AzTrials
AzTrials

Head and Neck Squamous Cell CarcinomaPhase 1/2NCT03283605

Immunotherapy and SBRT for Metastatic Head and Neck Carcinomas

A Phase 1/2 study testing SBRT, Durvalumab and Tremelimumab in people with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma, run by Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) at 3 sites in Canada.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

Immunotherapy targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway had previously been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of patients with metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) to metastatic lesions causes localized cancer cell killing and the release of cancer cell debris, which… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
What is being tested?
SBRT, Durvalumab and Tremelimumab
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
33 participants
Where
3 sitesCanada
Study dates
17 Jul 2018to 31 Dec 2024
Phase
Phase 1/2
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Pathologically (histologically or cytologically) confirmed diagnosis HNSCC at a metastatic site. This includes histologic variants of SCC such as spindle cell carcinoma, poorly differentiated keratin-positive carcinoma, and lymphoepithelioma. The pathology can come from the most accessible site and does not need to be from the time of diagnosis.
  • ≥2 locoregional and/or extracranial metastatic lesions (no brain metastases) that are treatable by SBRT. Lesions that are not measurable per RECIST v1.1 must show progression on 2 consecutive imaging studies with a minimum increase of 1 mm, and must be a mimimum size of 5 mm at time of enrollment. .
  • ≤ 4 prior treatment lines with systemic therapy
  • ≥2 measurable disease (RECIST) consisting of extracranial metastatic lesions (no brain metastasis) that are treatable by SBRT.
  • ≤ 10 metastatic lesions
  • Life expectancy > 24 weeks
Show all 32Show fewer
  • Evaluation by a radiation oncologist within 45 days prior to study registration
  • Evaluation by a medical oncologist within 45 days prior to study registration
  • Body weight >30kg
  • The following imaging workup to document metastases within 45 days prior to study registration:
  • CT scans of the chest, abdomen and pelvis OR whole body PET/CT
  • ≥ 18 years of age at time of study entry
  • Up to 4 prior treatment lines with systemic therapy are allowed
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group/World Health Organisation (ECOG/WHO) performance status score of ≤ 1
  • Patients with locoregional recurrence(s) can be included only if they have evidence of distant metastasis; patients with locoregional recurrences which are symptomatic and/or potentially affect quality of life may undergo palliative radiation therapy to this region prior to enrollment on the protocol at the discretion of the treating physician. However, a minimum of 6 weeks must elapse before receiving protocol treatment.
  • Adequate normal organ and marrow function as defined below:
  • Haemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC ≥ 1.5 (or 1.0) x (> 1500 per mm3)
  • Platelet count ≥ 100 (or 75) x 109/L (>75,000 per mm3)
  • Serum bilirubin ≤ 1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN). This will not apply to subjects with confirmed Gilbert's syndrome (persistent or recurrent hyperbilirubinemia that is predominantly unconjugated in the absence of hemolysis or hepatic pathology), who will be allowed only in consultation with their physician.
  • AST (SGOT)/ALT (SGPT) ≤ 2.5 x institutional upper limit of normal unless liver metastases are present, in which case it must be ≤ 5x ULN
  • Serum creatinine CL>40 mL/min by the Cockcroft-Gault formula (Cockcroft and Gault 1976) or by 24-hour urine collection for determination of creatinine clearance (calculated by study site staff)
  • Evidence of post-menopausal status or negative urinary or serum pregnancy test for female pre-menopausal patients. Women will be considered post-menopausal if they have been amenorrheic for 12 months without an alternative medical cause. The following age-specific requirements apply:
  • Women <50 years of age would be considered post-menopausal if they have been amenorrheic for 12 months or more following cessation of exogenous hormonal treatments and if they have luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels in the post-menopausal range for the institution or underwent surgical sterilization (bilateral oophorectomy or hysterectomy).
  • Women ≥50 years of age would be considered post-menopausal if they have been amenorrheic for 12 months or more following cessation of all exogenous hormonal treatments, had radiation-induced menopause with last menses >1 year ago, had chemotherapy-induced menopause with last menses >1 year ago, or underwent surgical sterilization (bilateral oophorectomy, bilateral salpingectomy or hysterectomy).
  • Patient is willing and able to give written informed consent, prior to performing any protocol-related procedures, including screening evaluations.
  • Patient is willing and able to comply with the protocol for the duration of the study including undergoing treatment and scheduled visits and examinations including follow up.
  • Patients who have received prior anti-PD-1, anti PD-L1 or anti CTLA-4, including durvalumab and tremelimumab if the following are fulfilled:
  • Must not have experienced a toxicity that led to permanent discontinuation of prior immunotherapy.
  • All AEs of prior immunotherapy must have completely resolved or resolved to baseline prior to screening for this study.
  • Must not have experienced a ≥ Grade 3 immune related AE or an immune related neurologic or ocular AE of any grade while receiving prior immunotherapy.
  • Must not have required the use of additional immunosuppression other than corticosteroids for the management of an AE and not have experienced recurrence of an AE if re-challenged.

