Evaluating Length of Treatment With PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitor in Advanced Solid Tumors

December 4, 2025 updated by: Dan Zandberg
Based on the overwhelming positive response to this survey and the large number of patients being treated with PD-1/PD-L1 therapy in the UPMC system, the investigators are proposing a trial that will randomize patients who have disease stability to stop treatment at 1 year or continue treatment until disease progression. The investigators anticipate that the results of this study will answer questions regarding the optimal duration of treatment. therapy.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Within the UPMC system, approximately 2,300 patients received PD-1/PD-L1 therapy for a variety of advanced solid tumors within the past year. It is anticipated that this number will increase as the clinical indications for treatment with these agents also increase. The investigators conducted a survey of 60 Medical Oncologists within the UPMC system regarding their interest in a trial that will attempt to address the question of optimal length of PD-1/PD-L1 treatment. Fifty-two (86.7%) physicians indicated that they would participate in a clinical trial that had a primary goal of determining whether it was feasible to stop immunotherapy after 1 year of treatment.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
161

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States, 15232
        • UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • All patients must have an advanced solid tumor malignancy (specifically NSCLC, bladder, HNSCC, renal, melanoma, cervical, Merkel cell, MMR/MSI [colon, rectal, cholangio, esophageal, ovarian, uterine], anal, gastric and GE junction, hepatocellular, triple negative breast cancer) that is being treated with a PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor including pembrolizumab, nivolumab, atezolizumab, durvalumab, or avelumab according to standard of care treatment.
  • Patients who initially started treatment with another agent in combination with the PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor, i.e. chemotherapy, ipilumumab, are eligible.
  • Patients must have at least stable disease as evidenced by scans performed within 6 weeks of randomization.
  • Signed Informed consent allowing randomization to stopping immunotherapy at 1 year ± 6 weeks versus continued treatment beyond 1 year.
  • Patients can have measurable or non-measurable disease per RECIST v1.1.
  • Patients cannot be enrolled in a clinical trial.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with documented progressive disease prior to randomization.
  • Patients with an immune-related toxicity preventing the continuation of treatment beyond 1 year at the treating physician's discretion.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Continue Treatment with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor
Continued standard of care treatment with PD-1/PD-L1 -1 checkpoint inhibitor after 12 months of checkpoint inhibitor treatment.
Drug: Continue PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors treatment
Continued treatment with PD-1/PD-L1-1 inhibitor
Other Names:
  • Keytruda (pembrolizumab)
  • Optiva (nivolumab)
  • Tecentriq (atezolizumab)
  • Yervoy (ipilimumab)
  • LIBTAYO (cemiplimab)
Experimental: Discontinue Treatment with PD-1/PD-L1-1 inhibitor
Discontinued standard of care treatment with PD-1/PD-L1 -1 checkpoint inhibitor after 12 months of checkpoint inhibitor treatment.
Other: Discontinue PD-1/PD-L1-1 inhibitor
Discontinued treatment with PD-1/PD-L1-1 inhibitor

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Time to next treatment
Time Frame: Up to 36 months
In patients who have already been treated with a PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor for one year, the difference in progression-free survival (time to next treatment, progression or death, whichever occurs first) between patients who stop treatment and patients who continue treatment.
Up to 36 months
Progression-free Survival (PFS) (at between 2-3.9 months)
Time Frame: Between 2 months and 3.9 months
The (median) length of time from the initial date of treatment to the date of documented progression, or the date of death due to any cause (in the absence of progression, whichever occurs first), with progression defined by RECIST v1.1.Per RECIST v1.1, progressive disease is defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the smallest sum on study (this includes the baseline sum if that is the smallest on study). In addition to the relative increase of 20%, the sum must also demonstrate an absolute increase of at least5mm. For non-target lesions, PD: Unequivocal progression of existing non-target lesions. The appearance of one or more new lesions is also considered progression.
Between 2 months and 3.9 months
Progression-free Survival (PFS) (at between 4-7.9 months)
Time Frame: Between 4 months and 7.9 months
The (median) length of time from the initial date of treatment to the date of documented progression, or the date of death due to any cause (in the absence of progression, whichever occurs first), with progression defined by RECIST v1.1.Per RECIST v1.1, progressive disease is defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the smallest sum on study (this includes the baseline sum if that is the smallest on study). In addition to the relative increase of 20%, the sum must also demonstrate an absolute increase of at least5mm. For non-target lesions, PD: Unequivocal progression of existing non-target lesions. The appearance of one or more new lesions is also considered progression.
Between 4 months and 7.9 months
Progression-free Survival (PFS)
Time Frame: Up to 36 months
The (median) length of time from the initial date of treatment to the date of documented progression, or the date of death due to any cause (in the absence of progression, whichever occurs first), with progression defined by RECIST v1.1.Per RECIST v1.1, progressive disease is defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the smallest sum on study (this includes the baseline sum if that is the smallest on study). In addition to the relative increase of 20%, the sum must also demonstrate an absolute increase of at least5mm. For non-target lesions, PD: Unequivocal progression of existing non-target lesions. The appearance of one or more new lesions is also considered progression.
Up to 36 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Incidence of irAEs (Immune-Related Adverse Events)
Time Frame: Up to 36 months
Proportion of participants in a disease stratum and treatment arm who experience at least one AE of any grade (per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE v5.0)), at least possibly related to treatment in the categories of colitis, hepatitis, pnemonitis, hypophysitis or hypopituitarism, hypothyroidism, fatigue, diarrhea, rash, arthritis, arthralgia, back pain, musculoskeletal pain or myalgia, or any other category that is felt to be related to treatment.
Up to 36 months
Overall Survival (OS)
Time Frame: Up to 36 months
The length of time from the start of treatment that patients are still alive.
Up to 36 months
Best Objective Response (BOR)
Time Frame: Up to 36 months
Proportions of participants who restart for disease progression in each disease stratum, who experience a best objective response (progressive disease, stable disease, partial response, complete response) per RECIST v1.1 (Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors);Complete Response (CR): Disappearance of all target lesions. Any pathological lymph nodes (target or non-target) with reduction in short axis to <10 mm;Partial Response (PR): ≥ 30% decrease in the sum of the diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum of diameters;Stable Disease (SD): Neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for PR nor sufficient increase to qualify for PD, (reference smallest sum diameters);Progressive Disease (PD): ≥ 20% increase in the sum of diameters of target lesions (reference smallest sum diameters); the sum must also demonstrate an absolute increase of at least 5 mm; (appearance ≥ 1 new lesions is considered progression).
Up to 36 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Dan Zandberg

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Dan Zandberg, MD, UPMC Hillman Cancer Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 15, 2019

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
October 14, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
November 7, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
November 6, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
November 6, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
November 8, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 11, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 4, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • HCC 19-135

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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