Using Toripalimab after surgery and radiation for head and neck cancer

A Phase II, Open-Label, Single-arm Study of Toripalimab As Consolidation Therapy After Postoperative Radiotherapy or Chemoradiotherapy in Patients With Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas (HNSCC)

This study is testing if Toripalimab can help people with advanced head and neck cancer feel better after they have surgery and radiation.

Quick facts

• Phase: PHASE2
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 41 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years to 70 Years
• Sex: All
• Sponsor: Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University (other)
• Drugs / interventions: Toripalimab, immunotherapy
• Locations: 2 sites (Guangzhou, Guangdong and 1 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT04992559 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This phase II clinical trial investigates the effectiveness and safety of Toripalimab as a consolidation therapy for patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) who have recently undergone postoperative chemoradiotherapy. The study is open-label and single-arm, meaning all participants will receive the same treatment without a control group. The goal is to evaluate how well this immunotherapy works in improving patient outcomes after initial treatment. Participants must have measurable disease and meet specific health criteria to be eligible.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 to 70 who have undergone recent postoperative chemoradiotherapy for HNSCC and have adverse prognostic factors.

Not a fit: Patients with early-stage head and neck cancer or those who have not received prior chemoradiotherapy 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 head and neck cancer.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown promising results with immunotherapy in similar contexts, suggesting potential for success in this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

* Postoperative with adverse prognostic factors in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
* Have received postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy (chemo) therapy, and the end of the treatment is not more than 2 months.
* Greater than or equal to 18 and less than 70 years of age at time of study entry.
* ECOG performance status of 0 or 1.
* Measurable disease as per RECIST 1.1.
* Screening labs must meet the following criteria and must be obtained within 14 days prior to registration:

  1. Adequate hepatic and renal function as demonstrated by

     1. Serum creatinine \< 1.5 X ULN or CrCl \> 40mL/min (if using the Cockcroft-Gault formula below):

        * Males: Creatinine CL (mL/min) = (Weight (kg) x (140 - Age))/(72 x serum creatinine (mg/dL)）
        * Females: Creatinine CL (mL/min) = (Weight (kg) x (140 - Age))/(72 x serum creatinine (mg/dL))x 0.85
     2. AST/ALT ≤ 3 x ULN
     3. Total Bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x ULN (except subjects with Gilbert Syndrome, who can have total bilirubin \< 3.0 mg/dL)
  2. Adequate bone marrow function as demonstrated by:

     1. Absolute Neutrophil Count \>1,500/µL
     2. Platelets \> 100 X 103/µL
     3. Hemoglobin \> 9.0 g/dL
* Women of reproductive potential should have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test (minimum sensitivity 25 IU/L or equivalent units of human chorionic gonadotropin \[HCG\]) within 7 days of study enrollment.
* Women of reproductive potential must use highly effective contraception methods to avoid pregnancy for 3 months after the last dose of study drugs; "women of reproductive potential" is defined as any female who has experienced menarche and who has not undergone surgical sterilization (hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy) or who is not postmenopausal; menopause is defined clinically as 12 months of amenorrhea in a woman over 45 in the absence of other biological or physiological causes; in addition, women under the age of 55 must have a documented serum follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level less than 40 mIU/mL.
* Men of reproductive potential who are sexually active with women of reproductive potential must use any contraceptive method with a failure rate of less than 1% per year; men who are receiving the study medications will be instructed to adhere to contraception for 3 months after the last dose of study drugs; men who are azoospermic do not require contraception.
* Ability to understand and willingness to sign an IRB approved written informed consent document (or that of legally authorized representative, if applicable).
* Subject is willing and able to comply with the protocol for the duration of the study including undergoing treatment and scheduled visits and examinations including follow up.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Is currently participating in or has participated in a study of an investigational agent within 4 weeks of the first dose of treatment or has not recovered (i.e., ≤ Grade 1 or at baseline) from adverse events due to agents administered more than 4 weeks earlier.
* Has had another known invasive malignancy within the previous 5 years （With the exception of basal cell carcinoma of the skin, carcinoma in situ of the cervix, and papillary carcinoma of the thyroid, which has been cured）.
* If subject received major surgery for any other reason, they must have recovered adequately from the toxicity and/or complications from the intervention prior to starting therapy.
* Active, known or suspected autoimmune disease.
* Has evidence of interstitial lung disease or active, non-infectious pneumonitis.
* Has an active infection requiring systemic therapy.
* Has received prior therapy with an anti-PD-1 antibody .
* A history of allergic reaction attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to the treatment or other agents used in the study.
* Has known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial.
* Is pregnant or breastfeeding, or expecting to conceive or father children within the projected duration of the trial, starting with the pre-screening or screening visit through 23 weeks after the last dose of trial treatment.
* Has a known history of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection (HIV 1/2 antibodies).
* Has known active Hepatitis B or C.
* Known history of active TB ( bacillus tuberculosis ).

Where this trial is running

Guangzhou, Guangdong and 1 other locations

• Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University — Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (RECRUITING)
• Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital — Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (NOT_YET_RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Study coordinator: Song Fan, Doctor degrees

Conditions: Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas