll
SponsorNational Cancer Institute (NCI) NIH
Drugs / interventionsnivolumab, chemotherapy, radiation, prednisone, Immunotherapy
Locations85 sites (Birmingham, Alabama and 84 other locations)
Trial IDNCT06064097 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This phase II trial evaluates the safety and efficacy of combining nivolumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, with chemotherapy drugs cisplatin and gemcitabine in children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The study aims to assess the rate of serious immune-related adverse events and the overall effectiveness of this combination therapy in improving event-free survival rates. Participants will receive induction chemoimmunotherapy followed by consolidation chemoradioimmunotherapy and nivolumab maintenance therapy, with a focus on reducing radiation exposure in younger patients to minimize side effects. The trial also includes exploratory objectives to evaluate long-term survival outcomes and response rates using advanced imaging techniques.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are patients aged 21 years or younger with newly diagnosed stage II-IV nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Not a fit: Patients with other types of cancer or those older than 21 years may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve treatment outcomes and reduce side effects for young patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promise in using immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy for various cancers, suggesting potential success for this approach in NPC.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria 
Inclusion Criteria:

* Patients must be ≤ 21 years of age at the time of study enrollment
* Newly diagnosed American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage II-IV nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)

  * Patients must have had histologic verification of the malignancy at original diagnosis
  * Although submission of tumor tissue for the molecular characterization initiative is not required for eligibility, it is strongly recommended
* Patients must have had histologic verification of the malignancy at original diagnosis
* Although submission of tumor tissue for the molecular characterization initiative is not required for eligibility, it is strongly recommended
* Patients must have a Lansky (for patients ≤ 16 years of age) or Karnofsky (for patients \> 16 years of age) performance status score of ≥ 60%
* Peripheral absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1000/uL (within 7 days prior to start of protocol therapy)
* Platelet count ≥ 100,000/uL (transfusion independent) (within 7 days prior to start of protocol therapy)
* Creatinine clearance or radioisotope glomerular filtration rate (GFR) ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m\^2 or (within 7 days prior to start of protocol therapy)
* A serum creatinine based on age/sex (within 7 days prior to start of protocol therapy) Age: Maximum serum creatinine (mg/dL)

  1 month to \< 6 months: 0.4 mg/dL (male); 0.4 mg/dL (female) 6 months to \< 1 year: 0.5 mg/dL (male); 0.5 mg/dL (female)

  1 to \< 2 years: 0.6 mg/dL (male); 0.6 mg/dL (female) 2 to \< 6 years: 0.8 mg/dL (male); 0.8 mg/dL (female) 6 to \< 10 years 1 mg/dL (male); 1 mg/dL (female) 10 to \<13 years: 1.2 mg/dL (male); 1.2 mg/dL (female) 13 to \< 16 years: 1.5 mg/dL (male); 1.4 mg/dL (female)

  ≥ 16 years: 1.7 mg/dL (male); 1.4 mg/dL (female)
* Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) for age, and (within 7 days prior to start of protocol therapy)
* Serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) (alanine aminotransferase \[ALT\]) ≤ 135 U/L\* (within 7 days prior to start of protocol therapy)

  * Note: For the purpose of this study, the ULN for SGPT (ALT) has been set to the value of 45 U/L
* Shortening fraction of ≥ 27% by echocardiogram, or
* Ejection fraction of ≥ 50% by radionuclide angiogram
* No evidence of dyspnea at rest, no exercise intolerance, and a pulse oximetry \> 94% if there is clinical indication for determination
* Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients on effective anti-retroviral therapy with undetectable viral load within 6 months and T-cell count above the lower limit of normal are eligible for this trial
* 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

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients who received prior radiotherapy to the head or neck
* Patients who received prior chemotherapy or radiation for the treatment of any cancer in the last 3 years. These patients must also be in remission
* Patients with a diagnosis of immunodeficiency
* Patients with an active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in the past 2 years (i.e., with use of disease-modifying agents, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressive agents). Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, etc.) is not considered a form of systemic treatment.

  * Note: Patients with well-controlled asthma and no need for systemic steroids for the treatment of asthma in the last 12 months will not be excluded
* Patients with a condition requiring systemic treatment with either corticosteroids (\> 0.25 mg/kg (10 mg) daily prednisone equivalent) within 14 days or other immunosuppressive medications within 30 days of enrollment. Inhaled or topical steroids, and adrenal replacement steroid doses \> 0.25 mg/kg (10 mg) daily prednisone equivalent, are permitted in the absence of active autoimmune disease
* Patients with a history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis that required steroids or current pneumonitis
* Patients with detectable viral load of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B or hepatitis C, or active tuberculosis
* Patients who have undergone solid organ or allogeneic hematopoietic transplant at any time
* Due to risks of fetal and teratogenic adverse events as seen in animal studies, a negative pregnancy test must be obtained in females of childbearing potential, defined as females who are post-menarchal. If the urine test is positive or cannot be confirmed as negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required
* Females of childbearing potential that are sexually active must agree to either practice 2 medically accepted highly-effective methods of contraception at the same time or abstain from heterosexual intercourse from the time of signing the informed consent through 5 months after the last dose of nivolumab, 6 months after the last dose of gemcitabine, and 14 months after the last dose of cisplatin, whichever is longer
* Males of childbearing potential that are sexually active must agree to either practice a medically accepted highly-effective methods of contraception or abstain from heterosexual intercourse from the time of signing the informed consent through 3 months after the last dose of gemcitabine, and 11 months after the last dose of cisplatin, whichever is longer
* Lactating females are not eligible unless they have agreed not to breastfeed their infants starting with the first dose of study therapy through 5 months after the last dose of nivolumab
* All patients and/or their parents or legal guardians must sign a written informed consent
* All institutional, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and National Cancer Institute (NCI) requirements for human studies must be met

Where this trial is running

Birmingham, Alabama and 84 other locations

+35 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 Stage II Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma AJCC v8Stage III Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma AJCC v8Stage IV Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma AJCC v8
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 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.