This research study is evaluating two drugs, alectinib and bevacizumab, as possible treatments for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).
This is a Phase I/II clinical trial. * A Phase I clinical trial tests the safety of an investigational intervention and also tries to define the appropriate dose(s) of the investigational intervention to use for further studies. * Phase II clinical trials test the safety and effectiveness of an investigational intervention to learn whether the intervention works in treating a specific disease. * "Investigational" means that the intervention is being studied. * In this research study, the investigators are investigating the combination of two study drugs: alectinib and bevacizumab. The FDA (the U.S. Food and Drug Administration) has not approved alectinib as a treatment for any disease. It has been found that some people with NSCLC have a change (mutation) in a certain gene called the anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase (ALK) gene. This mutated gene helps cancer cells grow. \-- Alectinib belongs to a class of drugs designed to inhibit ALK. This drug has been used in other research studies. Information from those other research studies suggests that alectinib may be effective in killing cancer cells that have changes in ALK. Only participants with changes in the ALK gene will be allowed to participate in this study. In this research study, Alectinib will be combined with Bevacizumab. -- Bevacizumab (also called Avastin) works by slowing or stopping the growth of cells in cancer tumors by decreasing the blood supply of the tumors. If blood supply is decreased, oxygen and nutrients that are needed for tumor growth are decreased. The FDA has approved Bevacizumab as a treatment option for your disease The purpose of this study is to test the safety of Alectinib and Bevacizumab. The investigators will also determine how effective this combination is in participants with advanced, ALK-positive NSCLC with a focus on participants with brain metastases. In the phase I portion of the study, a 3 + 3 dose de-escalation design was to determine the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of alectinib and bevacizumab. Three patients will be treated per cohort for one cycle (21 days per cycle) beginning with dose level 1 cohort. * Dose level 1 (starting dose) = Alectinib 600mg twice daily orally (PO), and Bevacizumab 15 mg/kg administered intravenously (IV) every 3 weeks. \-- Dose level 1 was selected based on the individual RP2Ds for each medication and anticipation for minimal overlapping toxicities. * Dose level -1 = Alectinib 600mg twice daily orally (PO),and Bevacizumab 7.5 mg/kg administered intravenously (IV) every 3 weeks. * Dose level -2 = Alectinib 450mg twice daily orally (PO), and Bevacizumab 7.5 mg/kg administered intravenously (IV) every 3 weeks. DLTs were defined as adverse events (AEs) occurring within the first cycle of treatment (21 days) attributed to the study drugs, and grade 3 or higher according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.0. If no DLTs are observed with dose level 1 cohort, we will enroll an additional 3 participants (6 total) to the same cohort and proceed with the phase II portion of the study if one or less experience a DLT. In any other dose level cohort, if one of three patients experiences a DLT, another 3 patients will be treated at the same dose level for one cycle. If no additional DLTs are observed, we will proceed with the phase II portion of the trial. If more than one of 3 patients develops a DLT in any cohort, another 3 patients will be treated in the next lowest dose cohort. The RP2D for the combination of alectinib and bevacizumab was defined as either (i) the highest dosage cohort in which less than a third of patients experienced a DLT, or (ii) alectinib at the previously defined RP2D as a single agent (600 mg twice daily) plus bevacizumab at the highest tolerated dose investigated for the indication (15 mg/kg every 21 days), whichever was the lower dose. In the phase II portion of the study, all patients received alectinib plus bevacizumab at the RP2D determined in the phase I portion. Cycles were 21 days long. Treatment was continued until there was evidence of progressive disease, death, or unacceptable toxicity. Patients were allowed to continue study drugs beyond progression if deemed clinically beneficial at the investigator's discretion. Intra-patient dose modification of bevacizumab was not permitted.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
11
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
(Phase 1) Recommended Phase II Dose of Alectinib
The recommended phase II doses for the combination of alectinib and bevacizumab will be defined as either a) the highest dosage cohort in which less than 1/3 of patients experience a dose-limiting toxicity or b) alectinib at the previously defined recommended phase II dose (600 mg twice daily PO) as a single agent plus bevacizumab at the highest tolerated dose (15 mg/kg IV every 21 days) investigated in this indication - whichever is the lower dose. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were defined as adverse events (AEs) occurring within the first cycle of treatment (21 days) attributed to the study drugs.
Time frame: first cycle of treatment (21 days)
(Phase 1) Recommended Phase II Dose of Bevacizumab
The recommended phase II doses for the combination of alectinib and bevacizumab will be defined as either a) the highest dosage cohort in which less than 1/3 of patients experience a dose-limiting toxicity or b) alectinib at the previously defined recommended phase II dose (600 mg twice daily PO) as a single agent plus bevacizumab at the highest tolerated dose (15 mg/kg IV every 21 days) investigated in this indication - whichever is the lower dose. Dose-limiting toxicities (DLTs) were defined as adverse events (AEs) occurring within the first cycle of treatment (21 days) attributed to the study drugs.
