Clinical Research Directory

Improving Patient and Caregiver Understanding of Risks and Benefits of Immunotherapy for Advanced Cancer

The purpose of this study is to refine and pilot test educational material developed to educate and support patients receiving immunotherapy for advanced cancer. The intervention is an educational video and question prompt list (QPL) to promote communication between patients, caregivers, and the oncology team about the risks and benefits of immunotherapy.

Safety and Efficacy Study of Sorbitol With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Combined With Tirellizumab (PD-1 Inhibitor) in Patients With Locally Advanced Gastric Cancer

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if sorbitol works to enhance the therapeutic effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with Tirellizumab (PD-1 inhibitor) in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. It will also learn about the safety of sorbitol. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does sorbitol enhance the therapeutic effect of immunotherapy and increase the major response rate in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer? Does sorbitol with neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with Tirellizumab (PD-1 inhibitor) can improve the prognosis of patients with locally advanced gastric cancer? Researchers will compare sorbitol to a standard-of-care treatment (aPD-1 + SOX chemotherapy) to see if sorbitol works to enhance the therapeutic effect (Add-on Effect) of neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with Tirellizumab (PD-1 inhibitor) in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer. Participants will: Take sorbitol every day for 3 months in 3 treatment cycles Visit the clinic once every 4 weeks for checkups and tests Keep a diary of their symptoms and the number of times they use a rescue inhaler Participants will follow up as planned until PD occurs, informed consent is withdrawn, or follow-up is lost (whichever occurs first). After the end of treatment and safety follow-up, all subjects will be followed up for survival (OS data collected every 3 months ±14 days).

Short-Course Radiotherapy Followed by CAPOX With or Without Iparomlimab and Tuvonralimab in pMMR/MSS Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer

This multicenter, randomized, controlled, phase III trial evaluates whether adding iparomlimab and tuvonralimab injection to CAPOX consolidation chemotherapy after short-course radiotherapy improves tumor response in patients with treatment-naive, proficient mismatch repair/microsatellite-stable (pMMR/MSS) locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma. Eligible patients will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive short-course radiotherapy followed by CAPOX plus iparomlimab and tuvonralimab, or short-course radiotherapy followed by CAPOX alone. After total neoadjuvant therapy, patients with a clinical complete response may undergo a Watch-and-Wait strategy, whereas other patients will undergo total mesorectal excision according to standard clinical practice. The primary endpoint is complete response rate, defined as pathologic complete response after surgery or clinical complete response sustained for more than 1 year. Secondary endpoints include 3-year relapse-free survival, 3-year overall survival, sphincter preservation rate, and grade 3-4 acute adverse events. Exploratory analyses will assess tissue and blood biomarkers associated with treatment response.

Assessment of Adebelizumab Combined With Chemotherapy in Concurrent Radiotherapy Versus Sequential Radiotherapy as First-Line Treatment for Extensive-Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer

Immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy has emerged as the standard of care for patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). The incorporation of thoracic radiotherapy can enhance treatment efficacy. Currently, the main types of research investigating immunotherapy combined with thoracic radiotherapy for untreated ES-SCLC are concurrent radiotherapy and sequential radiotherapy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of adebelizumab in combination with chemotherapy, when administered concurrently with radiotherapy versus sequentially with radiotherapy, as a first-line treatment for ES-SCLC.

Study of Neoadjuvant Cemiplimab and Dupilumab in Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

This phase 1b/2a study evaluates the safety, feasibility, and efficacy of combining dupilumab (anti-IL-4Rα) and cemiplimab (anti-PD-1) in patients with early-stage, resectable NSCLC. Phase 1b focuses on safety and feasibility, using a 3+3 design to monitor dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs), while Phase 2a assesses the major pathological response (MPR) rate with a Simon's two-stage minimax design. Secondary endpoints include event-free survival, overall survival, and translational objectives such as deep immune monitoring from patient samples, with the trial expected to enroll 24 patients at CHUM over five years.

Surgery After Verifying Existing Disease in Locally Advanced Operable Lung Cancer: A Pilot Study

The SAVED LUNG study is a pilot Phase I trial evaluating safety and feasibility of observation versus standard-of-care surgery in operable Stage II-III (excluding N3) NSCLC patients (PD-L1 ≥50%) who achieve complete clinical response following neoadjuvant platinum-doublet chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Participants are randomized to observation or surgery after rigorous restaging, with primary endpoints focusing on safety and feasibility. Secondary objectives include rates of cross-over to surgery, event-free survival, and overall survival, while exploratory endpoints examine ctDNA clearance and its association with clinical response.

