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Accelerated Checkpoint Therapy for Any Steroid Dependent Patient With Brain Metastases (ACT-FAST)

Primary Purpose

Brain Metastases, Adult

Status
Recruiting
Phase
Phase 2
Locations
Canada
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Glucocorticoid therapy
Sponsored by
AHS Cancer Control Alberta
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional treatment trial for Brain Metastases, Adult

Eligibility Criteria

18 Years - undefined (Adult, Older Adult)All SexesDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Patients with the following histologically confirmed diagnoses will be eligible for enrolment: malignant melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and renal cell carcinoma and genitourinary carcinoma not-otherwise specified.
  2. At the time of enrolment patients must have central nervous system metastases requiring corticosteroid therapy and have already started corticosteroid therapy.
  3. Patients eligible for treatment with an available, standard-of-care immune checkpoint inhibitor regimen.
  4. Patients with extracranial disease will be eligible for enrolment, however the presence of extracranial measurable disease is not a requirement for enrolment.
  5. Patients must be 18 years of age or older.
  6. Patients must be capable of providing consent to enrolment and willing to comply with study treatment and follow-up.
  7. Patients with a performance status of ECOG 0-2 will be eligible for enrolment.
  8. Measurable intracranial disease must be present according to RECIST 1.1 criteria.
  9. Patients with hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism but that are stable on hormone replacement will not be excluded.
  10. Women of child bearing potential (WOCBP) must have a negative serum (or urine) pregnancy test within 72 hours prior to the first dose of study treatment. WOCBP is defined as any female who has experienced menarche and who has not undergone surgical sterilization (hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy or bilateral salpingectomy) and is not postmenopausal. Menopause is defined as 12 months of amenorrhea in a woman over age 45 years in the absence of other biological or physiological causes.
  11. Patients of childbearing / reproductive potential should use adequate birth control methods, as defined by the investigator, during the study treatment period and for a period of 30 days after the last dose of study drug.
  12. Absence of any condition hampering compliance with the study protocol and follow- up schedule; those conditions should be discussed with the patient before registration in the trial.
  13. The following adequate organ function laboratory values must be met:

Hematological:

  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >1.0
  • Platelet count >100
  • Hemoglobin >90 mg/dL

Renal:

- Serum creatinine <2x ULN

Hepatic:

  • Total serum bilirubin <1.5x ULN
  • AST and ALT <3x ULN

Coagulation:

  • International Normalized Ratio (INR) <1.5x ULN (unless patient is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or PTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants)
  • Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT) <1.5x ULN (unless patient is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or PTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants)

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), active Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. Testing for HIV, HBV or HCV is not mandatory for enrolment to study, but may occur at the discretion of the investigator.
  2. Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in past 2 years (i.e. with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs). 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.
  3. Patients receiving non-steroid immunosuppressive agents (examples may include anti-TNF biologic agents, methotrexate, mycophenylate mofetil, tacrolimus) will be excluded from this study.
  4. Known prior severe hypersensitivity to study drugs or any component in its formulations.

Sites / Locations

  • Cross Cancer InstituteRecruiting

Arms of the Study

Arm 1

Arm 2

Arm Type

Active Comparator

Active Comparator

Arm Label

Dexamethasone

Prednisone

Arm Description

Dose starting at 4 mg daily (for patients randomized to the Dexamethasone arm).

Dose starting at 25 mg/day (a calculation of equipotent steroid equivalencies will be used).

Outcomes

Primary Outcome Measures

Intracranial and extracranial objective response rate
Objective response rate will be determined utilizing RECIST 1.1 criteria. Baseline staging diagnostic imaging (CT and/or MRI studies) will be performed in advance of beginning treatment and repeated 6 weeks following treatment initiation and at 12 week intervals thereafter.
Time to initiation of therapy
Defined as the time interval between first radiographic documentation of intracranial metastatic disease and initiation of systemic immunotherapy.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Mortality analyses
Secondary study outcomes include progression-free and overall survival (PFS, OS). PFS is defined as the time between the date of treatment initiation and the date of disease progression (determined utilizing RECIST 1.1 criteria) or death (whatever the cause), whichever occurs first. For participants who remain alive and whose disease has not progressed, PFS will be censored on the date of last visit/contact with disease assessments. PFS will be based on the disease assessment or date of death provided by the investigator. OS is defined as the time between the date of treatment initiation and the date of death (whatever the cause). For participants who remain alive OS will be censored on the date of last visit/contact with disease assessments. OS will be based on the date of death provided by the investigator.
Patient-reported quality of life analysis
An analysis of patient-reported quality of life will be conducted utilizing the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the EORTC Brain Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-BN20) questionnaires). Quality of life questionnaires will be administered to participants following enrolment to study but prior to initiation of immunotherapy. Follow-up questionnaires will be administered as part of the standard of care immunotherapy pre-treatment starting 6 weeks from Cycle 1 and every 6 weeks thereafter until end of treatment. Quality of life questionnaires should be administered prior to investigator assessment at each indicated time-point.
Assessment of treatment safety
The Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE, version 4.03) will be used to categorize treatment related and non-treatment related adverse events.