Time frame: first cycle of treatment (21 days)
(Phase 2) Number of Participants With Intracranial Hemorrhagic Events Who Received RP2D
In the phase II portion of the study, we aim to further investigate the safety and tolerability of alectinib plus bevacizumab at the RP2Ds as assessed by Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 4.0. The combination of alectinib and bevacizumab will be deemed unsafe if 2 or more participants are observed to have grade 2 or higher, central nervous system (CNS) intracranial hemorrhagic events.
Time frame: up to 4 years
Central Nervous System Objective Response Rate
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Objective response rate (ORR) is defined as the percentage of participants with complete response (CR) or partial response (PR), evaluated using a modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria for CNS response: * CR = Disappearance of all target lesions. Any pathological lymph node must have reduction in short axis to less than 10 mm. * PR = At least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum diameters.
Time frame: Up to 4 years
Central Nervous System Disease Control Rate
Disease control rate (DCR) is the percentage of participants with intracranial complete response (CR), partial response (PR), and stable disease (SD), evaluated using a modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria for CNS response: * CR = Disappearance of all target lesions. Any pathological lymph node must have reduction in short axis to less than 10 mm. * PR = At least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum diameters. * SD = Neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for PR nor sufficient increase to qualify for progressive disease (PD), taking as reference the baseline sum diameters. * PD = At least a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum diameters. At least a 5 mm absolute increase in the sum of all lesions. The appearance of one or more new lesions also qualifies as PD.
Time frame: Up to 4 years
Central Nervous System Progression-free Survival
Progression-free survival (PFS) is defined as the time from the start of study treatment to the date of progressive disease (PD) in the central nervous system (CNS) or death due to CNS disease. PD is evaluated using a modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria for CNS response: \* PD = At least a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum diameters. At least a 5 mm absolute increase in the sum of all lesions. The appearance of one or more new lesions also qualifies as PD.
Time frame: up to 4 years
Overall Objective Response Rate
Objective response rate (ORR) is defined as the percentage of participants with intra- and extra-cranial complete response (CR) or partial response (PR), evaluated using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria version 1.1. * CR = Disappearance of all target lesions. Any pathological lymph node must have reduction in short axis to less than 10 mm. * PR = At least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum diameters.
Time frame: Up to 4 years
Overall Disease Control Rate
Disease control rate (DCR) is the percentage of participants with intra- and extra-cranial complete response (CR), partial response (PR), and stable disease (SD), evaluated using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria version1.1: * CR = Disappearance of all target lesions. Any pathological lymph node must have reduction in short axis to less than 10 mm. * PR = At least a 30% decrease in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum diameters. * SD = Neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for PR nor sufficient increase to qualify for progressive disease (PD), taking as reference the baseline sum diameters. * PD = At least a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum diameters. At least a 5 mm absolute increase in the sum of all lesions. The appearance of one or more new lesions also qualifies as PD.
Time frame: Up to 4 years
Progression-free Survival
Progression-free survival (PFS) is defined as the time from the start of study treatment to the date of progressive disease (PD) or death due to any cause. PD is evaluated using Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria version1.1: \- PD = At least a 20% increase in the sum of the longest diameters of target lesions, taking as reference the baseline sum diameters. At least a 5 mm absolute increase in the sum of all lesions. The appearance of one or more new lesions also qualifies as PD.
Time frame: up to 4 years
Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire EORTC QLQ-C30
The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) is designed to measure cancer patients' physical, psychological and social functions. The questionnaire is composed of functional scales, symptom scales, a global health status/quality of life (QOL) scale. All of the scales range in score from 0 to 100. A summary score is calculated as the average of all scores. High score for functional scales mean high level of functioning. High score for global health status means high quality of life. High score for symptom scales mean high level of problems.
Time frame: Baseline to cycle 7 (21 weeks)
Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire Specific to Brain Cancer: EORTC QLQ-BN20
The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life questionnaire has a brain cancer nodule (EORTC QLQ-BN20) developed for patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy. It includes 20 items, 13 of which aggregate into four scales assessing future uncertainty, visual disorder, motor dysfunction, and communication deficit. The remaining single items assess other disease symptoms (e.g. headaches and seizures) and treatment toxic effects (e.g. hair loss). Raw scores items were computed and subsequently transformed linearly to a 0-100 scale. A higher score represents worse quality of life.
Time frame: Baseline, Cycle 7 Day 1 (21 weeks)