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Clinical Trials/NCT06770582
NCT06770582
Recruiting
Phase 2

Randomized Phase II Trial of Pembrolizumab and Radiation vs. Radiation and Concurrent Chemotherapy for High-Grade T1 Bladder Cancer (PARRC Trial)

National Cancer Institute (NCI)209 sites in 1 country160 target enrollmentJune 3, 2025

Overview

Phase
Phase 2
Intervention
Biospecimen Collection
Conditions
Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma
Sponsor
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Enrollment
160
Locations
209
Primary Endpoint
Bladder intact event-free survival (BIEFS)
Status
Recruiting
Last Updated
4 days ago

Overview

Brief Summary

This phase II trial compares the use of pembrolizumab and radiation therapy to chemotherapy with cisplatin, gemcitabine, 5-fluorouracil or mitomycin-C and radiation therapy for the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin, gemcitabine, 5-fluorouracil or mitomycin-C, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Giving pembrolizumab with radiation may kill more tumor cells than chemotherapy with radiation therapy in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: I. To compare bladder-intact event-free survival. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess complete response by cystoscopy at 6 months. II. To assess disease-free survival. III. To assess local-regional control. IV. To assess metastasis-free survival. V. To assess overall survival. VI. To assess quality of life using European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the Bladder Cancer Index at 18 months. VII. To assess Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) adverse events (both acute and late). EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES: I. To assess fatigue using the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Fatigue-4A (PROMIS-Fatigue-4a). II. To assess quality adjusted survival using European Quality of Life Five Dimension Five Level Scale (EQ-5D-5L). III. To assess cumulative quality of life using EORTC QLC-C30 and Bladder Cancer Index at 24 months. OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms. ARM 1: Patients receive one of the following chemotherapy regimens per physicians choice: 1) cisplatin intravenously (IV) once per week for 4 weeks, 2) gemcitabine IV on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, and 25, or 3) mitomycin IV on day 1 and 5-fluorouracil IV continuously over 120 hours on days 1-5 and 16-20. Patients receiving cisplatin or gemcitabine continue chemotherapy for 6 weeks if they are receiving radiation according to the standard hypofractionated radiation schedule. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study. ARM 2: Patients receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 6 weeks for 9 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up every 3 months for 2 years, then every 6 months for 3 years and then annually for 5 years.

Registry
clinicaltrials.gov
Start Date
June 3, 2025
End Date
February 1, 2032
Last Updated
4 days ago
Study Type
Interventional
Study Design
Parallel
Sex
All

Investigators

Responsible Party
Sponsor

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • Pathologically (histologically) proven diagnosis of T1 high-grade non-muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder without radiographic evidence of regional nodal disease or metastatic disease (N0, M0) on CT, MRI, or positron emission tomography (PET)/CT scan who would otherwise be treated with cystectomy off-trial. Patients should have cystectomy recommended disease but do not need to be medically operable for a cystectomy to be eligible for the trial.
  • NOTE: Patients with nodal disease ≥ 1 cm on short-axis or with suspicious nodes that are PET-avid of any size are not eligible
  • High grade T1 disease history that must meet at least ONE of the three criteria below:
  • Histologically confirmed recurrence with high-grade T1 urothelial carcinoma (+/- focal carcinoma in situ \[CIS\]) in the bladder following initial transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and at least one induction course of intravesical therapy. Adequate induction course is defined as ≥ 5 doses of intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) or intravesical chemotherapy when BCG is not available.
  • T1 with pathologic high-risk features (lymphovascular invasion \[LVI\] or variant histology of micropapillary, sarcomatoid, or plasmacytoid features) post initial TURBT. (No prior intravesical therapy required)
  • Persistent high-grade T1 urothelial carcinoma at repeat TURBT (+/- focal CIS) in the bladder. (No prior intravesical therapy required)
  • Restaging TURBT must be performed and must meet ALL of the following criteria below:
  • If there is absence of muscularis propria in the initial TURBT, there must be uninvolved muscularis propria in the restaging TURBT.
  • All grossly visible papillary tumors must be removed
  • Note: If the restaging TURBT is performed outside of the enrolling institution, an office cystoscopy should be performed by a Urologist who will be following the patient as part of the clinical trial

Exclusion Criteria

  • Not provided

Arms & Interventions

Arm 2 (Pembrolizumab and radiation)

Patients receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 6 weeks for 9 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Biospecimen Collection

Arm 2 (Pembrolizumab and radiation)

Patients receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 6 weeks for 9 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Computed Tomography

Arm 2 (Pembrolizumab and radiation)

Patients receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 6 weeks for 9 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Questionnaire Administration

Arm 1 (Chemotherapy and radiation)

Patients receive one of the following chemotherapy regimens per physicians choice: 1) cisplatin IV once per week for 4 weeks, 2) gemcitabine IV on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, and 25, or 3) mitomycin IV on day 1 and 5-fluorouracil IV continuously over 120 hours on days 1-5 and 16-20. Patients receiving cisplatin or gemcitabine continue chemotherapy for 6 weeks if they are receiving radiation according to the standard hypofractionated radiation schedule. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Radiation Therapy

Arm 1 (Chemotherapy and radiation)

