New drug cocktail aims to shrink skin cancer before surgery
NCT ID NCT04869137
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This phase 2 trial is testing whether giving a combination of two drugs—lenvatinib and pembrolizumab—before surgery can help people with Merkel cell carcinoma. The study involves 26 participants with stage II, III, or IV disease. The main goal is to see if the treatment leads to a complete disappearance of cancer cells in the removed tissue.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- lenvatinib (Lenvima) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could shrink tumors before surgery, potentially improving outcomes for people with Merkel cell carcinoma.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-phase trial with only 26 participants. It may not work for everyone, and side effects from the drug combination could be significant.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Moffitt Cancer Center
Tampa, Florida, 33612, United States
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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