A Trial of Palliative Chemotherapy, Radiation and Immune Treatment for Oesophageal Cancer: PALEO Study

NCT ID: NCT06290505

Last Updated: 2025-07-23

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

PHASE2

Total Enrollment

54 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-12-08

Study Completion Date

2029-07-31

Brief Summary

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The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the addition of the stereotactic body radiotherapy and durvalumab to a well tolerated 2 week chemotherapy and radiation treatment regimen in people with esophageal cancer that is locally advanced or has spread to another area of the body (metastasized).

Detailed Description

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The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of the addition of the stereotactic body radiotherapy and durvalumab to a well tolerated 2 week chemotherapy and radiation treatment regimen in people with esophageal cancer that is locally advanced or has spread to another area of the body (metastasized).

Who is it for?

Participant may be eligible for this study if participant is an adult who has cancer of the esophagus or gastro-esophageal junction that is locally advanced or has spread to other parts of the participant's body.

Study details

All participants in this study will receive 10 treatments of radiotherapy to the primary esophageal cancer, with one treatment given on each working day for two weeks. In addition, all participants will receive chemotherapy (including carboplatin and paclitaxel) given intravenously once per week for the same two weeks as the radiotherapy. Durvalumab, an immune therapy, received intravenously; will be given every four weeks from the beginning of radiation therapy.

After this participants will continue to receive immune therapy (durvalumab), received intravenously once every 4 weeks for up to 24 months or until the cancer worsens. If participants have a metastatic tumour, they will also be given 3 doses of radiotherapy in one week. This radiotherapy will be received 4 weeks after the initial radiotherapy is completed.

Safety blood tests will be collected throughout the study (every two weeks from week 2 of treatment and then every four weeks from week 9 throughout the treatment and at other times if clinically indicated). CT scans to evaluate the response to treatment will be done every 6 weeks up to week 24 of treatment and then every 12 weeks or until the cancer worsens. Study participants will also be asked to complete some questionnaires about their wellbeing and nutritional status periodically throughout the study.

It is hoped that this trial can help determine if this chemotherapy with immune therapy and radiotherapy combination is effective in increasing the ability of the body's immune system to prevent worsening of the cancer and improve swallowing.

Conditions

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Esophageal Cancer

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NA

Intervention Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Treatment

Participants will receive 2 weeks of therapy with concurrent hypofractionated radiotherapy (30Gy/10#), weekly carboplatin (AUC2), weekly paclitaxel (50mg/m2) and durvalumab (1500mg) intravenously every 4 weeks, followed by durvalumab monotherapy continuing at 1500mg intravenously every 4 weeks until disease progression or 24 months of therapy. One to five metastases will be treated with stereotactic radiotherapy (24Gy/3#) 4 weeks after the completion of the chemoradiotherapy to the primary tumour. Monitoring of adherence to treatment will be done by attendance at booked appointments

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Durvalumab

Intervention Type DRUG

Durvalumab will be supplied by AstraZeneca as a 500 mg vial concentrate for solution for infusion. The solution contains 50 mg/mL durvalumab, 26 mM histidine/histidine-hydrochloride, 275 mM trehalose dihydrate, and 0.02% weight/volume (w/v) polysorbate 80; it has a pH of 6.0 and density of 1.054 g/mL. The label-claim volume is 10 mL.

Durvalumab is a sterile, clear to opalescent, colorless to slightly yellow solution, free from visible particles.

Investigational product vials are stored at 2°C to 8°C and must not be frozen. Investigational product must be kept in original packaging until use to prevent prolonged light exposure.

Interventions

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Durvalumab

Durvalumab will be supplied by AstraZeneca as a 500 mg vial concentrate for solution for infusion. The solution contains 50 mg/mL durvalumab, 26 mM histidine/histidine-hydrochloride, 275 mM trehalose dihydrate, and 0.02% weight/volume (w/v) polysorbate 80; it has a pH of 6.0 and density of 1.054 g/mL. The label-claim volume is 10 mL.

