This phase II pilot trial studies how well gemcitabine and nivolumab work in treating participants with small cell lung cancer that has spread to other parts of the body after other treatments have failed. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine, 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. Monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab, may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving second-line gemcitabine and nivolumab may work better in treating participants with small cell lung cancer.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. To compare response rate (RR) of gemcitabine and nivolumab (G+N) after 4 cycles (8 weeks) to historical controls treated with nivolumab alone. SECONDARY OBJECTIVES: I. To compare median overall survival (OS) of G+N to historical controls treated with nivolumab alone. II. To compare median progression-free survival (PFS) of G+N to historical controls treated with nivolumab alone. III. To evaluate for tolerability of G+N at each treatment cycle and then every 8 weeks after treatment is completed. EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES: I. To correlate immunophenotypic changes among lymphocytes (quantitative measurements of CD4 and CD8 T-cells) with radiographic response and overall survival before treatment, after treatment and between 8-12 weeks after treatment. II. Among those patients with tumor mutation burden (TMB) status available, to describe the association between TMB (low, medium, or high) and RR, OS, and PFS. III. Assess the patient perspective of symptomatic adverse events using self-reported items from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Patient Reported Outcomes-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (PRO-CTCAE). OUTLINE: Participants receive gemcitabine intravenously (IV) over 30 minutes and nivolumab IV over 60 minutes on day 1. Treatment repeats every 2 weeks for up to 4 courses in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. After completion of study treatment, participants are followed up at 30 days, 6-10 weeks, and every 8 weeks thereafter.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
14
Given IV
Given IV
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States
Number of Participants With Positive Responses to Therapy Per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST)
Objective RR (complete response \[CR\] + partial response \[PR\]) will be compared between this study sample and a historical benchmark value of 10%. For this comparison we will use a one-sample test of proportion. * Complete Response (CR): Disappearance of all target lesions. * Partial Response (PR): Decrease by ≥ 30% in sum of longest diameter of target lesions. * Stable Disease (SD): Not meeting criteria for CR, PR, or PD. * Progressive Disease (PD): Increase by ≥ 20% in sum of longest diameter of target lesions or the appearance of one or more new lesions. The response in non-target lesions is defined as follows: * Complete Response (CR): Complete disappearance of all non-target lesions. * Stable Disease (SD): Persistence of one or more non-target lesion(s). * Progressive Disease (PD): Appearance of one or more new lesions and/or unequivocal progression of existing non-target lesions.
Time frame: Up to 8 weeks
Overall Survival (OS) - Number of Participants
OS will be estimated using standard Kaplan Meier survival analysis methods.
Time frame: Duration of time from the start of treatment to date of death, assessed up to 2 years
Overall Survival (OS) - Months
A median value (months) of overall survival will be estimated using standard Kaplan Meier survival analysis methods.
Time frame: Duration of time from the start of treatment to date of death, assessed up to 2 years
Progression-free Survival (PFS) - Number of Participants
Progression-free survival will be estimated using standard Kaplan Meier survival analysis methods. Progression-Free Survival (PFS) is defined as the duration of time from the start of treatment to the time of investigator assessed progression or death. Progressive Disease (PD): Increase by ≥ 20% in sum of longest diameter of target lesions or the appearance of one or more new lesions
Time frame: Duration of time from the start of treatment to the time of investigator assessed progression or death, assessed up to 2 years
Progression-free Survival (PFS) - Months
A median value (months) of progressive-free survival will be estimated using standard Kaplan Meier survival analysis methods. Progressive Disease (PD): Increase by ≥ 20% in sum of longest diameter of target lesions or the appearance of one or more new lesions
Time frame: Duration of time from the start of treatment to the time of investigator assessed progression or death, assessed up to 2 years
Number of Adverse Events
Toxicity rates will be estimated by responder status and presented overall and by body site per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0
Time frame: Up to 2 years
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