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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Checkpoint Inhibition In Pediatric Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The Role of Checkpoint Inhibition in Relapsed/Refractory Pediatric Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Clinical Efficacy and Biologic Correlates - A Phase II Study

Checkpoint Inhibition In Pediatric Hepatocellular Carcinoma (NCT04134559) is a Phase 2 interventional studying Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Childhood and Fibrolamellar Carcinoma, sponsored by Allison O'Neill, MD. 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 research study is studying an immunotherapy drug (pembrolizumab or KEYTRUDA) as a possible treatment for pediatric hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatocellular neoplasm not otherwise specified (HCN NOS).

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 2 trials evaluate whether a treatment actually works against Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Childhood and continue monitoring side effects. Phase 2 enrolls larger groups (typically 100–300 patients) and produces the first real efficacy signal. A successful Phase 2 readout is what unlocks the much larger Phase 3 confirmatory trials needed for FDA approval.

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.

With a target enrollment of 18 participants, this is a small study — typical of early-phase research, rare-disease trials, or pilot studies designed to generate preliminary signal before a larger study is launched.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: - Age: Patients must be \<30 years of age at the time of study enrollment. - Diagnosis: Patients must have relapsed/refractory, diagnosed by tissue sample (biopsy-confirmed) HCC to be eligible for enrollment. Patients with hepatocellular neoplasm not otherwise specified (HCN NOS) will also be eligible. - Disease Status: Participants must have measurable disease by RECIST criteria, defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest diameter to be recorded for non-nodal lesions and short axis for nodal lesions) measured at ≥20 mm with conventional technique or ≥10 mm with spiral CT scan, MRI, or calipers by clinical exam. See Section 10 for the evaluation of measurable disease. - Performance Level: Karnofsky performance status ≥ 60% for patients ≥ 16 years of age or Lansky ≥ 60% for patients \< 16 years of age. - Prior Therapy: Patients must have fully recovered from the acute toxic effects of all prior anti-cancer therapy. - Patients must not have received standard or targeted treatment regimens within 14 days of initiation of treatment with pembrolizumab. - Patients must not have received prior radiotherapy within 7 days of initiation of treatment with pembrolizumab. Patients who have experienced radiation-induced adverse events must recover to a grade 1 prior to enrollment. - Organ Function Requirements: Participants must have normal organ and marrow function as defined below: - Adequate Bone Marrow Function defined as: - Peripheral absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 750/μL - Platelet count ≥ 75,000/μL (can be transfused) - Adequate Liver Function defined as: - Total bilirubin \< 1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) - AST(SGOT) ≤ 2.5 x ULN - ALT(SGPT) ≤ 2.5 x ULN - If liver function studies are more elevated than the thresholds above, and if if this elevation is felt secondary to tumor, patients may still be eligible for enrollment after discussion with the study PI. ...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: * Age: Patients must be \<30 years of age at the time of study enrollment. * Diagnosis: Patients must have relapsed/refractory, histologically confirmed HCC to be eligible for enrollment. Patients with hepatocellular neoplasm not otherwise specified (HCN NOS) will also be eligible. * Disease Status: Participants must have measurable disease by RECIST criteria, defined as at least one lesion that can be accurately measured in at least one dimension (longest diameter to be recorded for non-nodal lesions and short axis for nodal lesions) measured at ≥20 mm with conventional technique or ≥10 mm with spiral CT scan, MRI, or calipers by clinical exam. See Section 10 for the evaluation of measurable disease. * Performance Level: Karnofsky performance status ≥ 60% for patients ≥ 16 years of age or Lansky ≥ 60% for patients \< 16 years of age. * Prior Therapy: Patients must have fully recovered from the acute toxic effects of all prior anti-cancer therapy. * Patients must not have received standard or targeted treatment regimens within 14 days of initiation of treatment with pembrolizumab. * Patients must not have received prior radiotherapy within 7 days of initiation of treatment with pembrolizumab. Patients who have experienced radiation-induced adverse events must recover to a grade 1 prior to enrollment. * Organ Function Requirements: Participants must have normal organ and marrow function as defined below: * Adequate Bone Marrow Function defined as: * Peripheral absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 750/μL * Platelet count ≥ 75,000/μL (can be transfused) * Adequate Liver Function defined as: * Total bilirubin \< 1.5 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN) * AST(SGOT) ≤ 