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Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (CSCC)D-TECTNCT07684066

D-TECT: Pretreatment D-dimers and Disease Control in Advanced cSCC Treated With Cemiplimab

An observational study of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (CSCC) and Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, run by Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf at 15 sites in 2 countries.

Not yet recruiting

Opening soon. The study is approved but enrolment has not started yet. Sites may already take enquiries.

Sites and contacts
Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

D-TECT is a prospective, multicenter, non-interventional observational study investigating whether pretreatment D-dimer levels predict disease control in patients with locally advanced or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma treated with cemiplimab in routine clinical care. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
What is being tested?
Pretreatment D-dimer status
Type of treatment
Injection or infusion
How many people
116 participants
Where
15 sitesin 2 countries
Study dates
1 Aug 2026to 31 Mar 2030
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

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

Study population: Adult patients with histologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma for whom systemic treatment with cemiplimab is planned as part of routine clinical care at participating oncology/dermato-oncology centers.

Who may be able to join

  • Histologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
  • Planned initiation of systemic treatment with cemiplimab as part of routine clinical care
  • Pretreatment D-dimer measurement performed within 7 days before initiation of cemiplimab treatment up to the day of first administration before infusion
  • Age 18 years or older at the time of consent
  • ECOG performance status 0 to 2
  • Written informed consent for study participation and pseudonymized collection and analysis of clinical and laboratory data

Who cannot join

  • Prior treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors in curative or palliative intent for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma
  • Concurrent second malignancy requiring systemic treatment, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy
  • Clinically unstable comorbidity, including NYHA class III-IV heart failure or active systemic infection
  • Acute symptomatic thrombosis or pulmonary embolism within 4 weeks before the pretreatment D-dimer measurement
  • Incidental asymptomatic thromboembolic events detected during clinical diagnostic work-up or following an elevated D-dimer result are not exclusion criteria and will be documented
  • Physician-estimated life expectancy of less than 3 months or severe non-tumor-related comorbidity likely to preclude assessment of the clinical course within the first 6 months
  • Lack of capacity to consent or legal guardianship without valid legal representation

Trial locations and contacts

15 sites in 2 countries. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Glenn Geidel, MD, MSc contact

+49 (0)40 7410 70743

g.geidel@uke.de

15 sites in 2 countries

Germany14 sites
  • University Medical Center OWL, Campus Klinikum Bielefeld Rosenhöhe

    Bielefeld, 33647

    Selma Ugurel, MD, +49 (0)521 9438801, selma.ugurel@klinikumbielefeld.de

    Selma Ugurel, MD

  • Klinikum Bremerhaven Reinkenheide

    Bremerhaven, 27574

    Michael M. Sachse, MD, +49 (0)471 2993700, Michael.Sachse@klinikum-bremerhaven.de

    Michael M. Sachse, MD

  • Elbe Klinikum Buxtehude

    Buxtehude, 21614

    Kai-Martin Thoms, MD, +49 (0)4161 7036250, kai-martin.thoms@elbekliniken.de

    Kai-Martin Thoms, MD

  • University Medical Center Erlangen

    Erlangen, 91054

    Markus V. Heppt, MD, PhD, MHBA, +49 (0)9131 8533165, onkstudienzentrale.DE@uk-erlangen.de

    Markus V. Heppt, MD, PhD, MHBA

  • University Medical Center Göttingen

    Göttingen, 37075

    Katharina Amschler, MD, +49 (0)551 3968082, katharina.amschler@med.uni-goettingen.de