Partial Immune-boost TACE in unrEseCTable HCC Patients Under Systemic Treatment

Study Objectives： Atezolizumab (anti-programmed death-ligand 1; anti-PD-L1) combined with bevacizumab (anti-vascular endothelial growth factor; anti-VEGF) or Durvalumab (anti-programmed death-ligand 1; anti-PD-L1) combined with tremelimumab (anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4; anti-CTLA4) have recently been established as a standard first-line systemic treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its objective response rate (ORR) is only less than 27% (1, 2), and the majority of patients died of HCC progression and liver failure. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a novel combination treatment strategy to overcome resistance to immunotherapy and improve patient outcomes. Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) remains the standard treatment for patients with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) (3, 4). However, in our previous retrospective study (5-7), the investigators consistently observed that this combination not only improves therapeutic responses but also significantly prolongs patient survival. The tumor necrosis caused by TACE may enhance the efficacy of systemic therapies by promoting the release of neoantigens, thereby stimulating immune responses (8-14). This concept has been substantiated in two recent trials involving intermediate-stage HCC (15, 16), where the addition of immune checkpoint inhibitors to TACE resulted in improved clinical outcomes. Nevertheless, this promising approach has yet to replace the decades-old standard treatment protocols, underscoring the need for further proof-of-concept studies. Both immunotherapy (atezolizumab/bevacizumab or durvalumab/tremelimumab) and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) are approved treatment modalities for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by the U.S. and Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This phase II non-randomized trial is designed to prospectively evaluate the therapeutic efficacy, safety, and immunological responses in patients with unresectable HCC treated with a combination of immunotherapy and TACE. A particular focus of this study is to explore the potential immune-boosting effects of TACE, including its ability to enhance antigen presentation and stimulate anti-tumor immune responses.

Investigating Real-Time Immunotherapy Symptoms Study

The goal of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of using information from wearable devices and self-reported symptoms to remotely monitor patients during immunotherapy. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is the digital remote patient monitoring tool feasible and acceptable to patients? * Do the alerts and guidance improve symptom management, quality of life, and engagement with the care team during treatment? Participants will: * Complete a demographic questionnaire at the beginning of the study and quality-of-life and health questionnaires at the beginning, midpoint, and end of study. * As feasible: At the beginning and end of the study, complete an in-person physical function assessment measuring balance (Short Physical Performance Battery). If participant is randomly assigned to the intervention group, they will also: * Complete weekly symptom ratings via digital remote patient monitoring tool * Wear a Fitbit activity tracker as feasible for 90 days. * At the end of the study, complete a semi-structured interview to provide feedback on the study.

The Efficacy and Safety of Narlumosbart in Combination With Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy to Improve the Efficacy of First-line Chemotherapy Combined With Immunotherapy in Patients With Bone Metastases From Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Introduction: Immunotherapy in combination with chemotherapy have been recommended as the first-line treatment of driver-negative advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the efficacy is worse in NSCLC patients with bone metastases due to the immunosuppressive microenvironment. Studies have shown that not only the nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL) inhibitors but also Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT) play a significant role in improving the tumor immune microenvironment. Therefore, narlumosbart，a monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting RANKL，in combination with SBRT may have synergistic effects and improve efficacy of immunotherapy and chemotherapy in driver-negative advanced NSCLC patients with bone metastases. Methods: This single-arm, single-center phase II clinical trial will enroll NSCLC patients with bone metastases who have not received any systemic therapy. Patients will receive narlumosbart and bone target lesion SBRT in combination with first-line treatment immunotherapy and chemotherapy after screening eligible subjects. Narlumosbart, 120mg/time, subcutaneous injection, will be administered every 4 weeks. For the treatment of SBRT for bone metastases, the dose of 24Gy/3F is used for spinal metastases, and 30Gy/5F or 35Gy/5F is used for non-spinal lesions. Chemotherapy combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy will be used in accordance with the guidelines. The primary endpoint is to assess the objective response rate of NSCLC patients with bone metastases from narlumosbart combined with SBRT and first-line chemotherapy and immunotherapy. The secondary endpoints include safety and tolerability, progression-free survival, overall survival, bone-related events, pain score, and quality of life. Sample size was calculated using the Simon's Two-Stage method. 9 patients will be enrolled in the first stage. If ≥ 2 patients achieve CR/PR, the second stage of enrollment will be performed. If fewer than 2 patients achieve CR/PR, the trial will be terminated. In the second phase, 15 patients will be enrolled. 27 subjects will be enrolled in this project, considering the dropout rate of 10%. Wangjun Yan AND Zhengfei Zhu are the Co-Principal Investigators of this study.

Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy for T4 dMMR Colon Cancer

Due to dMMR colon cancer patients respond poorly to conventional chemotherapy, but immunotherapy can significantly improve the pCR in this group of patients, this study intends to explore whether neoadjuvant immunotherapy can improve the R0 resection rate with preservation of adjacent organs in T4 colon cancer patients with dMMR.

Ipilimumab N01 Plus Sintilimab and Lenvatinib as First-line Therapy for Locally Advanced or Metastatic TFE3-Rearranged Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Prospective, Multicenter, Single-Arm, Phase II Clinical Trial

This phase II, multicenter, single-arm, open-label study evaluates first-line ipilimumab N01 plus sintilimab and lenvatinib in patients with locally advanced or metastatic TFE3-rearranged renal cell carcinoma (TFE3-rRCC), a rare subtype lacking established first-line systemic therapy. Eligible patients (age ≥14 years, ECOG ≤2, measurable disease per RECIST v1.1, no prior systemic therapy) will receive ipilimumab N01 1 mg/kg Q6W for 4 cycles, sintilimab 200 mg Q3W for up to 35 cycles, and lenvatinib 12 mg or 8 mg QD continuously. The primary endpoint is objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST v1.1. Secondary endpoints include disease control rate, duration of response, progression-free survival, overall survival, safety per NCI CTCAE v5.0, and quality of life. Exploratory biomarker analyses will assess potential predictors of treatment response.

Safety and Efficacy of Camrelizumab for High-risk NMIBC Failing BCG Treatment

This study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of bladder intravesical Camrelizumab in patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer who failed BCG therapy.

Biofield Therapy for the Support of Immunotherapy-related Symptoms Among Adult Cancer Patients - A Pilot Study

Cancer treatment with immunotherapy is often associated with symptoms such as fatigue, pain, and emotional distress, which may affect patients' daily functioning and quality of life. Additional supportive care approaches are being studied to better understand their potential role in supporting these symptoms. The purpose of this study is to learn whether a biofield therapy, called Reiki may help to support adults with cancer who are receiving immunotherapy and currently struggling with fatigue. Reiki is a non-invasive complementary therapy delivered by a trained practitioner who places their hands lightly near the body. It is intended to promote relaxation and support general well-being. Reiki is used as a supportive practice and is not considered a medical treatment or replacement for standard care. The secondary goal of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of delivering Reiki in this clinical setting. This includes examining recruitment, retention, adherence to study procedures, and overall participant engagement. Lastly, the third aim is to explore participants' experiences with Reiki through guided interviews. Participants enrolled in this study will first be asked to participate in a one-hour, one-on-one interview about their experiences with cancer treatment, their symptoms, and their thoughts about integrative care practices such as Reiki. After the interview, they will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: Immediate Reiki Group: If participants are assigned to this group, they will receive six weekly, in-person 30-minute Usui Reiki sessions from a Reiki master at the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute. Before and after each session, participants will complete questionnaires about fatigue, pain, and stress. At the first and final sessions, a small blood sample will be collected to measure inflammatory biomarkers, and Electroencephalogram (EEG) hyperscanning will be conducted to measure brain activity and connectivity between the participant and the practitioner. Four weeks after the final session, they will complete the questionnaires again, followed by a short satisfaction survey about their experience. Waitlist Group: If they are assigned to the waitlist group, they will first complete a 6-week observation period that includes brief weekly fatigue questionnaires and two in-person 30-minute sessions with EEG measurements at Week 1 and Week 6. This will be followed by a 4-week period with no sessions, after which they will complete questionnaires about fatigue, pain, and psychological distress. Participants will then begin the same six weekly, in-person 30-minute sessions described above. As with the Immediate Group, they will complete questionnaires before and after each session. At the first and final sessions, a small blood sample will be collected and EEG hyperscanning will be conducted. At the end of the study, participants will also complete a short satisfaction survey about their experience. The investigators hypothesize that participants receiving Reiki will report improvements in symptoms and well-being compared to those not yet receiving Reiki, and that the intervention will be feasible to implement and acceptable to participants.