Who cannot join

  • Involvement in the planning and/or conduct of the study (applies to both AstraZeneca staff and/or staff at the study site)
  • Nasopharyngeal carcinoma
  • Concurrent enrolment in another clinical study, unless it is an observational (non-interventional) clinical study or during the follow-up period of an interventional study.
  • >4 prior treatment lines with systemic therapy
  • Receipt of the last dose of anti-cancer therapy (chemotherapy, immunotherapy, endocrine therapy, targeted therapy, biologic therapy, tumour embolization, monoclonal antibodies) ≤ 30 days prior to the first dose of study drug. If sufficient wash-out time has not occurred due to the schedule or PK properties of an agent, a longer wash-out period will be required, as agreed by AstraZeneca/MedImmune and the investigator.
  • Any unresolved toxicity NCI CTCAE Grade ≥2 from previous anticancer therapy with the exception of alopecia, vitiligo, and the laboratory values defined in the inclusion criteria
Show all 35Show fewer
  • Patients with Grade ≥2 neuropathy will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis after consultation with the Study Physician.
  • Patients with irreversible toxicity not reasonably expected to be exacerbated by treatment with durvalumab or tremelimumab may be included only after consultation with the Study Physician.
  • Any concurrent chemotherapy, IP, biologic, or hormonal therapy for cancer treatment. Concurrent use of hormonal therapy for non-cancer-related conditions (eg. hormone replacement therapy) is acceptable.
  • Radiotherapy treatment to more than 30% of the bone marrow or with a wide field of radiation within 4 weeks of the first dose of study drug
  • Major surgical procedure (as defined by the Investigator) within 28 days prior to the first dose of IP. Note: Local surgery of isolated lesions for palliative intent is acceptable.
  • History of allogenic organ transplantation.
  • Active or prior documented autoimmune or inflammatory disorders (including inflammatory bowel disease [eg, colitis or Crohn's disease], diverticulitis [with the exception of diverticulosis], systemic lupus erythematosus, Sarcoidosis syndrome, or Wegener syndrome [granulomatosis with polyangiitis, Graves' disease, rheumatoid arthritis, hypophysitis, uveitis, etc]). The following are exceptions to this criterion:
  • Patients with vitiligo or alopecia
  • Patients with hypothyroidism (eg, following Hashimoto syndrome) stable on hormone replacement
  • Any chronic skin condition that does not require systemic therapy
  • Patients without active disease in the last 5 years may be included but only after consultation with the study physician
  • Patients with celiac disease controlled by diet alone
  • Uncontrolled undercurrent illness, including but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, interstitial lung disease, serious chronic gastrointestinal conditions associated with diarrhea, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirement, substantially increase risk of incurring AEs or compromise the ability of the patient to give written informed consent
  • History of another primary malignancy except for
  • Malignancy treated with curative intent and with no known active disease ≥5 years before the first dose of IP and of low potential risk for recurrence
  • Adequately treated non-melanoma skin cancer or lentigo maligna without evidence of disease
  • Adequately treated carcinoma in situ without evidence of disease
  • History of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis
  • Brain metastases or spinal cord compression. Patients with suspected brain metastases at screening should have an MRI (preferred) or CT each preferably with IV contrast of the brain prior to study entry.
  • Current or prior use of immunosuppressive medication within 14 days before the first dose of durvalumab or tremelimumab. The following are exceptions to this criterion:
  • Intranasal, inhaled, topical steroids, or local steroid injections (eg, intra articular injection)
  • Systemic corticosteroids at physiologic doses not to exceed <<10 mg/day>> of prednisone or its equivalent
  • Steroids as premedication for hypersensitivity reactions (eg, CT scan premedication)
  • Receipt of live attenuated vaccine within 30 days prior to the first dose of IP. Note: Patients, if enrolled, should not receive live vaccine whilst receiving IP and up to 30 days after the last dose of IP.
  • Female patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding or male or female patients of reproductive potential who are not willing to employ effective birth control from screening to 90 days after the last dose of durvalumab monotherapy or180 days after the last dose of durvalumab + tremelimumab combination therapy.
  • Known allergy or hypersensitivity to any of the study drugs or any of the study drug excipients.
  • Past medical history of ILD, drug-induced ILD, radiation pneumonitis which required steroid treatment, or any evidence of clinically active interstitial lung disease.
  • Judgment by the investigator that the patient is unsuitable to participate in the study and the patient is unlikely to comply with study procedures, restrictions and requirements.
  • Female patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding or male or female patients of reproductive potential who are not willing to employ effective birth control from screening to 180 days after the last dose of durvalumab + tremelimumab combination therapy or 90 days after the last dose of durvalumab monotherapy, whichever is the longer time period.

Trial locations and contacts

3 sites in 1 country.

Canada3 sites

  • Cross Cancer Institute

    Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1Z2

  • London Regional Cancer Program of the Lawson Health Research Institute

    London, Ontario, N6A 4L6

  • Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal

    Montreal, Quebec, H2L 4M1

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Official title: Phase I/II of Durvalumab (MEDI4736) + Tremelimumab + Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Metastatic Head and Neck Carcinoma

Immunotherapy targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway had previously been shown to be efficacious in the treatment of patients with metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) to metastatic lesions causes localized cancer cell killing and the release of cancer cell debris, which could stimulate the immune system in the presence of immunotherapy. The purpose of this study is to assess the tolerability and efficacy of combining Durvalumab (MEDI4736), Tremelimumab and SBRT in controlling cancer progression. SBRT will be administered to patients while they are receiving Durvalumab and Tremelimumab.

