Could a single drug tame brain metastases? new trial hints at hope

NCT ID NCT02886585

Ongoing Disease control Sponsor: Massachusetts General Hospital Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jul 22, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This phase 2 trial tests the drug pembrolizumab in 101 adults with cancer that has spread to the brain or spinal cord. The goal is to see if the drug can shrink or stabilize these tumors. Participants receive pembrolizumab along with standard imaging and sometimes radiation. The study is active but no longer recruiting new participants.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Pembrolizumab (a drug that helps the immune system fight cancer)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could provide a new treatment option for people with cancer that has spread to the brain, potentially shrinking tumors or slowing disease progression.
What could go wrong: This is a mid-stage trial with only 101 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Pembrolizumab can cause immune-related side effects, and not all patients may benefit.

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.

brain cancer metastatic malignant neoplasm in the brain

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

BRAIN METASTASES

Contacts and locations

Locations

Dana Farber Cancer Institute

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States

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