Keytruda takes on childhood liver cancer: new hope for relapsed patients?

NCT ID NCT04134559

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase 2 trial is testing the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda) in children and young adults up to age 30 with relapsed or hard-to-treat liver cancer. The goal is to see if the drug can shrink tumors or slow the cancer's growth. Researchers will also study how the immune system responds to treatment.

What this could mean

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

Active substance

Pembrolizumab (Keytruda)

What this could lead to

If it works, this could point toward a new treatment option for children with liver cancer that has come back or not responded to standard therapy.

What could go wrong

This is a small, early-phase trial with only 18 participants, so results may not apply to all patients. Immunotherapy can cause side effects like inflammation in healthy organs.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma hepatoblastoma hepatocellular carcinoma liver cancer Liver Neoplasms pediatric hepatocellular carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • Baylor College of Medicine

    RECRUITING

    Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Children's Hospital Boston

    RECRUITING

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States

    Contact

    Contact

  • Cincinnati Children's Medical Center

    RECRUITING

    Cincinnati, Ohio, 45229, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Dana Farber Cancer Institute

    RECRUITING

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-••••

    Contact

  • University of California San Francisco

    RECRUITING

    San Francisco, California, 94143, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••