Evaluating the Addition of the Immunotherapy Drug Atezolizumab to Standard Chemotherapy Treatment for Advanced or Metastatic Neuroendocrine Carcinomas That Originate Outside the Lung

Paused · Phase 2/Phase 3

Conditions studied: Advanced Extrapulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma, Metastatic Extrapulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma, Recurrent Extrapulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma, Unresectable Extrapulmonary Neuroendocrine Carcinoma

In brief

This phase II/III trial compares the effect of immunotherapy with atezolizumab in combination with standard chemotherapy with a platinum drug (cisplatin or carboplatin) and etoposide versus standard therapy alone for the treatment of poorly differentiated extrapulmonary (originated outside the lung) neuroendocrine cancer that may have spread from where it first started to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body (advanced) or that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to other places in the body (metastatic). The other aim of this trial is to compare using atezolizumab just at the beginning of treatment versus continuing it beyond the initial treatment. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as atezolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Cisplatin and carboplatin are in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds that work by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells. Etoposide is in a class of medications known as podophyllotoxin derivatives. It blocks a certain enzyme needed for cell division and DNA repair, and it may kill cancer cells. Giving atezolizumab in combination with a platinum drug (cisplatin or carboplatin) and etoposide may work better in treating patients with poorly differentiated extrapulmonary neuroendocrine cancer compared to standard therapy with a platinum drug (cisplatin or carboplatin) and etoposide alone.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT05058651

Run by

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

People needed

189

Starts

2022-06-28

Expected to finish

2028-10-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-07-31

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Participants must have histologically-confirmed (local site pathological confirmation sufficient) extrapulmonary poorly differentiated, neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC)
• Participants must have disease that is unresectable or metastatic and not eligible for definitive therapy as deemed per the treating investigator
• Participants must have radiologically evaluable disease, measurable or non-measurable, per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1 criteria. All measurable and nonmeasurable lesions must be assessed by CT scan with IV contrast of the chest/abdomen/and pelvis (or CT chest without contrast and MRI abdomen/pelvis with gadolinium contrast, if contraindication to CT iodinated contrast) within 28 days prior to registration. While may be used for routine clinical evaluation, PET scans and bone scans alone are not acceptable for disease assessment while participating in this study. All known sites of disease must be assessed and documented on the Baseline Tumor Assessment Form
• Participants must have brain MRI (or CT head with contrast if there is contraindication to MRI brain) if clinically indicated within 28 days prior to registration. Note: Brain imaging is not required in participants without known and/or clinical concern for brain metastases. Participants with asymptomatic central nervous system (CNS) metastases are eligible if one or more of the following apply:
• Participants who have received treatment for brain metastases must have:
• No evidence of radiological progression (by MRI brain or CT head with contrast if there is contraindication to MRI brain) within 28 days prior to registration
• Discontinued all corticosteroids at least 14 days prior to registration
• Participants with treatment-naive brain lesions must have:
• No lesion measuring > 2.0 cm in size in any axis
• MRI brain or CT head with contrast (if there is contraindication to MRI brain) demonstrating no evidence for mass effect, edema, or other impending neurological compromise within 28 days prior to registration
• No evidence of radiological progression (by MRI brain or CT head with contrast if there is contraindication to MRI brain) within 28 days prior to registration
• No need for > 2 mg of dexamethasone (or equivalent of > 10 mg prednisone) per day at time of registration
• Participants must not have symptomatic central nervous system (CNS) metastases
• Participants must not have known or suspected leptomeningeal disease
• Participants with prior history of non-metastatic (localized/locally advanced disease) extrapulmonary poorly differentiated NEC may have had prior platinum-based therapy +/- radiation +/- surgery provided that all therapy was completed >= 6 months prior to registration
• Participants must discontinue denosumab prior to study registration and plan to replace with a bisphosphonate while on the study
• Participants must not have had prior treatment for advanced or metastatic NEC EXCEPT one cycle of platinum (carboplatin/cisplatin) + etoposide is allowed prior to registration. Other chemotherapy regimens are not allowed. For participants with prostate or urothelial NEC, prior chemotherapy for the non-NEC component (e.g. adenocarcinoma or urothelial) is allowed as long as such therapy was completed >= 24 weeks prior to registration and participants have recovered from all prior toxicities to =< grade 1.
• Participants must not have had prior treatment with an anti-PD-1, anti-PD-L1, antiPD-L2, CD137 agonists, anti-CTLA-4 agent, or any other immune checkpoint inhibitors for any neuroendocrine neoplasm. Immune checkpoint inhibitors given for other cancer indications are allowed provided last therapy was given at least 12 months prior to study registration
• Participants must not have received treatment with systemic immunostimulatory agents including, but not limited to, interferon and interleukin2 [IL-2] within 4 weeks or 5 half-lives of the drug (whichever is longer) prior to registration
• Participants must not have had history of known severe allergy, anaphylactic, or other hypersensitivity reactions to chimeric or humanized antibodies, including to Chinese hamster ovary cell products or to any component of the atezolizumab formulation, cisplatin, carboplatin, or etoposide
• Participants must not be on active systemic therapy for another cancer with the exception of hormonal therapy including androgen deprivation therapy (e.g., gonadotropin-releasing hormone [GnRH] agonists or antagonists), which can be continued while participants are receiving protocol therapy. Use of enzalutamide or apalutamide is permitted after completion of chemotherapy and must be held during chemotherapy for participants receiving prior to enrollment. Use of darolutamide is permitted during chemotherapy. Glucocorticoid-containing regimens, including abiraterone, are not permitted.
• Participants must be >= 18 years of age
• Participants must have a Zubrod performance status of =< 2 within 28 days prior to registration
• Participants must have a complete medical history and physical exam within 28 days prior to registration
• Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) >= 1.5 x 10\^9 /L (obtained within 14 days prior to registration. For participants who received a cycle of chemotherapy prior to registration, at least 21 days must have elapsed between day 1 of platinum + etoposide and performance of these tests)

