
"Health wise I am feeling great. I am a big supporter of trials - it allows new treatments and drugs to be brought in.”
This trial is looking at pembrolizumab for prostate cancer that has spread and hormone treatment is no longer working.
It is for men with prostate cancer that has spread and getting worse despite having hormones or surgery to remove the testicles. This is castration resistant metastatic prostate cancer.
Pembrolizumab is an . It works by stimulating the
to attack cancer cells. It does this by blocking a protein called PD-1 on the
of the immune system. By blocking PD-1, pembrolizumab triggers the T-cells to find and kill cancer cells.
Doctors use pembrolizumab to treat some cancer types. Researchers think they could use it to treat prostate cancer.
In this trial everyone has pembrolizumab.
The main aim of the trial is to find out how well pembrolizumab works for castration resistant metastatic prostate cancer.
The following bullet points list the entry conditions for this trial. Talk to your doctor or the trial team if you are unsure about any of these. They will be able to advise you.
Who can take part
You may be able to join this trial if all of the following apply. You:
Who can’t take part
You cannot join this trial if any of these apply.
Cancer related
You:
Medical conditions
You cannot join this trial if any of these apply. You:
Other
You cannot join this trial if you have a within 4 weeks of starting trial treatment. You can have vaccines that aren't live such as COVID-19.
This is a phase 2 trial. The trial team need about 100 people to join. Everyone gets pembrolizumab.
You have pembrolizumab as a drip into a vein. You have it every 3 weeks. You continue having pembrolizumab as long as it is working and the side effects aren’t too bad.
Research samples
You give tissue samples and blood samples when you join the trial and during.
You give a cheek swab when you join. To do this the research nurse uses a brush to wipe the inside of your cheek.
You see the doctor to have tests before taking part. These tests include:
During treatment you see the doctor every 3 weeks for blood tests. Every 12 weeks you have a CT scan or an MRI scan and a bone scan.
At the end of treatment you see the doctor or nurse for:
If you stopped treatment because your cancer was getting worse the team will ask for a tissue sample. You don’t have to agree to this.
A month after the end of treatment you see the doctor to see how you are and for blood tests.
You then see the doctor every 12 weeks for 2 years.
The trial team monitor you during treatment and afterwards. Contact your advice line or tell your doctor or nurse if any side effects are bad or not getting better.
Pembrolizumab can affect the immune system. It may cause inflammation in different parts of the body which can cause serious side effects. They could happen during treatment, or some months after treatment has finished. Rarely, these side effects could be life threatening.
If you have any of these side effects, you should tell the doctor or nurse as soon as possible that you are on or have been on an immunotherapy.
The common side effects of pembrolizumab are:
We have more information about pembrolizumab.
Your doctor or a member of the trial team will talk to you about the side effects of pembrolizumab before you agree to take part.
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Professor Johann de Bono
Institute of Cancer Research (ICR)
Merck, Sharp & Dohme
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
"Health wise I am feeling great. I am a big supporter of trials - it allows new treatments and drugs to be brought in.”