This research study is for people who have recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) that has been confirmed by tissue or cell analysis and is considered incurable with local treatments. People who are eligible to receive anti-PD-L1 therapy as a first line treatment and whose primary tumor is located in the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, or larynx, may be eligible to participate. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the immunogenicity of decitabine in combination with nivolumab, and to evaluate the safety and tolerability of decitabine in combination with nivolumab and to determine the maximum tolerated dose. Decitabine is a drug that is currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Decitabine is considered an investigational (experimental) drug in this study because it is not approved by the FDA for the treatment of HNSCC. Decitabine is a chemotherapy drug that works by targeting DNA methylation, a process that can restore normal function to genes that are involved in cell growth and differentiation. This can help reduce the growth of cancer cells. Nivolumab is a drug that is approved by the FDA for the treatment of HNSCC, as well as other types of cancer. Nivolumab is an immunotherapy drug that works by helping the body's immune system recognize and attack cancer cells.
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the 6th most common cancer worldwide with approximately 60,000 people diagnosed each year in the United States. People with human papilloma virus (HPV)-positive HNSCC usually have a good prognosis, but HPV-negative people have about a 50% chance that their cancer will come back even after being treated. People who have recurrent or metastatic (R/M) HNSCC who are treated for their cancer tend to have an even worse prognosis, with a median overall survival of about 10 months. An anti-programmed-death-1 (anti-PD1) inhibitor called pembrolizumab was recently approved to treat people with R/M HNSCC. Another type of anti-PD1 inhibitor is a drug called nivolumab, which is also approved to treat people with R/M HNSCC. However, response rates to both pembrolizumab and nivolumab monotherapy are as low as 19% and 13.3% respectively. This shows that there are immune-evasive mechanisms present, meaning that tumor cells can more easily evade being detected and destroyed. Decitabine is a drug that may help anti-PD1 inhibitors like nivolumab better detect and destroy tumor cells. Previous research has shown that using a DNA methyltransferase inhibitor before giving a PD1 inhibitor to treat cancer can help the body's immune system more effectively kill cancer cells. Decitabine is a drug that is a type of DNA methyltransferase inhibitor. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of using decitabine in combination with nivolumab to treat HNSCC.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
15
Participants will receive dose level 1 (DL1). If 2 of 3 participants experience dose limiting toxicity (DLT) on DL1, then the dose will be de-escalated to DL1-1. If 2 of 3 participants experience DLT on DL1-1, then no further de-escalation will occur and no additional participants will be enrolled. DL1: Intravenous (IV) administration of decitabine 20 mg/m2 from Days 1-5 DL1-1: Intravenous (IV) administration of decitabine 20 mg/m2 from Days 1-4
Nivolumab will be used as a fixed dose in combination with de-escalating dose levels (DL1, DL1-1) of decitabine. Participants will receive 480 mg of nivolumab on Day 8 every 4-week cycle.
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic Foundation Taussig Cancer Institute
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Pharmacodynamics data on the effects of decitabine, as measured by change in global DNA methylation status
DNA methylation will be measured pre- and post-decitabine administration and will be compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Methylation analysis requires 500ng of isolated DNA and will be performed on the Illumina Infinium EPIC array.
Time frame: Day 1, Day 8
Immunogenicity of decitabine in combination with nivolumab, as measured by change in immunologic biomarkers
Changes in immunologic biomarkers will be correlated with changes in DNA methylation, measured pre- and post-decitabine administration. Immunologic biomarkers include PD-L1 expression (IHC), HLA Class I protein expression (IHC), TIL (tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, IHC and multiplex IF).
Time frame: Day 1, Day 8
Safety and tolerability of decitabine in combination with nivolumab, as measured by number of adverse events
Participants will be evaluated for safety with a follow up visit approximately 28 (+/- 7) days after treatment discontinuation. The National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Advanced events (NCI CTCAE) version 5 will be used for adverse event grading. Safety evaluation will be measured by reviewing the adverse event (AE) profile, clinical laboratory safety tests, vital signs, and ECG monitoring.
Time frame: Up to 35 days post-treatment discontinuation (treatment may last up to 2 years)
Maximum tolerated dose (MTD)
MTD is defined as the dose level at which safety can be confirmed. If 2 or more out of 3 participants experienced a dose limiting toxicity (DLT), the dose will be de-escalated and evaluated for safety. MTD will be evaluated through the treatment period. Participants will receive treatment of up to 35 treatment cycles until disease progression or other adverse event(s).
Time frame: Through treatment period, up to 35 cycles (each cycle is 28 days) or up to 2 years
Objective response rate (ORR)
ORR is the percentage of participants whose cancer got better after treatment (i.e. the percentage of participants who had CR or PR, as defined below), and this will be measured by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1 criteria. Per RECIST v1.1, Complete Response (CR) is defined as disappearance of all target lesions. Partial Response (PR) is defined as a 30% decrease in the sum of diameters of target lesions. Progressive Disease (PD) is defined as at least a 20% increase in the sum of diameters of target lesions with an absolute increase of at least 5 millimeters (mm) or the appearance of one or more new lesions. Stable Disease (SD) is defined as neither sufficient shrinkage to qualify for PR nor sufficient increase to qualify for PD.
Time frame: End (week 4) of every 3 cycles, up to 35 total cycles (each cycle is 28 days) or up to 2 years
Overall survival (OS)
Overall survival (OS) is defined as the duration of time from start of treatment to time of death from any cause.
Time frame: Until death, up to 2 years
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.