Study of Radiotherapy Administered in Combination With Ipilimumab in Patients With Unresectable Stage III or Stage IV Advanced Malignant Melanoma

RATIONALE:Anti-melanoma activity of Ipilimumab both as a single therapy and in association with melanoma peptides has been shown as well as synergy between radiation therapy and anti-CTLA-A mAb in several tumor animal models for both local tumor control and distant effects.Radiotherapy increases tumor immunogenicity in several preclinical models by increasing MHC molecules expression and is able to induce significant tumor reduction in around 30% of cases. Thus, combining radiotherapy and administration of ipilimumab could elicit systemic antitumor response. Radiation therapy will expose tumor-associated antigens (TAA) and facilitate antigen presentation, and further blockade of CTLA-4 could amplify the immune antitumor response. In this therapeutical model, the use of the own patient tumor as a source of tumor antigens (in opposition with other vaccination protocols, where TAA are exogenic) is particularly adapted.

PURPOSE: This Phase I trial determines the side effects and best dose of radiation therapy administered in combination with ipilimumab.

OBJECTIVES:

Primary: To determine the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD), Dose Limiting Toxicity (DLT) and recommended Phase 2 dose of radiation therapy administered in combination with ipilimumab.

Secondary:

Adverse event profiles Preliminary anti-tumor activity following escalating doses of radiation combined to ipilimumab using the immune related response criteria irRC overall survival in patients treated with this combination systemic immunologic anti tumor response intratumoral immune response pharmacodynamic effects of ipilimumab and radiotherapy in combination on Absolute Lymphocyte Count (ALC) associations between ALC and anti-tumor activity of ipilimumab and radiotherapy in combination

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Willing and able to give written informed consent.
* Histologic diagnosis of melanoma.
* Unresectable locally advanced or metastatic melanoma with at least one melanoma metastasis accessible to radiation therapy.
* Measurable disease according to immune related Response Criteria
* Required values for initial laboratory tests:

WBC \>= 2000/uL ANC \>= 1000/uL Platelets \>= 75 x 103/uL Hemoglobin \>= 8 g/dL Creatinine \<= 2,5 x ULN AST/ALT \<= 2.5 x ULN for patients without liver metastasis or \<= 5 x ULN for patients with liver metastasis Total Bilirubin \<= 1,5.x ULN, (except patients with Gilbert's Syndrome, who must have a total bilirubin less than 3.0 mg/dL)

* No active or chronic infection with HIV, Hepatitis B, or Hepatitis C.
* ECOG Performance status of 0 or 1.
* Men and women, \>= 18 years of age.
* Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) must be using an adequate method of contraception to avoid pregnancy throughout the study and for up to 8 weeks after the last dose of investigational product, in such a manner that the risk of pregnancy is minimized.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Suspected or known CNS tumors including brain metastasis.
* Any other malignancy form which the patient has been disease-free for less than 5 years, with the exception of adequately treated and cured basal or squamous cell skin cancer, superficial bladder cancer or carcinoma in situ of the cervix.
* Autoimmune disease: Patients with a history of inflammatory bowel disease are excluded from this study, as are patients with a history of symptomatic disease (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, systemic progressive sclerosis \[scleroderma\], systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune vasculitis \[e.g., Wegener's Granulomatosis\]); motor neuropathy considered of autoimmune origin (e.g. Guillain-Barre Syndrome).
* Any underlying medical or psychiatric condition, which in the opinion of the investigator will make the administration of ipilimumab hazardous or obscure the interpretation of AEs, such as a condition associated with frequent diarrhea.
* Any non-oncology vaccine therapy used for prevention of infectious diseases (for up to 1 month before or after any dose of ipilimumab).
* A history of prior treatment with ipilimumab or prior CD137 agonist or CTLA-4 inhibitor or agonist.
* Concomitant hormonal treatment, chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
* Other investigational therapy.
* Prior radiotherapy within the same body area.
* Prior radiotherapy targeting fields containing flat bones.
* Women of childbearing potential (WOCBP), defined above
* Prisoners or subjects who are compulsorily detained (involuntarily incarcerated) for treatment of either a psychiatric or physical (e.g., infectious) illness.
* Persons of reproductive potential must agree to use an adequate method of contraception throughout treatment and for at least 8 weeks after ipilimumab is stopped.