New combo attack on lymphoma shows promise in early trial
NCT ID NCT03035331
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This early-phase trial tested a three-part treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma: freezing tumors (cryoablation), injecting a personalized dendritic cell vaccine made from the patient's own cells, and giving the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda). The goal was to find the safest dose and see if the combination could shrink tumors. Only 11 people took part, so the results are very preliminary.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- dendritic cell therapy, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), and cryoablation
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this combination could offer a new treatment option for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma that has come back after other therapies.
- What could go wrong
- This was a very small, early-phase trial with only 11 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The combination also carries risks of serious side effects like immune reactions and infections.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Phase 1/2
Runs two stages together: safety and dose first, then whether the treatment works.
- Participants
-
11 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
-
Aug 2017
- Finished
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Sep 2022
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age \>= 18 years * Histological confirmation of biopsy-proven non-Hodgkin lymphoma, excluding chronic lymphocytic leukemia, primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma and Burkitt's lymphoma; Note: small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) is allowed * Patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) must have had \>= 1 regimen of rituximab-containing regimen; Note: this includes follicular lymphoma (FL), marginal lymphoma and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) * Patients with aggressive NHL must have had \>= 2 regimens; Note: This includes diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), and T cell lymphoma * Patient with aggressive NHL must have received prior therapy - at a minimum: * Anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody unless tumor is CD20 negative and * An anthracycline containing regimen * Transformed FL must have had therapy for FL and be refractory to chemotherapy for DLBCL * Chemotherapy refractory disease in aggressive NHL is defined as * Stable disease of =\< 12 months or progressive disease as best response to most recent chemotherapy containing regimen * Disease progression or recurrence =\< 12 months of prior autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) * Patients with aggressive NHL must have failed autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), or are ineligible or not consenting to autologous HSCT * Patient must have at least 3 measurable lesions that are \>= 1.5 cm in one dimension; one of the lesions must be \>= 2.0 cm and is amenable to image-guided cryoablation and multiple vaccine injections as determined by interventional radiology and principal investigator (PI) (including tumors that can be safely accessed using imaging guidance and treated with minimal risk to adjacent structures) * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 0 or 1 * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1000/mm\^3 (obtained =\< 14 days prior to registration) * Absolute lymphocyte count \>= 200/mm\^3 (obtained =\< 14 days prior to registration) * Platelet count \>= 50,000/mm\^3 (obtained =\< 14 days prior to registration) * Hemoglobin \>= 8.0 g/dL (obtained =\< 14 days prior to registration) * Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN), unless due to Gilbert's disease (obtained =\< 14 days prior to registration) * Aspartate transaminase (AST/serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\]) and alanine transaminase (ALT/serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase \[SGPT\]) =\< 2.5 x ULN (obtained =\< 14 days prior to registration) * Creatinine =\< 1.5 x ULN or calculated creatinine clearance \>= 60 mL/min for subject with creatinine ˃ 1.5 x institutional ULN (obtained =\< 14 days prior to registration) * Negative serum pregnancy test for women of childbearing potential =\< 7 days prior to registration; Note: a second pregnancy test may be required =\< 72 hours prior to receiving the first dose of study medication * Negative human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B and C, and tuberculosis (TB) test * Provide written informed consent * Willing to return to the enrolling institution for follow-up (during active treatment and active monitoring phase of the study) * Ability to complete questionnaire(s) by themselves or with assistance * Willing to provide tissue and blood samples for research purposes * Willing to use adequate contraception while on the study and until 120 days after the last dose of study drug Exclusion Criteria: * Any of the following because this study involves an investigational agent whose genotoxic, mutagenic and teratogenic effects on the developing fetus and newborn are unknown: * Pregnant women * Nursing women * Co-morbid systemic illnesses or other severe concurrent disease which, in the judgment of the investigator, would make the patient inappropriate for entry into this study or interfere significantly with the proper assessment of safety and toxicity of the prescribed regimens * Serious non-malignant disease such as active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations or other conditions which in the opinion of the investigator would compromise protocol objectives * Currently receiving or have received any other investigational agent considered as a treatment for the primary neoplasm =\< 28 days or within 4 half-lives (whichever is shorter) of the agent prior to registration * History of other primary malignancy requiring systemic treatment within 6 months of protocol enrollment; patients must not be receiving chemotherapy or immunotherapy for another cancer; patients must not have another active malignancy requiring active treatment with the following acceptable EXCEPTIONS: * Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma of the skin that has undergone or will undergo potentially curative therapy * In situ cervical cancer that has undergone or will undergo potentially curative therapy * Prior allogeneic bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation * Prior autologous bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cell transplantation =\< 100 days prior to registration or if recovery from the transplant is inadequate * Major surgery other than diagnostic surgery =\< 4 weeks prior to registration * Prior chemotherapy or radiation therapy =\< 2 weeks prior to registration or who has not recovered (i.e. to =\< grade 1 or baseline) from an adverse event due to the previously administered therapy * History of hypersensitivity and anaphylactoid reactions to pneumococcal vaccine or any component of the formulation, including diphtheria toxoid * Active autoimmune disease such as Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, or similar conditions requiring systemic treatment within the past 3 months or a documented history of clinically severe autoimmune disease/syndrome difficult to control in the past * EXCEPTIONS: * Vitiligo or resolved childhood asthma/atopy * Intermittent use of bronchodilators or local steroid injections * Hypothyroidism stable on hormone replacement, * Diabetes stable with current management * History of positive Coombs test but no evidence of hemolysis * Psoriasis not requiring systemic treatment * Conditions not expected to recur in the absence of an external trigger * Coagulopathy, including the use of Coumadin or heparin anticoagulants that cannot be discontinued for the cryoablation procedure; NOTE: heparin for line patency without detectable lab abnormalities for coagulation will be allowed * Corticosteroid use =\< 2 weeks prior to registration; NOTE: patients must be off corticosteroids for at least 2 weeks prior to registration; this includes oral, IV, subcutaneous, or inhaled route of administration; patients on chronic corticosteroid for adrenal insufficiency or other reasons may enroll if they receive less than 10 mg/day of prednisone (or equivalent) * Active CNS malignancy * Evidence of interstitial lung disease or active, non-infectious pneumonitis * Received a live vaccine =\< 30 days prior to registration * New York Heart Association classification III or IV cardiovascular disease or recent myocardial infarction or unstable angina pectoris or cardiac arrhythmia =\< 30 days prior to registration
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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
-
Mayo Clinic in Rochester
Rochester, Minnesota, 55905, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Two-Drug combo aims to push CLL into deep remission
- Can engineered immune cells beat tough B-Cell cancers?
- Can a single injection reprogram immune cells to fight cancer?
- Can a drug duo outsmart resistant T-Cell lymphoma?
- Can a Multi-Drug combo outsmart resistant lymphoma?
- Can a Three-Drug combo outsmart High-Risk CLL?