Durvalumab is a sterile, clear to opalescent, colorless to slightly yellow solution, free from visible particles.

Investigational product vials are stored at 2°C to 8°C and must not be frozen. Investigational product must be kept in original packaging until use to prevent prolonged light exposure.

Intervention Type DRUG

Other Intervention Names

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Imfinzi

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Males and females \> 18 years of age.
2. Biopsy proven adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus or gastro-oesophageal junction
3. Oligometastatic disease (1-5 lesions outside the primary tumour radiotherapy field on FDG-PET scan), or locoregionally advanced disease unsuitable for either surgical resection or radical chemoradiotherapy
4. Symptomatic dysphagia (Mellow score greater than 0)
5. ECOG performance status 0-2
6. Anticipated life expectancy of greater than 12 weeks.
7. Body weight of greater than 30kg.
8. Adequate bone marrow function, with values within the ranges specified below. Blood transfusions are permissible.

1. White blood cell count greater than or equal to 2 x (10 to the power of 9)/L
2. Absolute neutrophil count greater than or equal to 1.5 x (10 to the power of 9)/L
3. Platelets greater than or equal to 100 x (10 to the power of 9)/L
4. Haemoglobin greater than or equal to 90g/L
9. Adequate liver function, with values within the ranges specified below:

1. Alanine transferase less than or equal to 2.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN)
2. Aspartate transferase less than or equal to 2.5 x ULN
3. Total bilirubin less than or equal to 1.5 x ULN (except patients with Gilbert's Syndrome, who can have total bilirubin less than or equal to 5 x ULN)
10. Adequate renal function, with values within the ranges specified below. Note that an estimated renal function of greater than 125mL/min by the Cockroft-Gault formula must not be used for carboplatin dosing, and must instead be determined using a direct method.

1. Serum creatinine less than or equal to 1.5 x ULN
2. Creatinine clearance (CrCl) greater than or equal to 40 mL/min using Cockroft-Gault formula
11. Tumour tissue (formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded) should be available for PD-L1 and mismatch repair (MMR) protein expression and can be provided as a block or slides (archival tissue is acceptable). Blocks prepared from cytological samples, where tumour cell number is sufficient, are also acceptable. Patients will not be selected by PD-L1 or MMR status.
12. Willing and able to comply with all study requirements, including treatment, timing and/or nature of required assessments.
13. Signed, written and informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

1. Bulky or organ-threatening metastatic disease requiring upfront higher dose chemotherapy in the judgement of the treating clinician.
2. Known tumour HER2 positivity (IHC 2+ or more and HER2 gene amplification on in situ hybridisation) if oligometastatic disease.
3. Previous systemic therapy for oesophageal or GOJ carcinoma.
4. Previous thoracic radiotherapy. Prior palliative radiotherapy to bony metastases is permitted.
5. Esophageal stent in situ.
6. Known tracheo-oesophageal fistula.
7. Known leptomeningeal or brain metastases.
8. Major surgical procedure (as defined by the Investigator) within 28 days prior to first day of study treatment. Note: Local surgery of isolated lesions for palliative intent is permitted.
9. History of another malignancy within the last 3 years, with the exception of adequately treated non-melanomatous skin cancer, carcinoma in situ and superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.
10. Prior therapy with an anti-PD1, anti-PD-L1, anti-PD-L2, anti-CTLA-4 antibody, or any other antibody or drug specifically targeting T cell co-stimulation or immune checkpoint pathways.
11. Sensory neuropathy of grade 2 or higher severity per CTCAE v5.0.
12. History of allergy or hypersensitivity to study drug components, or other contraindications to any of the study drugs. Active or prior documented autoimmune disorders (including inflammatory bowel disease \[e.g., ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease\], systemic lupus erythematosus, Sarcoidosis syndrome, or Wegener syndrome \[granulomatosis with polyangiitis\], Graves' disease, rheumatoid arthritis, hypophysitis, uveitis, etc). Patients with the following conditions are exceptions to this criterion:

1. Vitiligo or alopecia.
2. Hypothyroidism (e.g., following Hashimoto syndrome) stable on thyroid hormone replacement.
3. Any chronic skin condition (e.g. psoriasis) that does not require systemic therapy.
4. Type 1 diabetes mellitus.
5. Coeliac disease controlled by diet alone.

