This phase II trial studies the effect of adding pembrolizumab to gemcitabine in treating patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer whose cancer does not respond to Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) treatment. Chemotherapy drugs, such as gemcitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the patient's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Adding pembrolizumab to gemcitabine may delay the return of BCG-unresponsive bladder cancer for longer period compared to gemcitabine alone.
Principal Investigator
Chethan Ramamurthy
Regulatory Point of Contact
Frances Crawford
(210) 450-5037
crawfordf1@uthscsa.edu
Regulatory Point of Contact
Sonia Creighton
(210) 450-1366
creighton@uthscsa.edu
Regulatory Point of Contact
Patricia Devore
(210) 450-1233
devore@uthscsa.edu
Regulatory Point of Contact
Myrna Montenegro
(210) 450-5954
montenegro@uthscsa.edu
Regulatory Point of Contact
Courtney Nichols
(210) 450-1794
nicholsc2@uthscsa.edu
Regulatory Point of Contact
Chethan Ramamurthy
(210) 450-1667
ramamurthyc@uthscsa.edu
Regulatory Point of Contact
Mailbox Ctrc Regulatory Affairs
regaffapp@uthscsa.edu
Regulatory Point of Contact
Regulatory Staff
regaffstaff@uthscsa.edu
Regulatory Point of Contact
Kathleen Rodriguez
(210) 450-1365
rodriguezk3@uthscsa.edu
Regulatory Point of Contact
Benjamin Schleif
(210) 450-1366
schleifb@uthscsa.edu
Regulatory Point of Contact
Morgan Seekatz
(210) 450-1133
seekatz@uthscsa.edu
Arm | Description | Intervention |
---|---|---|
Treatment (pembrolizumab, gemcitabine hydrochloride) | INDUCTION: Patients receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of cycles 1-4. Patients also receive gemcitabine hydrochloride intravesically on days 1, 8 and 15 of cycles 1 and 2. Treatment repeats every 3 weeks for 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. MAINTENANCE: Beginning cycle 5, patients with no evidence of disease after induction receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes and gemcitabine intravesically on day 1. Treatment repeats every 3 weeks for 12 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. | Given intravesically Other names:
Given IV Other names:
|