This phase II trial studies how well intermittent checkpoint inhibitor therapy works in treating patients with urothelial cancer that has spread to other places in the body (advanced or metastatic). Checkpoint inhibitors, such as pembrolizumab, atezolizumab, durvalumab, nivolumab, and avelumab, are drugs that work by helping the immune system recognize and kill cancer cells. This study is being done to find out whether intermittent checkpoint inhibitor therapy works the same, better, or worse than continued checkpoint inhibitor therapy in treating patients with urothelial cancer.
Study sponsor and potential other locations can be found on ClinicalTrials.gov for NCT04322643.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
I. To assess the efficacy of intermittent checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) therapy, defined as the proportion of patients who remain off therapy for at least 36 weeks.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To determine the clinical outcome (treatment free interval [TFI], overall response rate [ORR], progression free survival [PFS], overall survival [OS]) in advanced urothelial carcinoma with intermittent CPI therapy.
II. To assess response to re-initiation of CPI therapy.
CORRELATIVE OBJECTIVES:
I. Investigate the genomic and immunologic markers of response and resistance to therapy.
II. Investigate the immunomodulatory cell makeup (specifically, lymphocyte PD1 occupancy, myeloid-derived suppressor cells [MDSC], regulatory T cells [Treg], CD4 and CD8 T Cells, TCR repertoire) at the start of treatment, during the intermittent phase and off treatment.
OUTLINE:
Patients receive pembrolizumab intravenously (IV) over 30 minutes, atezolizumab IV over 30 or 60 minutes, durvalumab IV over 60 minutes, nivolumab IV over 30 minutes, or avelumab IV over 60 minutes on day 1. Cycles repeat every 14 days for durvalumab and avelumab, every 21 days for pembrolizumab and atezolizumab, and every 28 days for nivolumab in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After 24 weeks of CPI treatment, patients with tumor burden reduction of 10% or greater suspend CPI treatment.
After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up for 30 days.
Lead OrganizationCase Comprehensive Cancer Center
Principal InvestigatorMoshe C. Ornstein