Full Information

First Posted
July 3, 2020
Last Updated
February 1, 2023
Sponsor
AHS Cancer Control Alberta
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1. Study Identification

Unique Protocol Identification Number
NCT04461418
Brief Title
Accelerated Checkpoint Therapy for Any Steroid Dependent Patient With Brain Metastases
Acronym
ACT-FAST
Official Title
An Interventional, Randomized Phase II Study Investigating the Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors While Corticosteroid Therapy is Required for Patients With Symptomatic Brain Metastases.
Study Type
Interventional

2. Study Status

Record Verification Date
February 2023
Overall Recruitment Status
Recruiting
Study Start Date
March 30, 2021 (Actual)
Primary Completion Date
September 2024 (Anticipated)
Study Completion Date
September 2025 (Anticipated)

3. Sponsor/Collaborators

Responsible Party, by Official Title
Sponsor
Name of the Sponsor
AHS Cancer Control Alberta

4. Oversight

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product
No
Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product
No
Data Monitoring Committee
Yes

5. Study Description

Brief Summary
Immunotherapy treatments are intended to boost a person's immune system to fight their cancer. Treatment with immunotherapy has been shown to be effective in a wide range of cancers, including melanoma skin cancer, lung cancer and kidney cancer, among others. Steroids are anti-inflammatory medications which may suppress the immune system. For this reason, persons requiring treatment with steroids have not previously been allowed to participate in immunotherapy clinical trials. Therefore, we do not know whether or not immunotherapy treatments are effective in patients who are also receiving treatment with steroids. When cancer has spread to the brain swelling may occur around the tumors, and headache, nausea, seizures or stroke-like symptoms may occur. In this instance, steroids are important to reduce swelling within the brain, thus alleviating these symptoms. Because patients requiring treatment with steroids have not previously been allowed to participate in immunotherapy clinical trials, we do not know whether treatment with immunotherapy is effective when steroid treatments are also used. This study will investigate this question, and also attempt to determine whether treatment with one steroid versus another results in a better response to immunotherapy.

6. Conditions and Keywords

Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
Brain Metastases, Adult

7. Study Design

Primary Purpose
Treatment
Study Phase
Phase 2
Interventional Study Model
Parallel Assignment
Model Description
Open label, two cohort, permuted block randomization phase II study.
Masking
None (Open Label)
Allocation
Randomized
Enrollment
20 (Anticipated)

8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

Arm Title
Dexamethasone
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
Dose starting at 4 mg daily (for patients randomized to the Dexamethasone arm).
Arm Title
Prednisone
Arm Type
Active Comparator
Arm Description
Dose starting at 25 mg/day (a calculation of equipotent steroid equivalencies will be used).
Intervention Type
Drug
Intervention Name(s)
Glucocorticoid therapy
Intervention Description
The study intervention is defined as treatment with either prednisone or dexamethasone as palliative therapy for the control of neurological symptoms; patients with symptomatic brain metastases with a requirement for glucocorticoid therapy will be treated with an available, standard-of-care immune checkpoint inhibitor regimen.
Primary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Intracranial and extracranial objective response rate
Description
Objective response rate will be determined utilizing RECIST 1.1 criteria. Baseline staging diagnostic imaging (CT and/or MRI studies) will be performed in advance of beginning treatment and repeated 6 weeks following treatment initiation and at 12 week intervals thereafter.
Time Frame
24 weeks following enrolment of the last participant to study
Title
Time to initiation of therapy
Description
Defined as the time interval between first radiographic documentation of intracranial metastatic disease and initiation of systemic immunotherapy.
Time Frame
24 weeks following enrolment of the last participant to study
Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
Title
Mortality analyses
Description
Secondary study outcomes include progression-free and overall survival (PFS, OS). PFS is defined as the time between the date of treatment initiation and the date of disease progression (determined utilizing RECIST 1.1 criteria) or death (whatever the cause), whichever occurs first. For participants who remain alive and whose disease has not progressed, PFS will be censored on the date of last visit/contact with disease assessments. PFS will be based on the disease assessment or date of death provided by the investigator. OS is defined as the time between the date of treatment initiation and the date of death (whatever the cause). For participants who remain alive OS will be censored on the date of last visit/contact with disease assessments. OS will be based on the date of death provided by the investigator.
Time Frame
Upon completion of 12 month follow-up period for the final participant enrolled to the study.
Title
Patient-reported quality of life analysis
Description
An analysis of patient-reported quality of life will be conducted utilizing the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the EORTC Brain Cancer Module (EORTC QLQ-BN20) questionnaires). Quality of life questionnaires will be administered to participants following enrolment to study but prior to initiation of immunotherapy. Follow-up questionnaires will be administered as part of the standard of care immunotherapy pre-treatment starting 6 weeks from Cycle 1 and every 6 weeks thereafter until end of treatment. Quality of life questionnaires should be administered prior to investigator assessment at each indicated time-point.
Time Frame
Upon completion of 12 month follow-up period for the final participant enrolled to the study.
Title
Assessment of treatment safety
Description
The Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE, version 4.03) will be used to categorize treatment related and non-treatment related adverse events.
Time Frame
Upon completion of 12 month follow-up period for the final participant enrolled to the study.

