Measuring if Immunotherapy Plus Chemotherapy is Better Than Chemotherapy Alone for Patients With Aggressive Poorly Differentiated Sarcomas

Trial statusRecruiting
Trial phasePhase 3
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18+
SponsorNational Cancer Institute (NCI)

About this trial

This phase III trial compares the effect of immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) plus chemotherapy (doxorubicin) to chemotherapy (doxorubicin) alone in treating patients with dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLPS), undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) or a related poorly differentiated sarcoma that has spread from where it first started (primary site) to other places in the body (metastatic) or that cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable). Doxorubicin is in a class of medications called anthracyclines. Doxorubicin damages the cell's deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and may kill tumor cells. It also blocks a certain enzyme needed for cell division and DNA repair. A monoclonal antibody is a type of protein that can bind to certain targets in the body, such as molecules that cause the body to make an immune response (antigens). 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. Adding immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) to the standard chemotherapy (doxorubicin) may help patients with metastatic or unresectable DDLPS, UPS or a related poorly differentiated sarcoma live longer without having disease progression.

Eligibility criteria

Qualifiers

Patient must be >= 18 years of age

Pleomorphic sarcoma with inflammation or with limited areas of differentiation

Pleomorphic sarcoma with giant cells

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (including storiform-pleomorphic and inflammatory subtypes)

Disqualifiers

None

Trial design

Treatments tested in this trial

  • Biospecimen Collection
  • Diagnostic Imaging Testing
  • Doxorubicin
  • Echocardiography Test
  • Multigated Acquisition Scan
  • Pembrolizumab

Treatment groups

365 Participants
are divided into 2 treatment groups