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Testing the Addition of the Immunotherapy Drug, Pembrolizumab, to Radiation Therapy Compared to the Usual Chemotherapy Treatment During Radiation Therapy for Bladder Cancer, PARRC Trial

  • PhasePhase 2
  • StatusRecruiting
  • Planned enrollment160 people
  • Recruiting US sites142
  • SponsorNational Cancer Institute (NCI)
  • RegistryNCT06770582

Recruitment re-checked on ClinicalTrials.gov Oct 30, 2026. Public record; not medical advice.

Testing the Addition of the Immunotherapy Drug, Pembrolizumab, to Radiation Therapy Compared to the Usual Chemotherapy Treatment During Radiation Therapy for Bladder Cancer, PARRC Trial: a one-minute explainerNCT067705821 min

Eligibility

Who can join

The film gives the main points. The full list below is copied from the registry; the study team makes the final decision.

  • Age18 Years to no maximum
  • SexAll
  • Healthy volunteersNo

You may be able to join if

  • Pathologically (histologically) proven diagnosis of T1 high-grade non-muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder without radiographic evidence of regional nodal disease or metastatic disease (N0, M0) on CT, MRI, or positron emission tomography (PET)/CT scan who would otherwise be treated with cystectomy off-trial. Patients should have cystectomy recommended disease but do not need to be medically operable for a cystectomy to be eligible for the trial.
  • NOTE: Patients with nodal disease ≥ 1 cm on short-axis or with suspicious nodes that are PET-avid of any size are not eligible
  • High grade T1 disease history that must meet at least ONE of the three criteria below:
  • Histologically confirmed recurrence with high-grade T1 urothelial carcinoma (+/- focal carcinoma in situ [CIS]) in the bladder following initial transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and at least one induction course of intravesical therapy. Adequate induction course is defined as ≥ 5 doses of intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) or intravesical chemotherapy when BCG is not available.
  • T1 with pathologic high-risk features (lymphovascular invasion [LVI] or variant histology of micropapillary, sarcomatoid, or plasmacytoid features) post initial TURBT. (No prior intravesical therapy required)
  • Persistent high-grade T1 urothelial carcinoma at repeat TURBT (+/- focal CIS) in the bladder. (No prior intravesical therapy required)
  • Restaging TURBT must be performed and must meet ALL of the following criteria below:
  • If there is absence of muscularis propria in the initial TURBT, there must be uninvolved muscularis propria in the restaging TURBT.
  • All grossly visible papillary tumors must be removed
  • Note: If the restaging TURBT is performed outside of the enrolling institution, an office cystoscopy should be performed by a Urologist who will be following the patient as part of the clinical trial
  • No pure squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma of the bladder
  • No neuroendocrine (small or large cell) features
  • No diffuse carcinoma in situ determined on cystoscopy and biopsy (i.e. extensive carcinoma in situ that is not just tumor-associated CIS in the opinion of the site investigator)
  • No prostatic urethral involvement
  • Age ≥ 18
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-2
  • Negative urine or serum pregnancy test (in persons of childbearing potential) within 14 days prior to registration. Childbearing potential is defined as any person who has experienced menarche and who has not undergone surgical sterilization (hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy), tubal ligation or who is not postmenopausal
  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500 cells/mm^3
  • Platelets ≥ 100,000 cells/mm^3
  • Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dl (Note: The use of transfusion or other intervention to achieve hemoglobin [Hgb] ≥ 9 g/dl is acceptable)
  • Adequate renal function defined as creatinine clearance (CrCL) of ≥ 30 mL/min by the Cockcroft-Gault formula, ≤ 1.5 × upper limit of normal (ULN) or creatinine levels > 1.5 × institutional ULN
  • Total bilirubin ≤ institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) (Not applicable to patients with known Gilbert's syndrome)
  • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase [SGOT]) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase [SGPT]) ≤ 3 x institutional ULN
  • All adverse events of their most recent therapy/intervention must have resolved to < grade 3 or returned to baseline prior to registration
  • No history of pelvic radiation therapy
  • No prior systemic chemotherapy or immunotherapy for urothelial carcinoma. Prior treatment with local intravesical therapy including BCG or chemotherapy is allowed
  • No prior treatment with anti-PD-1, anti PD-L1, anti PD-L2 or anti-CTLA4 antibody or any other antibody or drug targeting T-cell co-stimulation
  • No live vaccine administered within 30 days of registration. All non live vaccines (including the coronavirus disease [COVID] vaccine) are allowed at any time during the study. Timing should minimize confusion with drug-related toxicities where possible
  • Patients must have recovered from acute cardiac illness
  • New York Heart Association Functional Classification II or better (New York Heart Association [NYHA] Functional Classification III/IV are not eligible) (Note: Patients with known history or current symptoms of cardiac disease, or history of treatment with cardiotoxic agents, should have a clinical risk assessment of cardiac function using the New York Heart Association Functional Classification.)
  • No active infection requiring IV antibiotics
  • No active autoimmune disease that required systemic treatment in the past 2 years (i.e., with use of disease modifying agents, corticosteroids, or immunosuppressive drugs). Replacement therapy (e.g., thyroxine, insulin, or physiologic corticosteroid replacement therapy for adrenal or pituitary insufficiency, etc.) is not considered a form of systemic treatment
  • No history of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, organizing pneumonia, (non-infectious) pneumonitis that required steroids or current pneumonitis
  • No history of allogeneic bone marrow transplant or prior solid organ transplant
  • No active tuberculosis
  • No evidence of hydronephrosis
  • No history of upper tract urothelial carcinoma within 24 months of registration
  • No patients with a prior diagnosis of prostate cancer who have not received definitive treatment for their prostate cancer (e.g. on active surveillance)
  • Patients with a prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatment does not have the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen are eligible for this trial
  • No glucocorticoids except physiologic doses are allowed. The use of doses of corticosteroids (defined as 10 mg prednisone or equivalent) is acceptable
  • No history of allergic reaction to the drug excipients

