Vemurafenib Neoadjuvant Trial in Locally Advanced Thyroid Cancer (NCT01709292) | Clinical Trial Compass
Active — Not RecruitingPhase 2
Vemurafenib Neoadjuvant Trial in Locally Advanced Thyroid Cancer
United States24 participantsStarted 2012-11-07
Plain-language summary
The goal of this clinical research study is to learn about how vemurafenib may affect certain biomarkers in patients with PTC. Biomarkers are in the blood/tissue and may be related to your reaction to the study drug. The safety of this drug will also be studied.
Vemurafenib is designed to block the BRAF gene mutation. This mutation causes cancer and cancer growth. By blocking this mutation, the drug may kill the cancer cells with the mutation and/or stop the tumor from growing.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. Primary papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), which appears to be stage T3 or T4 on imaging or with macroscopic lymph node involvement AND requires surgical resection.
. Persistent or locally recurrent PTC with macroscopic lymph node involvement which requires surgical resection.
. Patients deemed inoperable (no scheduled surgery) are eligible for this trial, as they could be surgical candidates after treatment with vemurafenib. Inoperable patients must be naïve to therapies targeting the MAPK pathway.
. BRAF V600E mutation detected in the primary tumor or the recurrent/persistent tumor.
. Total bilirubin \</= 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN). Patients with Gilbert's syndrome are excluded from this requirement. Aspartate transaminase (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase) / alanine transaminase (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase) (AST\[SGOT\]/ALT\[SGPT\]) \</= 2.5 x ULN, (5 x ULN for patients with concurrent liver metastases). Serum creatinine \</= within 1.5 x ULN. Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>/= 1.0 x 10\^9/L; platelets \>/= 100 x 10\^9/L, HgB\>9 mg/dL
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Percent Change in ERK (Extracellular-Signal-Regulated Kinase) Phosphorylation and Tumor Size
. Antiangiogenic therapy, specifically vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor (VEGFR) inhibitors, can interfere with wound healing and therefore will only be allowed if the agent has been discontinued for at least 14 days prior to day 1. Group C patients must be naïve to therapies which target mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK).
. Ability to swallow pills.
. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status \</= 2
Exclusion criteria
. Histological diagnosis other than PTC. Patients with anaplastic tumors are not eligible. However, patients whose tumors contain areas of un-differentiated or dedifferentiated histology may enroll provided the original diagnosis was clearly PTC, and the tumor histology remains predominantly papillary at enrollment.
. Refractory nausea and vomiting, malabsorption, or significant bowel resection that would preclude adequate absorption.
. Known hepatitis B or C virus (HBV or HCV) infection, unless the patient has been cleared for chemotherapy from experts on viral hepatitis (infectious disease specialists or hepatologists).
. Pregnant or lactating women. All pre-menopausal women being screened must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 14 days prior to commencement of dosing. Women of non-childbearing potential may be included if they are either surgically sterile or have been postmenopausal for \>/= 1 year
. Untreated brain metastases.
. Chemotherapy or targeted therapy within 14 days or 5 half-lives (whichever is longer) prior to the start of study treatment.
. Patients with history of long QT syndrome, uncorrectable electrolyte abnormalities, or QTc\>500msec.
. History of significant cardiac disease or uncontrolled arrhythmias.