mFOLFOX6+Bevacizumab+PD-1 Monoclonal Antibody in Local Advanced MSS CRC

Immunotherapy has achieved significant therapeutic effect in DNA mismatch repair-deficient or microsatellite instability-high (dMMR/MSI-H) colorectal cancer (CRC). However, for proficient mismatch repair(pMMR)/microsatellite stable(MSS) CRC, the curative effect of PD-1 monoclonal antibody was poor and most of the data came from stage Ⅳ patients with distant metastasis. Among the whole CRC patients, more than eighty-five percent were pMMR/MSS CRC. It would be very inspiring when major CRC patients(pMMR/MSS) could be benefit from immunotherapy. For T4NxM0 CRC patients, R0 resection was difficult to achieve. If the patients could not got R0 resection, which means the tumors were almost destined to recurrent and patients life time were counting down. Whether combined treatment of mFOLFOX6+ Bevacizumab+PD-1 monoclonal antibody could maximize the curative effect was still unknown. This study aims to evaluate the effect and safety of mFOLFOX6+ Bevacizumab+PD-1 monoclonal antibody treatment combinations in patients with local advanced(T4NxM0) pMMR/MSS CRC.

A Clinical Trial of Neoadjuvant Targeted Therapy, Immunotherapy, and Lysogenic HSV-Based Virotherapy in Resectable Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Evaluation of the safety and tolerability of immune-targeted therapy combined with neoadjuvant therapy with lysogenic HSV virus for patients with surgically resectable squamous carcinoma of the head and neck.

A Clinical Trial Comparing Low-Dose RT + Targeted Therapy+ Immunotherapy vs Targeted Therapy+ Immunotherapy Alone as Neoadjuvant Therapy in Operable HNSCC Patients.

This study aimed to compare the efficacy of neoadjuvant low-dose radiotherapy combined with targeted therapy and immunotherapy versus targeted therapy and immunotherapy alone in patients with resectable head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Observational Basket Trial to Collect Tissue to Develop and Train a Live Tumor Diagnostic Platform (ELEPHAS-02)

The primary objective of this study is to develop and train the Elephas live tumor diagnostic platform and determine the ex-vivo accuracy of the Elephas Score using in-vivo RECIST 1.1 as the reference method

Predicting Response to Immunotherapy From Analysis of Live Tumor Biopsies (ELEPHAS-05)

This study will collect tumor specimens with correlated clinical and demographic data from patients who are undergoing a biopsy or similar procedure to obtain tumor tissue as a normal course of their medical management or diagnostic work-up for suspected or confirmed cancer.

Continuous Temperature Monitoring (CTM) for Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS), an Immune-Related Adverse Event

Background: Drugs or cell therapies to treat cancer can sometimes cause cytokine release syndrome (CRS). That is, the body makes too many cytokines after treatment. Cytokines are proteins that play a role in the immune system. CRS can cause fever, chills, fatigue, low blood pressure, or breathing problems. Researchers want to know if continuously monitoring a person s body temperature can help reduce the chance of getting serious CRS. Objective: To learn if an approved patch called TempTraq can detect fever before serious CRS develops. Eligibility: People aged 18 years and older with cancer who are staying at the NIH clinic for treatment with drugs or cell therapies. Design: Participants will receive TempTraq patches and a special NIH tablet. The TempTraq is a small patch applied to clean, dry skin under the arm. It continually monitors body temperature and sends the data to an application on the tablet. Participants will wear the patch most of the time they are admitted to the hospital. They could wear it for up to 15 days. The patch monitoring does not replace regular temperature checks, all participants will still have have their regular temperature checks as part of their treatment plan. Participants may also opt to use VitalTraq, another application on the tablet. They will hold the screen up to their face for about 1 minute. VitalTraq uses the camera in the tablet to measure blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. They will do this once per day while they are in the clinic; they may do it more often if they have a fever or feel unwell. Blood may be drawn for research. Participants will be asked about their experience within 1 week after TempTraq is removed. Participants who choose to use the patch, complete its use, and return at a later date for another treatment or study, may be able to re-enroll to have the patch used again.