2.5 x ULN * ALT(SGPT) ≤ 2.5 x ULN * If liver function studies are more elevated than the thresholds above, and if if this elevation is felt secondary to tumor, patients may still be eligible for enrollment after discussion with the study PI. * Adequate Renal and Metabolic Function defined as: * A serum creatinine based on age/gender as follows: * Age Maximum Serum Creatinine (mg/dL) Male Female * 1 to \<2 years 0.6 0.6 * 2 to \<6 years 0.8 0.8 * 6 to \<10 years 1.0 1.0 * 10 to \<13 years 1.2 1.2 * 13 to \<16 years 1.5 1.4 * \>16 years 1.7 1.4 * OR * Creatinine clearance ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 for participants with creatinine levels above institutional normal. * Amylase ≤ 1.5 x ULN * Lipase ≤ 1.5 x ULN * If liver function studies are more elevated than the thresholds above, and if this elevation is felt secondary to tumor, patients may still be eligible for enrollment after discussion with the study PI. \-- Adequate Thyroid Function defined as: \--- TSH ≤1.5 ULN. Patients can be receiving thyroid supplementation. * Confirmation of Insurance Pre-authorization approval for Pembrolizumab. * Patients, their parent, and/or legally authorized representative must be able to understand and be willing to sign a written informed consent document. Assent for participants \< 18 years will follow institutional guidelines. The protocol will require approval by each institution's Institutional Review Board. * The effects of pembrolizumab on the developing human fetus are unknown. For this reason, patients of child-bearing and child-fathering potential must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry, for the duration of study participation, and for 4 months after completion of pembrolizumab administration. Should a female become pregnant or suspect she is pregnant while she or her partner is participating in this study, she should inform her treating physician immediately. Males treated or enrolled on this protocol must also agree to use adequate contraception prior to the study, for the duration of study participation, and 4 months after completion of pembrolizumab administration. * Women of child bearing potential (WOCBP) must have a negative serum or urine pregnancy test within 24 hours of each treatment. * A tumor sample must be available for submission to the central laboratory (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, see Section 9). If surgery was performed at the time of recurrence, this sample, in addition to a diagnostic sample should be submitted. If no re-operation was performed, archived tissue from diagnosis or the most recent procedure should be submitted (see section 9 for further details regarding tissue specifications). Exclusion Criteria: * Participants who are receiving any other investigational agents are not eligible. * Participants who have received checkpoint inhibitors (PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4 inhibitors) are not eligible. * Participants who have received antibody-based therapies are not eligible if they are within 3 half-lives of receipt of the last antibody dose. * Participants who are receiving chronic steroids are not eligible.Chronic steroids are defined as either \> or = 2mg/kg/day of body weight or \> or = 20mg/day of prednisone or equivalent for persons who weigh \> or = 10kg administered for \> or = 14 consecutive days. * Participants who are receiving anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive medications are not eligible. * Participants with known autoimmune disease, with the exceptions of childhood asthma or atopic dermatitis, are not eligible. * Patients with a history of a positive test for human immunodeficiency virus or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome are not eligible. * Patients with a history of allergic reactions attributed to compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to pembrolizumab are not eligible. History of severe allergy to monoclonal antibody therapies (i.e. anaphylaxis) are likewise an exclusion. * Patients with uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements are not eligible. * Patients with prior solid organ transplantation are not eligible.

Treatments Being Tested

DRUG

Pembrolizumab

Pembrolizumab will be administered every 3 weeks, at predetermined dose with 21 consecutive days defined as a treatment cycle.

Locations (5)

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.

University of California San Francisco
San Francisco, California, United States
Children's Hospital Boston
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Cincinnati Children's Medical Center
Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT04134559), the sponsor (Allison O'Neill, MD), 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 NCT04134559 clinical trial studying?

This research study is studying an immunotherapy drug (pembrolizumab or KEYTRUDA) as a possible treatment for pediatric hepatocellular carcinoma or hepatocellular neoplasm not otherwise specified (HCN NOS). The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT04134559?

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 NCT04134559?

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 NCT04134559. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT04134559. 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.