Immunotherapy and Radiation Therapy: Treating Mesothelioma with Avelumab and SBRT
Status: Recruiting
Type: Pleural, Peritoneal Mesothelioma
Researchers are investigating the effectiveness of combining immunotherapy with stereotactic body radiation therapy. This study predicts that the drug avelumab and SBRT may help combat pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma.
Multimodal Therapy for Treating Mesothelioma
A clinical trial sponsored by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is studying the use of the drug avelumab and stereotactic body radiation therapy for treating mesothelioma. This trial anticipates that it will recruit about 36 participants.
Treatment Involved
-
Avelumab – is an immunotherapy drug. It works by blocking the protein PD-L1 that is expressed by tumor cells. PD-L1 binds with PD-1 and stops t-cells from attacking tumor cells. With PD-L1 inhibited, it allows antitumor cells to resume attacking cancer that’s inside a patient’s body.
-
Radiation – this trial will be using a form of radiation called Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). This type of radiation allows radiology oncologists to safely deliver high doses of radiation to a patient’s tumor directly. SBRT is thought to improve the cure rate of tumors better than standard radiation therapy.
Currently, this trial is recruiting in New Jersey and New York. It is expected to occur over a span of 3 years. Researchers plan that the study will conclude with a hopeful outcome in 2020.
Get Help Enrolling in This Trial

Reasons to get involved in this trial include:
- Receive proven life-extending treatment
- SBRT radiation is believed to be more effective than standard radiation therapy
- Dr. Rimmer, the lead investigator of the study, has years of experience treating mesothelioma patients

Free Mesothelioma Guide

Get the complete guide to fight mesothelioma.
In our free guide, you'll learn about:
- Top treatment for your diagnosis
- How you can live longer
- Ways survivors beat the odds
*Absolutely Free. No Credit Card Required. Free Shipping. Sent Overnight
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
SponsorAn Efficacy and Safety Study of Avelumab Plus SBRT in Malignant Mesothelioma (MPM)
Official TitleNCT03399552
Clinical Trial IDPleural, Peritoneal
Mesothelioma36
ParticipantsLocations
- New Jersey
- New York
Treating Mesothelioma with Avelumab and Radiation
During the trial, both pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma patients will participate in the receiving the FDA approved drug avelumab. Participants will also undergo SBRT.
Enrollees in the study will receive avelumab before they have SBRT treatment. Avelumab will be administered by an IV infusion every other week throughout the trial. After completing two doses of avelumab, patients will begin to experience short sessions of SBRT.
A typical SBRT session takes only 30 to 60 minutes. This form of radiation is usually completed over a span of 10 days. Many radiation oncologists have reported that their patients leave sessions free of pain and side effects.
Free Doctor Match
Sign up to get recommendations on the best mesothelioma doctors
Learn how Doctor Match Works:
- We learn about your unique diagnosis
- We connect with top doctors who can help
- We recommend the best doctor for you
Targeted Cancer Therapy: Is This Trial for You?
By using targeted cancer therapy, researchers will evaluate the safety of avelumab when combined with SBRT. They will also study the effect that radiation therapy can have on a patient’s immune system.
To be a successful candidate in this clinical trial, there are some criteria that a participant must meet.
Patient inclusions:
- Confirmed diagnosis of pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma
- No plans to participate in surgical removal of disease
- Participated in at least one round of first-line chemotherapy for mesothelioma
Patient exclusions:
- Receiving other investigational agents within 4 weeks of first treatment
- Previous participation in radiation therapy
- Treatment with a monoclonal antibody within 4 weeks of entering the study
- Participating in chemotherapy 3 weeks prior to study beginning
For more information about this study or any other recruiting clinical trials, please contact Mesothelioma Guide’s patient advocate Jenna Campagna. You can reach her at 888-385-2024 extension 102 or at jenna@mesotheliomaguide.com. You can even leave a message for Mesothelioma Guide via live chat now.
Meet the Lead Investigator
Head of the clinical trial is Dr. Andreas Rimner. Dr. Rimner is a radiation oncologist at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. He sees nearly 400 patients a year that have been diagnosed with thoracic cancers, including malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Read About Mesothelioma Survivors
Get our free survivors guide with inspiring stories of overcoming mesothelioma.
Learn More
Read Survivor Stories
Get our free survivors guide with inspiring stories of overcoming mesothelioma.
In our free survivors guide, you'll learn:
- How survivors of 10+ years outlived their prognosis
- Top treatments that survivors swear by
- Ways to improve your prognosis and quality of life
Jodi Page is a survivor of stage 2 epithelioid mesothelioma for over 17 years.

*Absolutely Free. No Credit Card Required. Free Shipping. Sent Overnight