A Phase I Dose-Escalation Clinical Trial of Bronchoscopic Cryoimmunotherapy in Advanced-Stage NSCLC
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Clinical Trial
Abstract: Introduction: Outcomes for NSCLC remain suboptimal. Recent data suggest that cryoablation can generate antitumor immune effects. In this first-in-human phase I clinical trial, we investigated the safety and feasibility of bronchoscopic cryoimmunotherapy (BCI) delivered during standard-of-care bronchoscopy and explored associated systemic immune responses. Methods: Subjects with known or suspected advanced-stage NSCLC were recruited. BCI was delivered in dose-escalated freeze-thaw cycles to determine maximum dose tolerance. Feasibility assessment was determined with a pre-set goal of achieving successful BCI in more than or equal to 80% of subjects. Safety was assessed by review of BCI-related complications, including grades 2 to 3 bleeding, pneumothorax requiring intervention, and National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events grade 3 to 5 adverse events. Pre- and post-BCI blood samples were collected to explore changes in the systemic immune profile. Results: Subjects with predominantly clinical TNM stage 3 or 4 adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma were enrolled. We reached the maximum dose of 30 seconds with 100% feasibility and no BCI-related adverse events. In peripheral blood analysis, we observed a significant decrease in derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in the high-dose BCI group in comparison to the low-dose BCI cohort. We also observed increases in inflammatory cytokines-GM-CSF, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-17A, and IL-2-and effector memory T cells post-BCI. Conclusion: BCI is safe and feasible. In addition, we provide preliminary evidence that at higher dose levels there is a systemic immune response consistent with a cytotoxic profile. Further immune analyses will determine the potential of BCI as an adjunctive therapy in combination with immune checkpoint inhibition in NSCLC treatment.
Authors: Jun-Chieh J. Tsay, Antonio Velez, Destiny Collazo, Isaac Laniado, Jamie Bessich, Vivek Murthy, Andrew DeMaio, Samaan Rafeq, Benjamin Kwok, Fares Darawshy, Ray Pillai, Kendrew Wong, Yonghua Li, Rosemary Schluger, Alena Lukovnikova, Sofia Roldan, Matt Blaisdell, Fernanda Paz, Kelsey Krolikowski, Katherine Gershner, Yong Liu, Judy Gong, Sara Borghi, Fang Zhou, Aristotelis Tsirigos, Harvey Pass, Leopoldo N. Segal, Daniel H. Sterman
Language: English
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,000
OpenAlex ID: W4410398331