
"I was delighted to take part in a clinical trial as it has the potential to really help others in the future.”
Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.
This trial is looking at giving pembrolizumab after having paclitaxel for women with ovarian cancer that has come back after treatment.
It is open to women who have:
Treatment for these cancers is the same. So when we use ovarian cancer in the summary we are referring to all 3 cancers.
When ovarian cancer comes back after initial treatment doctors can use chemotherapy to treat it. One chemotherapy drug they use is paclitaxel. After a with paclitaxel you see the doctor regularly but don’t have any further treatment.
Pembrolizumab is an drug. It works by stimulating the
to fight cancer. Pembrolizumab is already used to treat a number of different types of cancer.
Researchers think that pembrolizumab after paclitaxel might stop ovarian cancer getting worse or coming back. The main aim of the trial is to find out if it does.
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 you have one of the following cancers:
And all of the following apply. You:
Who can’t take part
Cancer related
You cannot join this trial if any of these apply. You:
Medical conditions
You cannot join this trial if any of these apply. You:
Other
You cannot join this trial if any of these apply. You:
This is a phase 2 trial. The team need 28 women to join.
You have pembrolizumab as a drip into a vein. You have it every 3 weeks. Each 3 week period is a cycle of treatment.
You continue having pembrolizumab for 2 years as long as it is helping and the side effects aren’t too bad.
Research samples
You give extra blood samples during the trial.
The team will ask for a piece of tissue from a previous tissue sample (biopsy). They will also take some extra fresh biopsies during the trial.
They will use these samples to find what effect pembrolizumab has on the cancer and how well it works.
You see the doctor to have some tests before taking part. These tests include:
You see the doctor every 3 weeks while having treatment. You have a CT scan at:
You see the doctor a month after you finish treatment and then every 3 months for at least 2 years.
During treatment if your cancer starts to grow you stop treatment. Then a member of the trial team will phone you every 3 months for at least 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 most 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 pembrolizumab and its side effects 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 Jonathan Ledermann
University College London (UCL)
Merck, Sharp & Dohme
Cancer Research UK & UCL Cancer Trials Centre
Freephone 0808 800 4040
"I was delighted to take part in a clinical trial as it has the potential to really help others in the future.”