Patients receive one of the following chemotherapy regimens per physicians choice: 1) cisplatin IV once per week for 4 weeks, 2) gemcitabine IV on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, and 25, or 3) mitomycin IV on day 1 and 5-fluorouracil IV continuously over 120 hours on days 1-5 and 16-20. Patients receiving cisplatin or gemcitabine continue chemotherapy for 6 weeks if they are receiving radiation according to the standard hypofractionated radiation schedule. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Fluorouracil

Arm 1 (Chemotherapy and radiation)

Patients receive one of the following chemotherapy regimens per physicians choice: 1) cisplatin IV once per week for 4 weeks, 2) gemcitabine IV on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, and 25, or 3) mitomycin IV on day 1 and 5-fluorouracil IV continuously over 120 hours on days 1-5 and 16-20. Patients receiving cisplatin or gemcitabine continue chemotherapy for 6 weeks if they are receiving radiation according to the standard hypofractionated radiation schedule. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Mitomycin

Arm 1 (Chemotherapy and radiation)

Patients receive one of the following chemotherapy regimens per physicians choice: 1) cisplatin IV once per week for 4 weeks, 2) gemcitabine IV on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, and 25, or 3) mitomycin IV on day 1 and 5-fluorouracil IV continuously over 120 hours on days 1-5 and 16-20. Patients receiving cisplatin or gemcitabine continue chemotherapy for 6 weeks if they are receiving radiation according to the standard hypofractionated radiation schedule. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Biospecimen Collection

Arm 1 (Chemotherapy and radiation)

Patients receive one of the following chemotherapy regimens per physicians choice: 1) cisplatin IV once per week for 4 weeks, 2) gemcitabine IV on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, and 25, or 3) mitomycin IV on day 1 and 5-fluorouracil IV continuously over 120 hours on days 1-5 and 16-20. Patients receiving cisplatin or gemcitabine continue chemotherapy for 6 weeks if they are receiving radiation according to the standard hypofractionated radiation schedule. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Computed Tomography

Arm 1 (Chemotherapy and radiation)

Patients receive one of the following chemotherapy regimens per physicians choice: 1) cisplatin IV once per week for 4 weeks, 2) gemcitabine IV on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, and 25, or 3) mitomycin IV on day 1 and 5-fluorouracil IV continuously over 120 hours on days 1-5 and 16-20. Patients receiving cisplatin or gemcitabine continue chemotherapy for 6 weeks if they are receiving radiation according to the standard hypofractionated radiation schedule. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Questionnaire Administration

Arm 1 (Chemotherapy and radiation)

Patients receive one of the following chemotherapy regimens per physicians choice: 1) cisplatin IV once per week for 4 weeks, 2) gemcitabine IV on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, and 25, or 3) mitomycin IV on day 1 and 5-fluorouracil IV continuously over 120 hours on days 1-5 and 16-20. Patients receiving cisplatin or gemcitabine continue chemotherapy for 6 weeks if they are receiving radiation according to the standard hypofractionated radiation schedule. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Gemcitabine

Arm 2 (Pembrolizumab and radiation)

Patients receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 6 weeks for 9 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Pembrolizumab

Arm 1 (Chemotherapy and radiation)

Patients receive one of the following chemotherapy regimens per physicians choice: 1) cisplatin IV once per week for 4 weeks, 2) gemcitabine IV on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, and 25, or 3) mitomycin IV on day 1 and 5-fluorouracil IV continuously over 120 hours on days 1-5 and 16-20. Patients receiving cisplatin or gemcitabine continue chemotherapy for 6 weeks if they are receiving radiation according to the standard hypofractionated radiation schedule. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Arm 2 (Pembrolizumab and radiation)

Patients receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 6 weeks for 9 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Arm 2 (Pembrolizumab and radiation)

Patients receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 6 weeks for 9 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Radiation Therapy

Arm 1 (Chemotherapy and radiation)

Patients receive one of the following chemotherapy regimens per physicians choice: 1) cisplatin IV once per week for 4 weeks, 2) gemcitabine IV on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, and 25, or 3) mitomycin IV on day 1 and 5-fluorouracil IV continuously over 120 hours on days 1-5 and 16-20. Patients receiving cisplatin or gemcitabine continue chemotherapy for 6 weeks if they are receiving radiation according to the standard hypofractionated radiation schedule. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Intervention: Cisplatin

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Bladder intact event-free survival (BIEFS)

Time Frame: Up to 5 years

Defined as time free of histologically proven recurrent T1-T4 recurrence, clinical evidence of nodal or distant metastasis, radical cystectomy (either for disease progression or due to toxicity), or death from any cause. Analysis will consist of estimation of the BIEFS curves via the Kaplan-Meier estimator and testing of the primary hypothesis using the stratified logrank test (one-sided). Additionally, the Cox proportional hazards model will be used to estimate the hazard ratio adjusting for stratification variables and any other baseline covariates that demonstrate any degree of imbalance by treatment arm.

Global quality of life

Time Frame: Up to 5 years

Assessed using European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (EORTC-QLQ-C30) global quality of life domain.

Secondary Outcomes

  • Complete response by cystoscopy(At 6 months)
  • Disease free survival(Up to 5 years)
  • Local-regional control(Up to 5 years)
  • Metastasis free survival(Up to 5 years)
  • Overall survival(Up to 5 years)
  • Quality of life(Up to 2 years)
  • Incidence of adverse events (AE)(Up to 3 years)
  • Bladder specific quality of life(Up to 2 years)

Study Sites (209)

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