Patients without active autoimmune disease in the last 5 years may also be included but only after consultation with the Chief Principal Investigators.
13. Any condition requiring continuous systemic treatment with either regular corticosteroids (\>10mg daily prednisone or equivalent dose of an alternative corticosteroid) or other immunosuppressive medications within 14 days of study drug administration. Intranasal, inhaled or topical steroids, and adrenal replacement steroid doses \>10mg daily oral prednisone equivalent, are permitted in the absence of active autoimmune disease.
14. Positive test for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) indicating acute or chronic infection. Participants with a past or resolved HBV infection (defined as the presence of anti-HBc and absence of HBsAg) are eligible.
15. Positive test for hepatitis C virus antibody (HCV antibody) , unless polymerase chain reaction is negative for HCV RNA.
16. History of other significant, or active, infection, including HIV or tuberculosis (TB). HIV testing is not mandatory unless clinically indicated. Clinical evaluation for active TB may include clinical history, physical examination and radiographic findings, or tuberculosis testing in line with local practice.
17. Receipt of a transplanted solid organ (kidney, liver, heart or lung) or of an allogeneic bone marrow transplant.
18. Receipt of a live attenuated vaccine within 30 days prior to registration.
19. Use of alternative or traditional medicines within 14 days prior to registration.
20. Uncontrolled intercurrent illness, including but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, interstitial lung disease, serious chronic gastrointestinal conditions associated with diarrhea, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirement, substantially increase risk of incurring adverse events or compromise the ability of the patient to give written informed consent.
21. Pregnancy, lactation, or inadequate contraception. Women must be post-menopausal, infertile, or use a reliable means of contraception to avoid pregnancy for 90 days after the last dose of durvalumab. Women of childbearing potential must have a negative pregnancy test within 24 hours prior to trial registration. Men must have been surgically sterilized or use a double barrier method of contraception if they are sexually active with a woman of childbearing potential for a period of 180 days after the last dose of durvalumab and chemotherapy, or 90 days after the last dose of durvalumab monotherapy (whichever is the longer time period). Sperm donation is not permitted for 180 days after the last dose of durvalumab and chemotherapy, or 90 days after the last dose of durvalumab monotherapy (whichever is the longer time period).
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Australasian Gastro-Intestinal Trials Group

NETWORK

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Fiona Day, Dr

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Calvary Mater Newcastle

Jared Martin, Professor

Role: STUDY_CHAIR

Calvary Mater Newcastle

Locations

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Canberra Hospital

Garran, Australian Capital Territory, Australia

Site Status NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Border Medical Oncology

Albury, New South Wales, Australia

Site Status ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING

Calvary Mater Newcastle

Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital

Herston, Queensland, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Flinders Medical Centre

Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

St Vincent's Hospital

Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital

Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia

Site Status RECRUITING

Auckland Hospital

Grafton, Auckland, New Zealand

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Australia New Zealand

Central Contacts

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Miriam Roesner

Role: CONTACT

02 7208 2727

Sukanya Sathyamurthie

Role: CONTACT

02 7208 2719

Facility Contacts

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Tze Jian Chin

Role: primary

5124 5288

Kim Adler

Role: primary

Jacqui Keller

Role: primary

Aleksandra Kuruni, Dr

Role: primary

Nadia Ranieri

Role: primary

Shandelle Norman

Role: primary

Aylin Yahya

Role: primary

Sophie Goodger

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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PALEO

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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