Medical Information Only. Always consult your healthcare provider before enrolling in any clinical trial.

ACTIVE NOT RECRUITING Phase 2

Testing the Addition of Radiation Therapy to Immunotherapy for Merkel Cell Carcinoma

NCT03304639 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Study Summary

This randomized phase II trial studies how well pembrolizumab with or without stereotactic body radiation therapy works in treating patients with Merkel cell cancer that has spread to other places in the body (advanced). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Stereotactic body radiation therapy uses special equipment to position a patient and deliver radiation to tumors with high precision. This method can kill tumor cells with fewer doses over a shorter period and cause less damage to normal tissue. Giving pembrolizumab with stereotactic body radiation therapy may work better in treating patients with Merkel cell cancer.

Interventions

  • BIOLOGICAL Pembrolizumab
  • RADIATION Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy

Study Locations (20)

Alaska

  • Anchorage Associates in Radiation Medicine — Anchorage
  • Alaska Breast Care and Surgery LLC — Anchorage
  • Alaska Oncology and Hematology LLC — Anchorage
  • Alaska Women's Cancer Care — Anchorage
  • Anchorage Oncology Centre — Anchorage
  • Katmai Oncology Group — Anchorage
  • Providence Alaska Medical Center — Anchorage

Colorado

  • Penrose-Saint Francis Healthcare — Colorado Springs
  • Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers-Penrose — Colorado Springs
  • AdventHealth Porter — Denver
  • Saint Anthony Hospital — Lakewood
  • AdventHealth Littleton — Littleton
  • Longmont United Hospital — Longmont
  • AdventHealth Parker — Parker

Arizona

  • Banner University Medical Center - Tucson — Tucson
  • University of Arizona Cancer Center-North Campus — Tucson

Arkansas

  • Mercy Hospital Fort Smith — Fort Smith
  • CHI Saint Vincent Cancer Center Hot Springs — Hot Springs

California

  • PCR Oncology — Arroyo Grande
  • Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center/Disney Family Cancer Center — Burbank

Trial Details

FieldValue
Enrollment Target 9 participants
Start Date 2018-06-12
Est. Completion 2026-09-19
Phase Phase 2

Sponsor

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

2,390 total trials

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Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT03304639

The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT03304639 describes a study currently listed as active not recruiting. It is categorized as Phase 2, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 9 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is National Cancer Institute (NCI), which has 2,390 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.

The record links to 8 conditions, with Clinical Stage III Cutaneous Merkel Cell Carcinoma AJCC v8 appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 2 interventions — of which Pembrolizumab is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.

Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT03304639 reports 20 study locations spanning 5 distinct geographic areas — top geographies include Alaska, Colorado, Arizona. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is clinical trial NCT03304639 about?

NCT03304639 is a clinical study titled "Testing the Addition of Radiation Therapy to Immunotherapy for Merkel Cell Carcinoma". This randomized phase II trial studies how well pembrolizumab with or without stereotactic body radiation therapy works in treating patients with Merkel cell cancer that has spread to other places in the body (advanced). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the b...

What is the current status of trial NCT03304639?

This trial is currently active not recruiting. It is a Phase 2 study. The enrollment target is 9 participants. The study started on 2018-06-12. Estimated completion is 2026-09-19.

What conditions does trial NCT03304639 study?

This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Clinical Stage III Cutaneous Merkel Cell Carcinoma AJCC v8, Clinical Stage IV Cutaneous Merkel Cell Carcinoma AJCC v8, Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma, Pathologic Stage III Cutaneous Merkel Cell Carcinoma AJCC v8, Advanced Merkel Cell Carcinoma. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.

What interventions are being tested in trial NCT03304639?

The interventions under investigation include: Pembrolizumab (BIOLOGICAL), Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (RADIATION). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.

Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT03304639?

This trial is sponsored by National Cancer Institute (NCI), which has 2,390 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.

Where is trial NCT03304639 being conducted?

This trial has 20 study locations across Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.

Related

Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainTrial Editorial