Pembrolizumab for Head and Neck Cancers

Recruiting at 3 trial locations

Overseen By Ryan Brisson

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase 2

Sponsor: University of Chicago

Must not be taking: Immunosuppressants, Steroids

Disqualifiers: Immunodeficiency, Active TB, Autoimmune, others

Stay on Your Current Meds You can continue your current medications while participating

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Prior Safety Data This treatment has passed at least one previous human trial

Breakthrough Therapy This drug has been fast-tracked for approval by the FDA given its high promise

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 17

Duration: 52 weeks

100 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial protocol does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications. However, you cannot participate if you are on systemic steroid therapy or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days before starting the trial treatment.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug pembrolizumab for head and neck cancers?

Research shows that pembrolizumab is effective in treating head and neck cancers, especially in patients whose tumors express high levels of PD-L1, a protein that can help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. It has been shown to improve survival and provide strong, lasting responses in these patients. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is pembrolizumab safe for treating head and neck cancers?

Pembrolizumab has been evaluated for safety in patients with head and neck cancers, showing some serious side effects like pneumonia, breathing difficulties, confusion, and immune-related issues such as inflammation of the lungs, liver, and thyroid problems. However, the overall safety profile was considered acceptable for these patients. ^{1 3 6 7 8}

How is the drug pembrolizumab unique for treating head and neck cancers?

Pembrolizumab is unique because it is an immune checkpoint inhibitor that targets the PD-1 receptor, helping the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells. It is specifically used for head and neck cancers that have progressed after platinum-based chemotherapy, offering a new option with a different mechanism compared to traditional chemotherapy. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

What is the purpose of this trial?

A placebo-controlled, randomized study using adjuvant pembrolizumab treatment for one year in order to potentially improve progression free survival in a squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck cohort at high-risk for recurrence.

Research Team

Alexander Pearson, MD

Principal Investigator

University of Chicago

Eligibility Criteria

Adults with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma who've finished curative treatment within the last 20 weeks, at high risk of cancer coming back. They must have good performance status, agree to use contraception, and not be pregnant or breastfeeding. Excluded are those with active infections like TB or hepatitis, recent other treatments or trials, certain autoimmune diseases, another progressing cancer, CNS metastases, or a history of severe reactions to pembrolizumab.

Inclusion Criteria

Be willing and able to provide written informed consent/assent for the trial

I can provide at least 10 slides of my tumor for testing.

I agree to use birth control during and for 4 months after the study.

Exclusion Criteria

I have cancer that has spread to my brain or spinal cord.

Pregnant or breastfeeding, or expecting to conceive or father children within the projected duration of the trial through 120 days after the last dose of trial treatment

I have a history of HIV or active Hepatitis B/C.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive adjuvant pembrolizumab or placebo every three weeks for one year

52 weeks

17 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

104 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Pembrolizumab
• Placebo

Trial Overview The PATHWay Study is testing if pembrolizumab can prevent cancer from returning in patients with high-risk head and neck cancers after they've completed their main treatment. Participants will either receive pembrolizumab or a placebo for one year in this double-blind study where neither doctors nor patients know who's getting the real drug.

Participant Groups

Group I: Placebo Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

iv, every 3 weeks, x 1 year

Group II: Pembrolizumab Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

200mg, every three weeks, iv, x 1 year

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Chicago

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,086

Recruited

844,000+

Findings from Research

In a study involving 882 participants with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), pembrolizumab alone significantly improved overall survival compared to cetuximab with chemotherapy, especially in patients with high PD-L1 expression (CPS of 20 or more).

Pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy also showed improved overall survival compared to cetuximab with chemotherapy across all populations, indicating that pembrolizumab is an effective first-line treatment option for HNSCC, particularly for those with PD-L1 positivity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab alone or with chemotherapy versus cetuximab with chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (KEYNOTE-048): a randomised, open-label, phase 3 study. Burtness, B., Harrington, KJ., Greil, R., et al.[2021]

In a phase III trial, pembrolizumab, a single-agent treatment, showed significant effectiveness in patients with head and neck tumors that had high PD-L1 expression, leading to deep and lasting responses.

This study highlights the potential of pembrolizumab as a first-line therapy for this specific group of cancer patients, suggesting a targeted approach based on PD-L1 levels.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembro Ups Survival in PD-L1-positive HNSCC. [2019]

The Phase III trial KEYNOTE-412 is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, when used alongside chemoradiation therapy (CRT) in patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Previous Phase Ib studies have indicated that combining pembrolizumab with CRT is safe and feasible, supporting its potential use in this larger trial to improve treatment outcomes for patients with locally advanced HNSCC.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab given concomitantly with chemoradiation and as maintenance therapy for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: KEYNOTE-412. Machiels, JP., Tao, Y., Burtness, B., et al.[2021]

In a study of 257 patients with recurrent/metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) treated with pembrolizumab, biomarkers such as tumor mutational burden (TMB), PD-L1 expression, and T-cell-inflamed gene expression profile (Tcellinf GEP) were found to be significantly associated with overall response rates (ORR) to the treatment.

