Phase II Multicentric Study of Pembrolizumab in Classic or Endemic Kaposi's Sarcoma
Status:
Unknown status
Trial end date:
2020-09-20
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Classic and endemic Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) are lymphangio-proliferations associated with human
herpes virus 8 (HHV8), which treatment is poorly codified. Chemotherapies give at best 30-60%
of transient responses. While interferon responses are frequent, this drug is often poorly
tolerated in elderly patients. Therefore new therapies are needed. Classic KS represents an
ideal model for evaluating new drugs since patients do not receive concomitant
immunosuppressive regimens nor antiviral therapies.
Pembrolizumab, an anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody has recently been shown to improve survival in
several solid tumors. In KS few data are available on the role of PD1-PD-L1 axis. A
significant PD-L1 expression on HHV8-associated pleural effusion lymphomas and on KS samples
have been recently reported. Our experience in classical and endemic KS supports the role of
this pathway with expression of PD-L1 by subpopulations of T cells but also NK cells in
peripheral blood cells from these patients and expression of PD-L1 by tumor cells in KS
lesions.
In this study we will evaluate the benefit and safety profile of pembrolizumab in classic and
endemic KS.