10. Eligibility

Sex
All
Minimum Age & Unit of Time
18 Years
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Patients with the following histologically confirmed diagnoses will be eligible for enrolment: malignant melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and renal cell carcinoma and genitourinary carcinoma not-otherwise specified. At the time of enrolment patients must have central nervous system metastases requiring corticosteroid therapy and have already started corticosteroid therapy. Patients eligible for treatment with an available, standard-of-care immune checkpoint inhibitor regimen. Patients with extracranial disease will be eligible for enrolment, however the presence of extracranial measurable disease is not a requirement for enrolment. Patients must be 18 years of age or older. Patients must be capable of providing consent to enrolment and willing to comply with study treatment and follow-up. Patients with a performance status of ECOG 0-2 will be eligible for enrolment. Measurable intracranial disease must be present according to RECIST 1.1 criteria. Patients with hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism but that are stable on hormone replacement will not be excluded. Women of child bearing potential (WOCBP) must have a negative serum (or urine) pregnancy test within 72 hours prior to the first dose of study treatment. WOCBP is defined as any female who has experienced menarche and who has not undergone surgical sterilization (hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy or bilateral salpingectomy) and is not postmenopausal. Menopause is defined as 12 months of amenorrhea in a woman over age 45 years in the absence of other biological or physiological causes. Patients of childbearing / reproductive potential should use adequate birth control methods, as defined by the investigator, during the study treatment period and for a period of 30 days after the last dose of study drug. Absence of any condition hampering compliance with the study protocol and follow- up schedule; those conditions should be discussed with the patient before registration in the trial. The following adequate organ function laboratory values must be met: Hematological: Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >1.0 Platelet count >100 Hemoglobin >90 mg/dL Renal: - Serum creatinine <2x ULN Hepatic: Total serum bilirubin <1.5x ULN AST and ALT <3x ULN Coagulation: International Normalized Ratio (INR) <1.5x ULN (unless patient is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or PTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants) Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (aPTT) <1.5x ULN (unless patient is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or PTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants) Exclusion Criteria: Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), active Hepatitis B or Hepatitis C. Testing for HIV, HBV or HCV is not mandatory for enrolment to study, but may occur at the discretion of the investigator. Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in past 2 years (i.e. with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids or immunosuppressive drugs). 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. Patients receiving non-steroid immunosuppressive agents (examples may include anti-TNF biologic agents, methotrexate, mycophenylate mofetil, tacrolimus) will be excluded from this study. Known prior severe hypersensitivity to study drugs or any component in its formulations.
Central Contact Person:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
John Walker
Phone
780-432-8340
Email
John.Walker2@ahs.ca
Facility Information:
Facility Name
Cross Cancer Institute
City
Edmonton
State/Province
Alberta
ZIP/Postal Code
T6G1Z2
Country
Canada
Individual Site Status
Recruiting
Facility Contact:
First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
John Walker, MD
Phone
780-432-8340

12. IPD Sharing Statement

Learn more about this trial

Accelerated Checkpoint Therapy for Any Steroid Dependent Patient With Brain Metastases

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