The stay aims to determine whether switching from targeted therapy to immunotherapy based on a decrease in levels of circulating tumour DNA in the blood, will improve the outcome in melanoma patients.
The optimal scheduling of targeted and immune therapies in metastatic melanoma is unknown. At present, patients are treated with targeted therapy until acquired resistance develops, and then switched to immune therapy. Pre-clinical data has revealed that BRAF inhibition results in an environment that can enhance immune responses. Tumours responding to BRAF inhibitors but not resistant have been shown to have increased T cell infiltration, improved T cell recognition of melanoma associated antigens and reduced production of immunosuppressive cytokines. Furthermore, in response to targeted therapy LDH levels, which are associated with decreased response to immune therapy reduces, which may improve efficacy of immunotherapy. A precise definition of response is required in order to decide upon a switch to immune therapy. A radiological definition of response is currently the standard assessment. However a scan at a fixed time point of 2 or 3 months does not reflect the wide range of response dynamics or allow decision making on an individual patient basis. The investigators have developed techniques using circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) in the metastatic setting, which are able to accurately monitor tumour burden over time. The aim of this pilot study is to provide a signal as to whether: 1. In BRAF mutant melanoma the efficacy of immune therapy is enhanced by response to pre-treatment with MAPK pathway inhibition with dabrafenib + trametinib. 2. Changes in ctDNA levels can be used to accurately inform when to switch from targeted to immune therapy. Data from this study will provide the basis for follow on studies with sufficient power to assess whether tumours responding to BRAF inhibition as defined by response in ctDNA can improve efficacy of immune therapy.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
21
Regular ctDNA analysis, which upon a decrease in mutant BRAF VAF (variant allele frequency) level of ≥80% the switch to N+I is triggered.
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
Manchester, United Kingdom
CtDNA result critical (red) blood samples returned within 7 working days of samples being received in the laboratory
Feasibility of returning samples to hospitals from the laboratory to inform clinical decisions
Time frame: 12 months from last patient starting trial treatment
Decrease in ctDNA level of mutant BRAF≥80%
To assess whether a decrease in ctDNA levels of mutant BRAF by ≥80% on targeted therapy is an appropriate cut off for switching to immune therapy
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
Screen failure due to ctDNA levels of mutant BRAF VAF <1.5% Efficacy
To assess whether BRAF VAF (within the ctDNA) of ≥1.5% is an appropriate target for study inclusion (by assessing the number and proportion of screen failures
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
First progression free survival (PFS) at 12 months
To explore whether PFS at 12 months would improve in patients switching from targeted to immune therapy on response to treatment as guided by ctDNA levels of mutant BRAF VAF
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year
First progression free survival
Time to first progression in both arms
Time frame: When all patients finished follow up, 4 years after last patient starting treatment
Second progression free survival
Time to second progression in both arms
Time frame: When all patients finished follow up, 4 years after last patient starting treatment
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Overall survival
Explore whether survival outcomes would improve in patients switching from targeted to immune therapy on response to treatment as guided by ctDNA levels of mutant BRAF VAF
Time frame: When all patients finished follow up, 4 years after last patient starting treatment