    Katharina Amschler, MD

  • University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf

    Hamburg, 20246

    Glenn Geidel, MD, MSc, +49 (0)40 741070743, g.geidel@uke.de

    Glenn Geidel, MD, MSc

  • Hannover Medical School

    Hanover, 30625

    Imke von Wasielewski, MD, +49 (0)5115320, vonWasielewski.Imke@mh-hannover.de

    Imke von Wasielewski, MD

  • University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel

    Kiel, 24105

    Katharina Kähler, MD, +49 (0)431 50021131, Katharina.Kaehler@uksh.de

    Katharina Kähler, MD

  • University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Lübeck

    Lübeck, 23538

    Dagmar von Bubnoff, MD, +49 (0)451 50041501, DagmarAngela.vonbubnoff@uksh.de

    Dagmar von Bubnoff, MD

  • University Medical Center Mainz

    Mainz, 55131

    Henner Stege, MD, +49 (0)6131 172919, Henner.Stege@unimedizin-mainz.de

    Henner Stege, MD

  • University Medical Center Mannheim

    Mannheim, 68167

    Jochen Utikal, MD, +49 (0)621 3834461, jochen.utikal@umm.de

    Jochen Utikal, MD

  • Johannes Wesling Klinikum Minden

    Minden, 32429

    Ralf Gutzmer, MD, +49 (0)571 7904501, dermatologie-minden@muehlenkreiskliniken.de

    Ralf Gutzmer, MD

  • University Medical Center Rostock

    Rostock, 18057

    Markus Thieme, MD, +49 (0) 381 494 9789, Markus.Thieme@med.uni-rostock.de

    Markus Thieme, MD

  • University Medical Center Tübingen

    Tübingen, 72076

    Ulrike Leiter, MD, +49 (0)7071 2984555, ulrike.leiter@med.uni-tuebingen.de

    Ulrike Leiter, MD

Other trials in Germany

Austria1 site
  • University Medical Center Salzburg

    Salzburg, 5020

    Matthias Brandlmaier, MD, PhD, MSc, +43 (0) 57255 24601, m.brandlmaier@salk.at

    Matthias Brandlmaier, MD, PhD, MSc

Other trials in Austria

About this study

Official title: D-TECT: Prospective Multicenter Evaluation of Pretreatment D-dimer Levels as a Predictor of Disease Control in Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Treated With Cemiplimab

D-TECT is a prospective, multicenter, non-interventional observational study investigating whether pretreatment D-dimer levels predict disease control in patients with locally advanced or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma treated with cemiplimab in routine clinical care.

D-dimers are routinely available laboratory markers related to activation of the coagulation system. Previous single-center data suggest that elevated pretreatment D-dimer levels may be associated with poorer disease control under cemiplimab. In D-TECT, a single pretreatment D-dimer value and prospectively collected routine clinical follow-up data will be analyzed to validate this association in a multicenter real-world setting. No study-specific treatment decisions, imaging procedures, or additional blood draws are mandated by the study.

Read the detailed description

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is one of the most common skin cancers. While most cases can be treated with curative local therapy, a subgroup of patients develops locally advanced or metastatic disease requiring systemic treatment. Cemiplimab, a PD-1 inhibitor, is an established systemic treatment option for advanced cSCC. However, validated routine biomarkers predicting disease control under cemiplimab are lacking.

D-dimers are fibrin degradation products and sensitive markers of coagulation activation. In a prior single-center retrospective analysis, elevated pretreatment D-dimer levels were associated with lower disease control, lower objective response, and shorter progression-free survival in patients with advanced cSCC treated with cemiplimab. D-TECT is designed to prospectively validate this observation in a multicenter real-world cohort.

Eligible patients are adults with histologically confirmed locally advanced or metastatic cSCC for whom cemiplimab treatment is planned as part of routine clinical care. A D-dimer measurement is documented within 7 days before the first cemiplimab dose up to the day of first administration before infusion. Subsequent clinical data, including tumor response, progression, survival, treatment discontinuation, and thromboembolic events, are collected from routine medical records during follow-up.

The primary endpoint is disease control within the first 6 months after initiation of cemiplimab. The primary confirmatory analysis compares disease control between patients with high versus low pretreatment D-dimer values using the prespecified cutoff of 0.91 mg/L FEU derived from the prior single-center study. If the primary analysis is statistically significant, the same primary endpoint will be tested hierarchically using the local laboratory-defined upper limit of normal. Additional analyses include objective response rate, progression-free survival, overall survival, thromboembolic events, diagnostic performance measures of the predefined cutoffs, sensitivity analyses, and exploratory analyses addressing inter-site assay heterogeneity.

