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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 1INTERVENTIONAL

Role of Gut Microbiome and Fecal Transplant on Medication-Induced GI Complications in Patients With Cancer

Role of Microbiome in the Realm of Immune-Checkpoint Inhibitor Induced GI Complications In Cancer Population

Role of Gut Microbiome and Fecal Transplant on Medication-Induced GI Complications in Patients With Cancer (NCT03819296) is a Phase 1 interventional studying Clinical Stage 0 Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8 and Clinical Stage I Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8, sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

This trial studies the role of the gut microbiome and effectiveness of a fecal transplant on medication-induced gastrointestinal (GI) complications in patients with melanoma or genitourinary cancer. The gut microbiome (the bacteria and microorganisms that live in the digestive system) may affect whether or not someone develops colitis (inflammation of the intestines) during cancer treatment with immune-checkpoint inhibitor drugs. Studying samples of stool, blood, and tissue from patients with melanoma or genitourinary cancer may help doctors learn more about the effects of treatment on cells, and help doctors understand how well patients respond to treatment. Treatment with fecal transplantation may help to improve diarrhea and colitis symptoms.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 1 trials test a new treatment for the first time in humans, focusing on safety, dosing, and how the body processes the drug. For Clinical Stage 0 Cutaneous Melanoma AJCC v8, a Phase 1 study typically enrolls a small number of participants — often healthy volunteers or patients who have exhausted standard treatment options. Phase 1 results determine whether a treatment moves into larger Phase 2 efficacy studies.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