The treatment

How it is intended to work

This is how the treatment is meant to work. Whether it helps, and how safe it is, is what this trial is testing.

pembrolizumab. A humanized monoclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) G4 antibody directed against human cell surface receptor PD-1 (programmed death-1 or programmed cell death-1) with potential immune checkpoint inhibitory and antineoplastic activities. Upon administration, pembrolizumab binds to PD-1, an inhibitory signaling receptor expressed on the surface of activated T cells, and blocks the binding to and activation of PD-1 by its ligands, which results in the activation of T-cell-mediated immune responses against tumor cells. The ligands for PD-1 include programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), overexpressed on certain cancer cells, and programmed cell death ligand 2 (PD-L2), which is primarily expressed on APCs. Activated PD-1 negatively regulates T-cell activation and plays a key role in in tumor evasion from host immunity. NCI Drug Dictionary

Treatments listed in the registry

  • Biospecimen Collection (Procedure): Undergo blood and urine sample collection
  • Cisplatin (Drug): Given IV
  • Computed Tomography (Procedure): Undergo CT
  • Fluorouracil (Drug): Given IV
  • Gemcitabine (Drug): Given IV
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (Procedure): Undergo MRI
  • Mitomycin (Drug): Given IV
  • Pembrolizumab (Biological): Given IV
  • Questionnaire Administration (Other): Ancillary studies
  • Radiation Therapy (Radiation): Undergo radiation therapy

The study

Treatment groups

Randomized · Parallel · masking: None

Arm 1 (Chemotherapy and radiation) (Active Comparator)

Patients receive one of the following chemotherapy regimens per physicians choice: 1) cisplatin IV once per week for 4 weeks, 2) gemcitabine IV on days 1, 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, 22, and 25, or 3) mitomycin IV on day 1 and 5-fluorouracil IV continuously over 120 hours on days 1-5 and 16-20. Patients receiving cisplatin or gemcitabine continue chemotherapy for 6 weeks if they are receiving radiation according to the standard hypofractionated radiation schedule. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

Arm 2 (Pembrolizumab and radiation) (Experimental)

Patients receive pembrolizumab IV over 25-40 minutes on day 1 of each cycle. Cycles repeat every 6 weeks for 9 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Starting on day 1, patients also receive radiation therapy for 20, 32, or 36 treatments over 4-7 weeks. Treatment is given in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also undergo CT/MRI and blood sample collection throughout the study. Patients may also undergo optional urine sample collection on study.

What it involves

Procedures

As the registry describes them. Requirements to join, such as a tissue sample, are in the eligibility list above even when on-study procedures are optional. Ask the study team which steps apply to you.