Being tested
Pretreatment D-dimer status
Keywords
CSCC, Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, D-Dimer, Cemiplimab, PD-1 inhibitor, immunotherapy, biomarker, disease control, coagulation, real-word evidence
Medical subject headings
Thrombosis

What participants receive

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

  • Pretreatment D-dimer statusOther

    Pretreatment D-dimer status is defined using a single D-dimer measurement obtained in routine clinical laboratory testing within 7 days before the first cemiplimab dose up to the day of first administration before infusion. D-dimer status is not used to assign treatment and does not mandate any study-specific diagnostic or therapeutic intervention.

Study groups in NCT07684066
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
High pretreatment D-dimerPatients with locally advanced or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma treated with cemiplimab in routine clinical care and a pretreatment D-dimer level above the prespecified cutoff of 0.91 mg/L FEU.
Receives: Other: Pretreatment D-dimer status
Low pretreatment D-dimerPatients with locally advanced or metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma treated with cemiplimab in routine clinical care and a pretreatment D-dimer level at or below the prespecified cutoff of 0.91 mg/L FEU.
Receives: Other: Pretreatment D-dimer status

What is being measured

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

  1. Disease Control Rate Within the First 6 Months of Cemiplimab Treatment

    Disease control rate is defined as the proportion of participants with complete response, partial response, or stable disease according to clinical and/or radiological assessment in routine care within the first 6 months after initiation of cemiplimab. Participants with documented progression, death, or treatment discontinuation due to clinical progression within the first 6 months are considered not to have disease control. Participants without documented progression or death but without evaluable clinical or radiological follow-up assessment within the first 6 months are considered not evaluable for the primary analysis. The primary confirmatory analysis compares disease control between participants with high versus low pretreatment D-dimer levels using the prespecified cutoff of 0.91 mg/L FEU. If statistically significant, the same primary endpoint will be tested hierarchically using the local laboratory-defined upper limit of normal.

    Measured: From start of cemiplimab treatment through 6 months

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Objective Response Rate

    Objective response rate is defined as the proportion of participants with complete response or partial response according to clinical and/or radiological assessment in routine care during follow-up.

    Measured: From start of cemiplimab treatment through 24 months

  2. Progression-Free Survival

    Progression-free survival is defined as the time from initiation of cemiplimab treatment to the first documented disease progression or death from any cause, whichever occurs first.

    Measured: From start of cemiplimab treatment through 24 months

  3. Overall Survival

    Overall survival is defined as the time from initiation of cemiplimab treatment to death from any cause.

    Measured: From start of cemiplimab treatment through 24 months

  4. Thromboembolic Events During Follow-up

    Incidence of venous or arterial thromboembolic events documented during follow-up and evaluated in relation to pretreatment D-dimer levels.

    Measured: From start of cemiplimab treatment through 24 months

  5. Diagnostic Performance of Prespecified D-dimer Cutoffs for 6-Month Disease Control

    Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the prespecified D-dimer cutoff of 0.91 mg/L FEU and of the local laboratory-defined upper limit of normal for disease control within the first 6 months after initiation of cemiplimab.

    Measured: From start of cemiplimab treatment through 6 months

Timeline

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

  1. First posted6 Jul 2026
  2. Study start1 Aug 2026 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion31 Jul 2028 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Mar 2030 (estimated)

Resources

More details

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

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
116 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07684066
Sponsor's protocol ID
D-TECT
Other IDs
DRKS00040746
Acronym
D-TECT
Status last verified
Jul 2026
First submitted
28 Jun 2026
Last updated
22 Jul 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: No individual participant data will be shared. Study data will be analyzed in pseudonymized form by the coordinating study center. Any further use of study data beyond the present research question would require additional ethical and data protection review and, where applicable, additional consent.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma (CSCC) and Advanced Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma, run by Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf at 15 sites in 2 countries.

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 6 inclusion and 7 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 15 sites in Germany, Austria. 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.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

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

Contact Glenn Geidel, MD, MSc (+49 (0)40 7410 70743, g.geidel@uke.de), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Disease Control Rate Within the First 6 Months of Cemiplimab Treatment (time frame: From start of cemiplimab treatment through 6 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
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 22 Jul 2026.

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