Medical subject headings
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck, Carcinoma, Squamous Cell

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • SBRTRadiation

    SBRT to 2-5 oligometastases will be administered between Cycle 2 and 3 of durvalumab and tremelimumab. All SBRT will be completed within a 3-week period.

  • DurvalumabDrug

    Durvalumab (1500 mg IV q4weeks) for 4 cycles in combination with tremelimumab. Then, durvalumab alone until confirmed disease progression, death, unacceptable toxicity, withdrawal of consent, or other discontinuation criteria met.

  • TremelimumabDrug

    Tremelimumab (75mg IV q4weeks) for 4 cycles in combination with Durvalumab.

Study groups in NCT03283605
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Durvalumab + tremelimumab and SBRTExperimentalAll subjects will receive durvalumab (1500 mg IV q4week) and tremelimumab (75mg q4week) for 4 doses, followed by durvalumab alone (1500 mg IV q4week) until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or patient withdrawal. SBRT will be administered between cycle 2 and 3 of durvalumab and tremelimumab. All SBRT will be completed within a 3-week period.
Receives: Radiation: SBRT; Drug: Durvalumab; Drug: Tremelimumab

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Acute toxicities of the treatment

    The rate of Grade 3-5 combination TTC-related toxicities within 12 weeks from the start of SBRT treatments. The results will be tabulated to examine their frequency, organ systems affected, severity, and relationship to study treatment.

    Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) V4.03 will be used for grading of AEs. Investigators will provide their assessment of causality as 1) unrelated, 2) unlikely, 3) possibly related, 4) probably, or 5) definitely related.

    Measured: 3 months

  2. Progression Free Survival (PFS)

    To evaluate whether the combination SBRT with Durvalumab and Tremelimumab will improve the progression-free survival of patients.

    Response will be assessed as per RECIST version 1.1.

    Measured: 6 months

Secondary outcomes (4)

  1. Local control (LC)

    Defined as stable disease, partial response, or complete response based on serial imaging with CT scan. Recurrence will be defined as a suspicious mass at the site of SBRT treated lesion, progressing in size on 2 consecutive computed tomography scans at a minimum interval of 1 month, combined with a positive FDG-PET defined by a SUV max ≥ 5, or a biopsy-proven confirmation.

    Measured: 2 years

  2. Progression-free survival (PFS)

    Regional or distant disease progression according to RECIST v1.1 or death due to any cause

    Measured: 2 years

  3. Overall survival (OS)

    A subject will be classified as either alive or dead due to any cause. The time to event will be calculated as the time from Day 1 until date of death. Day 1 is the date of 1st treatment with durvalumab and tremelimumab.

    Measured: 2 years

  4. Abscopal events

    Defined as anti-tumor response outside the radiotherapy field.

    Response will be assessed as per RECIST version 1.1.

    Measured: 2 years

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted14 Sep 2017
  2. Study start17 Jul 2018
  3. Primary completion31 Jul 2024
  4. Study completion31 Dec 2024

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 1/2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Model description
Single group assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
33 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03283605
Sponsor's protocol ID
ESR-16-12361
Status last verified
Aug 2026
First submitted
12 Sep 2017
Last updated
14 Aug 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Publications

  • Bahig H, Ye RZ, Aubin F, Nguyen-Tan PF, Soulieres D, Debenham BJ, Charpentier D, Palma DA, Chua N, Winquist E, Jamal R, Sultanem K, Ballivy O, Filion E, Mathew J, Maganti M, Wong P. Phase 1/2 Trial of Durvalumab Plus Tremelimumab and Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Metastatic Head and Neck Carcinoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2026 Aug 12:S0360-3016(26)04138-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2026.07.052. Online ahead of print.

    PubMed 42586218

  • Bahig H, Aubin F, Stagg J, Gologan O, Ballivy O, Bissada E, Nguyen-Tan FP, Soulieres D, Guertin L, Filion E, Christopoulos A, Lambert L, Tehfe M, Ayad T, Charpentier D, Jamal R, Wong P. Phase I/II trial of Durvalumab plus Tremelimumab and stereotactic body radiotherapy for metastatic head and neck carcinoma. BMC Cancer. 2019 Jan 14;19(1):68. doi: 10.1186/s12885-019-5266-4.

    PubMed 30642290

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1/2 study testing SBRT, Durvalumab and Tremelimumab in people with Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma, run by Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) at 3 sites in Canada.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 32 inclusion and 35 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 14 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 3 sites in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this combined phase mean?

Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Acute toxicities of the treatment (time frame: 3 months). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT03283605, which also lists 2 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 14 Aug 2026.

AzTrials uses cookies for analytics and advertising. You can accept or reject them; the site works either way. Privacy Policy.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in