  • blood samples: Part of the study plan
  • CT scans: Part of the study plan
  • MRI: Part of the study plan
  • questionnaires: Part of the study plan
  • radiation: Part of the study plan

Goals

What the study measures

Main goals

  • Bladder intact event-free survival (BIEFS) (Up to 5 years)
  • Global quality of life (Up to 5 years)

Other goals

  • Complete response by cystoscopy
  • Disease free survival
  • Local-regional control
  • Metastasis free survival
  • Overall survival
  • Quality of life
  • Incidence of adverse events (AE)
  • Bladder specific quality of life

Planned enrollment: 160 (estimated).

Where

Recruiting US sites

  • Banner University Medical Center - Tucson, Tucson, Arizona
  • Highlands Oncology Group - Fayetteville, Fayetteville, Arkansas
  • Highlands Oncology Group - Rogers, Rogers, Arkansas
  • Highlands Oncology Group, Springdale, Arkansas
  • AIS Cancer Center at San Joaquin Community Hospital, Bakersfield, California
  • UCI Health - Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care, Irvine, California
  • Los Angeles General Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
  • USC / Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, California
  • UC Irvine Health/Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Orange, California
  • Shaw Cancer Center, Edwards, Colorado
  • Helen F Graham Cancer Center, Newark, Delaware
  • Medical Oncology Hematology Consultants PA, Newark, Delaware
  • Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center at Aventura, Aventura, Florida
  • UF Health Cancer Institute - Gainesville, Gainesville, Florida
  • Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Florida
  • Grady Health System, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Emory Proton Therapy Center, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Emory University Hospital Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Emory University Hospital/Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia
  • Rush MD Anderson Cancer Center, Chicago, Illinois
  • Carle at The Riverfront, Danville, Illinois
  • Cancer Care Specialists of Illinois - Decatur, Decatur, Illinois
  • Decatur Memorial Hospital, Decatur, Illinois
  • Carle Physician Group-Effingham, Effingham, Illinois
  • Crossroads Cancer Center, Effingham, Illinois
  • Carle Physician Group-Mattoon/Charleston, Mattoon, Illinois
  • Carle BroMenn Medical Center, Normal, Illinois
  • Carle Cancer Institute Normal, Normal, Illinois
  • HSHS Saint Elizabeth's Hospital, O'Fallon, Illinois
  • Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois
  • Springfield Clinic, Springfield, Illinois
  • Springfield Memorial Hospital, Springfield, Illinois
  • Carle Cancer Center, Urbana, Illinois
  • Mary Greeley Medical Center, Ames, Iowa
  • McFarland Clinic - Ames, Ames, Iowa
  • UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - Ankeny Clinic, Ankeny, Iowa
  • Mercy Cancer Center-West Lakes, Clive, Iowa
  • UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - West Des Moines Clinic, Clive, Iowa
  • Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Des Moines, Iowa
  • UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - Des Moines Clinic, Des Moines, Iowa
  • Broadlawns Medical Center, Des Moines, Iowa
  • Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines, Des Moines, Iowa
  • UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - Laurel Clinic, Des Moines, Iowa
  • UI Healthcare Mission Cancer and Blood - Pella, Pella, Iowa
  • UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - Waukee Clinic, Waukee, Iowa
  • The Iowa Clinic PC, West Des Moines, Iowa
  • University of Kansas Cancer Center, Kansas City, Kansas
  • University of Kansas Cancer Center-Overland Park, Overland Park, Kansas
  • University of Kansas Hospital-Indian Creek Campus, Overland Park, Kansas
  • University of Kansas Hospital-Westwood Cancer Center, Westwood, Kansas
  • Louisiana Hematology Oncology Associates LLC, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
  • Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center - Gonzales, Gonzales, Louisiana
  • Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center - Metairie, Metairie, Louisiana
  • Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, Massachusetts
  • Trinity Health Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • Trinity Health Medical Center - Brighton, Brighton, Michigan
  • Trinity Health Medical Center - Canton, Canton, Michigan
  • Chelsea Hospital, Chelsea, Michigan
  • Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, Michigan
  • West Michigan Cancer Center, Kalamazoo, Michigan
  • University of Michigan Health - Sparrow Lansing, Lansing, Michigan
  • Trinity Health Saint Mary Mercy Livonia Hospital, Livonia, Michigan
  • Michigan Healthcare Professionals Pontiac, Pontiac, Michigan
  • Trinity Health Saint Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital, Pontiac, Michigan
  • University of Michigan Health - West, Wyoming, Michigan
  • Essentia Health Saint Joseph's Medical Center, Brainerd, Minnesota
  • Essentia Health - Deer River Clinic, Deer River, Minnesota
  • Essentia Health Cancer Center, Duluth, Minnesota
  • Essentia Health Saint Mary's Medical Center, Duluth, Minnesota
  • Miller-Dwan Hospital, Duluth, Minnesota
  • Essentia Health Hibbing Clinic, Hibbing, Minnesota