A target enrollment of 800 participants makes this a sizable late-stage trial. Studies in this range typically have enough power to detect clinically meaningful differences from a comparator and to characterize less-common side effects.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: 1. Diagnosis of any stage melanoma, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer or genitourinary (GU) malignancies (Project 1). 2. Diagnosis of any cancer type (Projects 2 and 3) 3. Treatment with any ICPI agent 4. Ability to understand and willingness to sign an willing to sign a consent form form and rate surveys 5. Life expectancy \> 4 months (Project 3) 6. ICPI-related diarrhea and/or colitis of any grade with or without concurrent non- GI toxicity as the toxicity group (project 1) 7. Patients with no organ toxicity as the control group (project 1) 8. ICPI-related colitis and/or diarrhea of grade ≥ 2 as GI toxicity (initial episode or recurrence) receiving standard treatment of immunosuppressive agents (steroid, infliximab, vedolizumab, or ustekinumab) any time during the colitis disease course until sustained resolution of GI toxicity, or one- year time point after enrollment (Project 2) 9. ICPI-related colitis and/or diarrhea of grade ≥ 2 as GI toxicity without involvement of non- GI toxicity within 45 days prior to FMT (Project 3) 10. ICPI-related colitis and/or diarrhea of grade ≥ 2 within 45 days prior to FMT with ANY of the following characteristics (project 3): (i) refractory to treatment of steroid and two doses of non-steroidal immunosuppressants e.g. infliximab, vedolizumab or ustekinumab, (ii) contraindication for immunosuppressive treatment, (iii) recurrence after successful initial treatment, (iv) recurrent symptoms once steroid is tapered down/off or diarrhea/colitis symptoms are steroid dependent, or (v) patients with a history of refractory ICPI-related colitis and/or diarrhea to medical treatment, even if they have improved symptoms from supportive care within 45 days prior to FMT 11. No concern for active concomitant GI infection for the ICPI diarrhea/colitis work up at the time of protocol therapy initiation as confirmed by stool tests or as per the treating physician based on clinical presentation (project 3) ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Diagnosis of any stage melanoma, Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer or genitourinary (GU) malignancies (Project 1). 2. Diagnosis of any cancer type (Projects 2 and 3) 3. Treatment with any ICPI agent 4. Ability to understand and willingness to sign an informed consent form and rate surveys 5. Life expectancy \> 4 months (Project 3) 6. ICPI-related diarrhea and/or colitis of any grade with or without concurrent non- GI toxicity as the toxicity group (project 1) 7. Patients with no organ toxicity as the control group (project 1) 8. ICPI-related colitis and/or diarrhea of grade ≥ 2 as GI toxicity (initial episode or recurrence) receiving standard treatment of immunosuppressive agents (steroid, infliximab, vedolizumab, or ustekinumab) any time during the colitis disease course until sustained resolution of GI toxicity, or one- year time point after enrollment (Project 2) 9. ICPI-related colitis and/or diarrhea of grade ≥ 2 as GI toxicity without involvement of non- GI toxicity within 45 days prior to FMT (Project 3) 10. ICPI-related colitis and/or diarrhea of grade ≥ 2 within 45 days prior to FMT with ANY of the following characteristics (project 3): (i) refractory to treatment of steroid and two doses of non-steroidal immunosuppressants e.g. infliximab, vedolizumab or ustekinumab, (ii) contraindication for immunosuppressive treatment, (iii) recurrence after successful initial treatment, (iv) recurrent symptoms once steroid is tapered down/off or diarrhea/colitis symptoms are steroid dependent, or (v) patients with a history of refractory ICPI-related colitis and/or diarrhea to medical treatment, even if they have improved symptoms from supportive care within 45 days prior to FMT 11. No concern for active concomitant GI infection for the ICPI diarrhea/colitis work up at the time of protocol therapy initiation as confirmed by stool tests or as per the treating physician based on clinical presentation (project 3) 12. Patient who has been cleared for enrollment by Infectious Diseases consultant or treating physician if positive infection workup or screening tests (e.g. lifelong positive T-spot due to BCG inoculation, chronic colonization) prior to initiation of diarrhea/colitis treatment (project 3) Exclusion Criteria: 1. Age younger than 18 years 2. History of inflammatory bowel disease, and/or radiation enteritis or colitis with active disease status at the time of study treatment initiation 3. Pregnant and breastfeeding women 4. Women of child-bearing potential who have positive urine or serum pregnancy test or refuse to do pregnancy test unless last menstrual cycle was \> 1 year prior to consent and/ or clear documentation states that patient is peri- or post-menopausal or there was recent supporting objective evidence of 'no pregnancy' status (e.g. blood or imaging) within 30 days prior to date of study treatment 5. Patients who develop concurrent non- GI toxicity at the time of FMT treatment (project 3) 6. Patients with active bacterial or fungal infection (Project 3) 7. Donors at risk for monkeypox infection and/ or exposure as determined by a questionnaire (Project 3) Withdrawal Criteria 1. Patients may withdraw from the trial at any time 2. Patients who develop GI perforation or toxic colitis that require surgery from ICPI colitis 3. In project 3, if the first 30% of cases fail the fecal transplant treatment, then project 3 will be terminated

Treatments Being Tested

OTHER

Best Practice

Receive standard of care

OTHER

Biospecimen Collection

Undergo collection of stool, blood, and tissue samples

PROCEDURE

Endoscopic Procedure

Undergo endoscopy

PROCEDURE

Fecal Microbiota Transplantation

Undergo FMT

BIOLOGICAL

Infliximab

Given intravenously (IV)

OTHER

Laboratory Biomarker Analysis

Ancillary studies

DRUG

Prednisone

Given orally

BIOLOGICAL

Vedolizumab

Given IV

Locations (1)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

M D Anderson Cancer Center
Houston, Texas, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT03819296), the sponsor (M.D. Anderson Cancer Center), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT03819296 clinical trial studying?

This trial studies the role of the gut microbiome and effectiveness of a fecal transplant on medication-induced gastrointestinal (GI) complications in patients with melanoma or genitourinary cancer. The gut microbiome (the bacteria and microorganisms that live in the digestive system) may affect whether or not someone develops colitis (inflammation of the intestines) during cancer treatment with immune-checkpoint inhibitor drugs. Studying samples of stool, blood, and tissue from patients with melanoma or genitourinary cancer may help doctors learn more about the effects of treatment on cells, … The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT03819296?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT03819296?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT03819296. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT03819296. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.