The study indicated that higher levels of these biomarkers correlated with better treatment responses, suggesting that they could be useful in predicting how well patients will respond to pembrolizumab therapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Biomarkers predictive of response to pembrolizumab in head and neck cancer. Pfister, DG., Haddad, RI., Worden, FP., et al.[2023]

In a study involving 133 patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, pembrolizumab combined with radiotherapy did not show a significant improvement in locoregional control or survival compared to the standard treatment of cetuximab with radiotherapy.

However, patients receiving pembrolizumab experienced significantly lower toxicity, with only 74% reporting severe adverse events compared to 92% in the cetuximab group, suggesting it may be a safer option for patients unfit for high-dose cisplatin.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab versus cetuximab concurrent with radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck unfit for cisplatin (GORTEC 2015-01 PembroRad): a multicenter, randomized, phase II trial. Tao, Y., Biau, J., Sun, XS., et al.[2023]

Pembrolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, has been approved by the FDA for treating platinum-refractory recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (R/M HNSCC), offering a new option with potentially improved efficacy compared to traditional chemotherapy and EGFR inhibitors.

This review discusses the pharmacology and tolerability of pembrolizumab, emphasizing its mechanism of action by blocking the PD-1 receptor, which may enhance the immune response against HNSCC tumors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab and its use in the treatment of recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer. Sheth, S., Weiss, J.[2019]

Pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA) received accelerated FDA approval for treating recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) based on a study of 174 patients, showing an objective response rate of 16% and a duration of response ranging from 2.4 to 27.7 months.

The safety profile included serious adverse reactions such as pneumonia and respiratory failure, but the overall benefit-risk assessment was deemed acceptable, marking pembrolizumab as the first new treatment option for HNSCC since 2006.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

FDA Approval Summary: Pembrolizumab for the Treatment of Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Disease Progression on or After Platinum-Containing Chemotherapy. Larkins, E., Blumenthal, GM., Yuan, W., et al.[2019]

In a phase 1b trial involving 60 patients with recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, pembrolizumab was found to be well tolerated, with only 17% experiencing severe drug-related adverse events and no drug-related deaths.

The treatment showed clinically meaningful antitumor activity, with an overall response rate of 18%, and particularly higher in HPV-positive patients at 25%, indicating its potential as a viable therapy for advanced head and neck cancers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety and clinical activity of pembrolizumab for treatment of recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (KEYNOTE-012): an open-label, multicentre, phase 1b trial. Seiwert, TY., Burtness, B., Mehra, R., et al.[2022]

In a study of 38 patients with p16+ oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, there was a 76% agreement in PD-L1 combined positive scores (CPS) between primary tumors and lymph node metastases, indicating variability in scoring between these specimens.

The interobserver agreement for CPS scoring was fair to substantial, suggesting that additional evaluations may be necessary to ensure accurate scoring, especially for patients who might benefit from immunotherapy.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Programmed Death Ligand-1 Combined Positive Score Concordance and Interrater Reliability in Primary Tumors and Synchronous Lymph Node Metastases in Resected Cases of p16+ Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Kaur, A., Kuchta, K., Watkin, W., et al.[2023]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab alone or with chemotherapy versus cetuximab with chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (KEYNOTE-048): a randomised, open-label, phase 3 study. [2021]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembro Ups Survival in PD-L1-positive HNSCC. [2019]

3. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab given concomitantly with chemoradiation and as maintenance therapy for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: KEYNOTE-412. [2021]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Biomarkers predictive of response to pembrolizumab in head and neck cancer. [2023]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab versus cetuximab concurrent with radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck unfit for cisplatin (GORTEC 2015-01 PembroRad): a multicenter, randomized, phase II trial. [2023]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Pembrolizumab and its use in the treatment of recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer. [2019]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

FDA Approval Summary: Pembrolizumab for the Treatment of Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Disease Progression on or After Platinum-Containing Chemotherapy. [2019]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety and clinical activity of pembrolizumab for treatment of recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (KEYNOTE-012): an open-label, multicentre, phase 1b trial. [2022]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Programmed Death Ligand-1 Combined Positive Score Concordance and Interrater Reliability in Primary Tumors and Synchronous Lymph Node Metastases in Resected Cases of p16+ Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. [2023]