Where it is running

• Cancer Center at Saint Joseph's — Phoenix, Arizona, United States
• Mayo Clinic Hospital in Arizona — Phoenix, Arizona, United States
• Kaiser Permanente-Anaheim — Anaheim, California, United States
• Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital — Auburn, California, United States
• Sutter Cancer Centers Radiation Oncology Services-Auburn — Auburn, California, United States
• Kaiser Permanente-Baldwin Park — Baldwin Park, California, United States
• Kaiser Permanente-Bellflower — Bellflower, California, United States
• Alta Bates Summit Medical Center-Herrick Campus — Berkeley, California, United States
• Sutter Cancer Centers Radiation Oncology Services-Cameron Park — Cameron Park, California, United States
• Mercy Cancer Center - Carmichael — Carmichael, California, United States
• Mercy San Juan Medical Center — Carmichael, California, United States
• Mercy Cancer Center - Elk Grove — Elk Grove, California, United States
• Kaiser Permanente-Fontana — Fontana, California, United States
• Palo Alto Medical Foundation-Fremont — Fremont, California, United States
• Kaiser Permanente South Bay — Harbor City, California, United States
• Kaiser Permanente-Irvine — Irvine, California, United States
• Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center — Los Angeles, California, United States
• Kaiser Permanente West Los Angeles — Los Angeles, California, United States
• Memorial Medical Center — Modesto, California, United States
• Palo Alto Medical Foundation-Camino Division — Mountain View, California, United States
• Kaiser Permanente-Ontario — Ontario, California, United States
• Palo Alto Medical Foundation Health Care — Palo Alto, California, United States
• Kaiser Permanente - Panorama City — Panorama City, California, United States
• Kaiser Permanente-Riverside — Riverside, California, United States
• Alaska Women's Cancer Care — Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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