Radiation Therapy, Plasma Exchange, and Immunotherapy (Pembrolizumab or Nivolumab) for the Treatment of Melanoma

July 7, 2025 updated by: Mayo Clinic

Radiation Therapy, Plasma Exchange, and Immunotherapy in Melanoma

This early phase I trial investigates how well radiation therapy, plasma exchange, and pembrolizumab or nivolumab work in treating patients with melanoma. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Plasma exchange (also known as "plasmapheresis") is a way to "clean" or "flush out" the blood. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Plasma exchange may help to improve the effect of standard radiation therapy and immunotherapy treatment on tumor cells of patients with melanoma.

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

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To determine the kinetics of soluble (s)PD-L1 removal and regeneration by plasma exchange in patients with melanoma.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To observe response at 3 months after plasma exchange plus immunotherapy. II. To observe ongoing response at approximate 3 month intervals after plasma exchange plus immunotherapy.

CORRELATIVE RESEARCH OBJECTIVES:

I. To determine the effects of plasma exchange on immune cell function. II. To observe the kinetics of extracellular vesicles (EVs) after plasma exchange in patients with melanoma.

OUTLINE:

Patients undergo radiation therapy daily on days 1-5 (weekdays). Patients then undergo therapeutic plasma exchange over 1-2 hours on the first session starting on the last day of radiation therapy and the last session ending prior to immunotherapy. Beginning day 5, patients receive pembrolizumab intravenously (IV) or nivolumab IV. Treatment with pembrolizumab continues every 3 weeks or treatment with nivolumab continues every 2 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo blood sample collection throughout the study and standard of care (SOC) computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET), and/or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans as clinically indicated during follow-up.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up at 3 weeks and then for up to 2 years.

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.
18

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.
  • Early Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Minnesota
      • Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55905
        • Mayo Clinic in Rochester

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:

  • Histological confirmation of melanoma. Patients may have completed biopsy outside of Mayo Clinic, but there must be an internal review done to confirm diagnosis prior to confirming eligibility
  • Measurable or non-measurable disease
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) =< 3
  • sPD-L1 levels > 1.7 ng/ml by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
  • Negative pregnancy test done =< 7 days prior to radiation therapy, for women of childbearing potential only
  • Provide written informed consent
  • Willing to return to enrolling institution for follow-up (during the Active Monitoring Phase of the study)
  • Willing to provide blood samples for correlative research purposes

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Persons taking a biotin supplement
  • sPD-L1 level < 1.7 ng/ml by ELISA
  • Pregnant or nursing women
  • Men or women of childbearing potential who are unwilling to employ adequate contraception

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: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group 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.
Experimental: Treatment (radiation therapy, plasma exchange, immunotherapy)
Patients undergo radiation therapy daily on days 1-5 (weekdays). Patients then undergo therapeutic plasma exchange over 1-2 hours on the first session starting on the last day of radiation therapy and the last session ending prior to immunotherapy. Beginning day 5, patients receive pembrolizumab IV or nivolumab IV. Treatment with pembrolizumab continues every 3 weeks or treatment with nivolumab continues every 2 weeks in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo blood sample collection throughout the study and SOC CT, PET, and/or MRI scans as clinically indicated during follow-up.
Biological: Nivolumab
Given IV
Other Names:
  • BMS-936558
  • MDX-1106
  • NIVO
  • ONO-4538
  • Opdivo
  • CMAB819
  • Nivolumab Biosimilar CMAB819
  • Nivolumab Biosimilar ABP 206
  • Nivolumab Biosimilar BCD-263
Procedure: Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Undergo MRI
Other Names:
  • MRI
  • Magnetic Resonance
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scan
  • Medical Imaging, Magnetic Resonance / Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
  • MR
  • MR Imaging
  • NMR Imaging
  • NMRI
  • nuclear magnetic resonance imaging
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
  • sMRI
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (procedure)
  • MRIs
  • Structural MRI
  • MRS Scan
Procedure: Computed Tomography
Undergo CT
Other Names:
  • CT
  • CAT
  • CAT Scan
  • Computed Axial Tomography
  • Computerized Tomography
  • tomography
  • CT SCAN
  • computerized axial tomography
  • Computerized axial tomography (procedure)
  • Computerized Tomography (CT) scan
Biological: Pembrolizumab
Given IV
Other Names:
  • Keytruda
  • MK-3475
  • Lambrolizumab
  • SCH 900475
Procedure: Biospecimen Collection
Undergo blood sample collection
Other Names:
  • Biological Sample Collection
  • Biospecimen Collected
  • Specimen Collection
Radiation: Radiation Therapy
Undergo radiation therapy
Other Names:
  • Cancer Radiotherapy
  • ENERGY_TYPE
  • Irradiate
  • Irradiated
  • Irradiation
  • Radiation
  • Radiation Therapy, NOS
  • Radiotherapeutics
  • Radiotherapy
  • RT
  • Therapy, Radiation
Procedure: Positron Emission Tomography
Undergo PET
Other Names:
  • Medical Imaging, Positron Emission Tomography
  • PET
  • PET Scan
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging
  • PT
  • positron emission tomography scan
  • Positron emission tomography (procedure)
Biological: Therapeutic Exchange Plasma
Undergo therapeutic plasma exchange
Other Names:
  • TEP

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
Feasibility of treatment approach
Time Frame: Up to 2 years
Feasibility will be assessed by being able to complete the study accrual in a reasonable time period.
Up to 2 years
Kinetics of soluble (s)PD-L1 removal and regeneration by plasma exchange in patients with melanoma
Time Frame: Up to 2 years
Graphical methods and descriptive statistics will be used to explore this endpoint. Assessed by the change in the sPD-L1 levels over time across the different timepoints of interest.
Up to 2 years

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
Overall response rate
Time Frame: Up to 2 years
Overall response rate is the proportion of patients with a tumor response (partial response or complete response at least 4 weeks apart).
Up to 2 years
Progression-free survival (PFS)
Time Frame: Up to 2 years
PFS is defined as the time from registration to the first of either disease progression or death from any cause.
Up to 2 years
Overall survival (OS)
Time Frame: Up to 2 years
OS is defined as the time from registration to death from any cause.
Up to 2 years
Incidence of adverse events (AEs)
Time Frame: Up to 2 years
The descriptions and grading scales found in the revised National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0 will be utilized for AE reporting. The maximum grade for each type of AE will be recorded for each patient.
Up to 2 years

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Effects of plasma exchange on immune cell function
Time Frame: Up to 2 years
Up to 2 years
Kinetics of extracellular vesicles after plasma exchange in patients with melanoma
Time Frame: Up to 2 years
Will associate the kinetics with clinical outcome data (response rate, OS, PFS).
Up to 2 years

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.
Mayo Clinic

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)

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: Jacob J. Orme, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic in Rochester
  • Principal Investigator: Sean S. Park, M.D., Ph.D., Mayo Clinic in Rochester

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Helpful Links

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.
December 14, 2020

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 6, 2024

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.
October 6, 2024

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).
September 18, 2020

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.
October 5, 2020

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.
October 9, 2020

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.
July 10, 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.
July 7, 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.
July 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.
  • MC200703 (Other Identifier: Mayo Clinic)
  • NCI-2020-06970 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))
  • R21CA259236 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
  • 20-003367 (Other Identifier: Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board)

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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