3563 - BISQUIT: A Randomized Phase II Study of the Administration of Prebiotics and Probiotics During Definitive Treatment With Chemotherapy-radiotherapy for Patients With Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Anal Canal

Background

The standard treatment for patients (pts) with localized squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (SCCAC) is chemoradiation (ChRT). Yet nearly 30% of patients are not cured and undergo salvage anorectal amputation. SCCAC is mostly a virus-associated tumor and thus potentially immunogenic. In fact, immune checkpoint inhibitors are promising in trials of metastatic SCCAC. Recently, studies have shown that the composition of the intestinal microbiota influences response to immunotherapy in some solid tumors, and the replacement of the intestinal "carcinogenic" by a protective microbiota has led to investigations with prebiotics and probiotics (PreProbiotics). Yet, there are no studies on the use of these agents in SCCAC. Thus we are conducting a randomized phase II study to test the efficacy of PreProbiotics during definitive ChRT aiming to improve the cure rate of pts with localized SCCAC.

Trial design

Randomized open label parallel phase II trial, where eligible pts will be randomized 1:1 to receive PreProbiotics starting one week prior to ChRT and throughout treatment until response evaluation at 6 to 8 weeks post ChRT or conventional ChRT. Eligible pts are ≥ 18 years, with histologically confirmed SCCAC, localized disease (≥ T2N0M0), indication to start definitive ChRT; HIV seropositive pts are eligible. Pts with active infection requiring antibiotics will be excluded. Primary endpoint: complete clinical and radiological response (CR) at 6 to 8 weeks post ChRT. Secondary endpoints: CR at 6 months, progression free survival, colostomy-free survival, metabolic response measured by 18-FDG PET-CT (baseline and at 6-8 weeks), toxicity, incidence of HPV in tumor tissues. All pts will have the following biological samples collected for correlative studies at baseline, 6-8 weeks and 6 months post ChRT: blood samples for circulating tumor DNA, inflammatory cytokines, anal/rectal swabs and feces to evaluate microbiota. Sample size assumptions: the H0 is CR at week 6 - 8 of 70% and H1, 90%; with a type I error of 10%, power of 80% and attrition rate of 10%, the final sample size is 75 patients.

Clinical trial identification

NCT03870607.

Editorial acknowledgement

Legal entity responsible for the study

Rachel Riechelmann.

Funding

AC Camargo Cancer Center.

Disclosure

All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.