  • Essentia Health Sandstone, Sandstone, Minnesota
  • Essentia Health Virginia Clinic, Virginia, Minnesota
  • Saint Francis Medical Center, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
  • Parkland Health Center - Farmington, Farmington, Missouri
  • University of Kansas Cancer Center - Briarcliff, Kansas City, Missouri
  • University of Kansas Cancer Center - North, Kansas City, Missouri
  • University of Kansas Cancer Center - Lee's Summit, Lee's Summit, Missouri
  • Lake Regional Hospital, Osage Beach, Missouri
  • Sainte Genevieve County Memorial Hospital, Sainte Genevieve, Missouri
  • Mercy Hospital South, St Louis, Missouri
  • Missouri Baptist Medical Center, St Louis, Missouri
  • Mercy Hospital Saint Louis, St Louis, Missouri
  • Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital, Sullivan, Missouri
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge, Basking Ridge, New Jersey
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth, Middletown, New Jersey
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen, Montvale, New Jersey
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Commack, Commack, New York
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Westchester, Harrison, New York
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Nassau, Uniondale, New York
  • UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
  • Riverside Methodist Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
  • Grant Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio
  • Doctors Hospital, Columbus, Ohio
  • Dublin Methodist Hospital, Dublin, Ohio
  • OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital, Mansfield, Ohio
  • OhioHealth Marion General Hospital, Marion, Ohio
  • University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
  • Christiana Care Health System-Concord Health Center, Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania
  • Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, Pennsylvania
  • Geisinger Cancer Center Dickson City, Dickson City, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Erie, Erie, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC Cancer Center at UPMC Horizon, Farrell, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC Cancer Centers - Arnold Palmer Pavilion, Greensburg, Pennsylvania
  • Penn State Milton S Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, Pennsylvania
  • Geisinger Medical Oncology-Lewisburg, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC Cancer Center - Monroeville, Monroeville, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC Hillman Cancer Center - Monroeville, Monroeville, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC Hillman Cancer Center - New Castle, New Castle, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC-Magee Womens Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC-Saint Margaret, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC-Shadyside Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC-Passavant Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC Cancer Center at UPMC Northwest, Seneca, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC Cancer Center-Washington, Washington, Pennsylvania
  • UPMC Washington Hospital Radiation Oncology, Washington, Pennsylvania
  • Geisinger Wyoming Valley/Henry Cancer Center, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
  • Central Vermont Medical Center/National Life Cancer Treatment, Berlin Corners, Vermont
  • University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, Vermont
  • University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, Burlington, Vermont
  • University of Virginia Cancer Center, Charlottesville, Virginia
  • Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center, Mechanicsville, Virginia
  • Bon Secours Saint Francis Medical Center, Midlothian, Virginia
  • Bon Secours Saint Mary's Hospital, Richmond, Virginia
  • Bon Secours Cancer Institute at Reynolds Crossing, Richmond, Virginia
  • VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Richmond, Virginia
  • VCU Community Memorial Health Center, South Hill, Virginia
  • West Virginia University Healthcare, Morgantown, West Virginia
  • Ascension Northeast Wisconsin-Saint Elizabeth Cancer Center-Appleton, Appleton, Wisconsin
  • Duluth Clinic Ashland, Ashland, Wisconsin
  • Northwest Wisconsin Cancer Center, Ashland, Wisconsin
  • Ascension Southeast Wisconsin Hospital-Elmbrook Campus-Brookfield, Brookfield, Wisconsin
  • Ascension Calumet Hospital-Chilton, Chilton, Wisconsin
  • Ascension Columbia Saint Mary's Hospital-Ozaukee Campus-Mequon, Mequon, Wisconsin
  • Ascension Columbia Saint Mary's Hospital-Milwaukee Campus, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Ascension All Saints Hospital-Spring Street-Racine, Racine, Wisconsin
  • Ascension Southeast Wisconsin Hospital-Mayfair Road-Wauwatosa, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
  • Marshfield Medical Center - Weston, Weston, Wisconsin

1 recruiting sites outside the US. Site status as of Oct 30, 2026. Check the live record before contacting a site.

Sources

Where this comes from

Registry record reviewed as fetched Oct 30, 2026, last updated by the sponsor Oct 18, 2026. Public record; not medical advice.

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