A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Phase II Study of Short-Course Radiotherapy Followed by Sequential PD-1 Inhibitor and FOLFOX Chemotherapy Versus Long-Course Chemoradiotherapy for High-Risk Locally Advanced pMMR/MSS Lower Rectal Adenocarcinoma (STAR Trial)

This study adopts a prospective randomized controlled design to evaluate the efficacy and safety of short-course radiotherapy followed by sequential PD-1 inhibitor and FOLFOX chemotherapy versus conventional regimens in high-risk locally advanced pMMR/MSS lower rectal adenocarcinoma, aiming to provide high-level evidence supporting a novel treatment paradigm.

Retrospective Study of COVID-19 Vaccines in Patients Undergoing Immunotherapy for Cancer.

The investigators wish to set up a pharmaco-epidemiological cohort within the Hospital Territorial Groups of the Cévennes-Gard Camargue, East-Hérault and Haute-Garonne and West Tarn on a specific population, patients undergoing immunotherapy for cancer, as currently there is no data available under "real life" conditions following anti-COVID vaccination19. The hypothesis is that patients undergoing immunotherapy will not develop more vaccine-related adverse events than those observed in the efficacy and safety validation studies of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19, mRNA-1273 SARS CoV-2, Oxford/AstraZeneca and Ad26COV2.S, JMJ Vaccine or J \& J COVID-19 Vaccine.

EXERCISE AND THE IMMUNE RESPONSE IN LUNG CANCER

This project is about the effect of a 12-week training therapy intervention in patients suffering from non-small cell and small-cell lung cancer. It has widely been accepted that exercise is preventive against certain types of cancer. Individuals following an active lifestyle have a significantly lower risk for several chronic diseases, including cancer, as compared to sedentary ones. However, evidence is still lacking for exercise as part of routine cancer treatment. It has widely been accepted that exercise strongly impacts immune response, and might influence antitumor immune response as well. In this study, patients suffering from lung cancer undergo either a 12-week training program consisting of moderate-intensity continuous exercise (MICE), or a 12-week program with high-intensity interval exercise. Both groups will be compared to a control group receiving standard exercise recommendations. The immunologic response, i.e. cytokine profiles and changes in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) characteristics will be the main endpoint. Blood will be taken from the patients at different timepoints, and blood samples will be tested for these immunologic changes. FACS analysis will be used to assess the properties of immune cells and potential changes upon the exercise regimen. Mitochondrial function will be assessed via the Seahorse machine, and mass spectrometry (lipidomics) will be used for the analysis of lipid profile changes.

Mechanism of Enhanced Efficacy of Ivonescimab in Neoadjuvant Therapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

This is an exploratory clinical study focusing on the neoadjuvant treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study primarily aims to compare the efficacy and safety of Ivonescimab, a novel PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody, with those of conventional PD-1 inhibitors. Beyond evaluating its direct therapeutic benefits, this research also seeks to elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying the enhanced efficacy of Ivonescimab. Additionally, the study will conduct secondary exploratory analyses, including the identification and validation of predictive and prognostic biomarkers, as well as multi-omics profiling to investigate the molecular mechanisms of action. Collectively, these efforts aim to provide comprehensive experimental data to support the rational clinical application of Ivonescimab and the development of precision medicine strategies for NSCLC.

Controlled Cold Exposure Combined With PD-1/PD-L1 Immunotherapy in Solid Tumors (NIVALIS)

This is a single-center, prospective, single-arm, open-label phase I exploratory study that plans to enroll 24 participants with solid malignancies. All participants will receive controlled cold exposure in addition to standard PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor monotherapy or PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor-based standard combination therapy. A 2-day cold acclimation phase will precede formal intervention, consisting of approximately 20°C exposure for 8 hours on Day -2 and approximately 18°C exposure for 10 hours on Day -1. The first combination cycle begins on Day 1 concurrently with PD-1/PD-L1-based treatment, with exposure to an 18°C temperature-controlled hospital room for 12 hours per day for 7 consecutive days. If tolerated, cold exposure may be repeated in subsequent PD-1/PD-L1 treatment cycles. The primary objective is to evaluate safety, tolerability, and feasibility. Secondary objectives are to explore preliminary antitumor activity and the effects on brown adipose tissue activation, peripheral immune profiling, circulating cytokines, metabolomics, gut microbiota, patient-reported outcomes, and tumor immune/metabolic biomarkers when paired tumor tissue is available.