A Phase III trial found that pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy enhanced survival in endometrial cancer patients.
A Phase III clinical trial comparing pembrolizumab to chemotherapy (carboplatin and paclitaxel) enhanced progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with stage III-IV or recurrent endometrial cancer.
As per the interim analysis of the result, the treatment went on to show a statistically pivotal and clinically meaningful enhancement in the PFS, irrespective of the mismatch repair level. Status was explained by mismatch repair deficient-pMMD and mismatch repair efficient- pMMR.
Phase III trial related to pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy
NRG-GY018 happened to be a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial that included 819 women with stage III-IV or recurrent endometrial cancer. Pembrolizumab, carboplatin, and paclitaxel were given in combination to patients at random for six scheduled, 3-week cycles. Following this, there were up to fourteen 6-week cycles of pembrolizumab maintenance or placebo combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel, followed by placebo maintenance.
Treating Endometrial Carcinoma
The principal investigator of the trial, Dr. Ramez Eskander, explained why the positive findings from the analysis happen to be important. The patients suffering from the most common type of gynecologic cancer in the US, advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, face a poor diagnosis and limited treatment options.
This research project for endometrial carcinoma was supported by NRG Oncology Operations funding from the National Cancer Institute, which is a part of the National Institute of Health. The study has been conducted by the NCI’s National Clinical Trials Network.