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Recruiting Phase 2 NCT04318717

NCT04318717 Pembrolizumab and Hypofractionated Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Mucosal Melanoma

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Clinical Trial Summary
NCT ID NCT04318717
Status Recruiting
Phase Phase 2
Sponsor Washington University School of Medicine
Condition Mucosal Melanoma of the Head and Neck
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment 20 participants
Start Date 2020-05-29
Primary Completion 2030-07-31

Eligibility & Interventions

Sex All sexes
Min Age 16 Years
Max Age N/A
Study Type INTERVENTIONAL
Interventions
PembrolizumabHypofractionated radiation therapy

Eligibility Fast-Check

Enter your details for a quick preliminary check. This does not replace medical advice.

What to Expect as a Participant

You will actively receive the study intervention — which may be a drug, biologic, device, or procedure.

In Phase 2, researchers evaluate early signs of effectiveness. You may be randomized to receive the active treatment or a comparator. Monitoring continues closely.

This trial targets 20 participants in total. It began in 2020-05-29 with a primary completion date of 2030-07-31.

⚠ This information is for research awareness only. Always consult your physician before joining any clinical trial. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time.

Brief Summary

This is an open-label, single center, one cohort, non-randomized, phase II study. The aim is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination of hypofractionated radiotherapy (HRT) and pembrolizumab on local tumor control in mucosal melanoma patients. Treatment effect will be compared with historical radiation therapy-alone control data.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Histologically or cytologically confirmed mucosal melanoma that has undergone surgical resection. Patient must not have received prior radiation therapy within the area of interest. * At least 16 years of age. * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status ≤ 2 (Karnofsky ≥ 70%) * Normal bone marrow and organ function as defined below: * Absolute neutrophil count ≥ 1,200/mcL * Platelets ≥ 100,000/mcL * Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (IULN) * AST(SGOT)/ALT(SGPT) ≤ 3.0 x IULN * Creatinine clearance \> 30 mL/min by Cockcroft-Gault * The effects of pembrolizumab on the developing human fetus are unknown. For this reason, women of childbearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control, abstinence) prior to study entry, for the duration of study participation, and 6 months after last dose of pembrolizumab. Should a woman become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while participating in this study, she must inform her treating physician immediately. Men treated or enrolled on this protocol must also agree to use adequate contraception prior to the study, for the duration of the study, and 6 months after last dose of pembrolizumab. * Ability to understand and willingness to sign an IRB approved written informed consent document (or that of legally authorized representative, if applicable). Exclusion Criteria: * A history of other malignancy with the exception of malignancies for which all treatment was completed at least 2 years before registration and the patient has no evidence of disease. * Received radiation therapy within the area of interest. * Currently receiving any other investigational agents. * Metastatic disease. * A history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to pembrolizumab or other agents used in the study. * Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, or cardiac arrhythmia. * Has a diagnosis of immunodeficiency or is receiving systemic steroid therapy or any other form of immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days prior to the first dose of study treatment. The use of up to 10 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent is approved and does not exclude the patient from the trial. * Active autoimmune disease that has required systemic treatment in past 2 years (i.e., with use of disease modifying agents, \> 10 mg of prednisone per day, 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. The use of up to 10 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent is approved and does not exclude the patient from the trial. * Has a history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis/Interstitial lung disease that required maintenance steroids (\>10 mg of prednisone) or current pneumonitis/interstitial lung disease. * Has received a live vaccine or live-attenuated vaccination within 30 days of planned treatment start. Administration of killed vaccines is allowed. * Pregnant and/or breastfeeding. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test within 14 days of study entry. * Patients with HIV are eligible unless their CD4+ T-cell counts are \< 350 cells/mcL or they have a history of AIDS-defining opportunistic infection within the 12 months prior to registration. Concurrent treatment with effective ART according to DHHS treatment guidelines is recommended.

Contact & Investigator

Central Contact

George Ansstas, M.D.

✉ gansstas@wustl.edu

📞 314-362-5677

Principal Investigator

George Ansstas, M.D.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Washington University School of Medicine

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can join the NCT04318717 clinical trial?

This trial is open to participants of all sexes, aged 16 Years or older, studying Mucosal Melanoma of the Head and Neck. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed in the Eligibility Criteria section. Always confirm your eligibility with the research team before applying.

What phase is the NCT04318717 trial and what does that mean for participants?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether the treatment shows signs of effectiveness while continuing to monitor safety. More participants are enrolled than in Phase 1 to help refine the treatment protocol.

Is NCT04318717 currently recruiting?

Yes, NCT04318717 is actively recruiting participants. Contact the research team at gansstas@wustl.edu for enrollment information.

Where is the NCT04318717 trial being conducted?

This trial is being conducted at St Louis, United States.

Who is sponsoring the NCT04318717 clinical trial?

NCT04318717 is sponsored by Washington University School of Medicine. The principal investigator is George Ansstas, M.D. at Washington University School of Medicine. The trial plans to enroll 20 participants.

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ClinicalMetric — Independent clinical trial intelligence platform. Not affiliated with NIH, ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. FDA, or any pharmaceutical company, hospital, or clinical research organization. Trial data is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Do not make any treatment, enrollment, or health decisions based solely on information found here — always consult a qualified healthcare professional. Full Disclaimer  ·  Last Reviewed: July 2026  ·  Data Methodology