Phase 3
N=91
Imiquimod, Fluorouracil, or Observation in Treating HIV-Positive Patients With High-Grade Anal Squamous Skin Lesions
Anal Intraepithelial Neoplasia · High-grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion · HIV Infection
Bottom Line
View on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02059499 ↗Enrolled (actual)
91
Serious AEs
4.9%
Results posted
May 2025
Primary outcome: Primary: Percentage of Participants Achieving Complete Response in 5-FU Arm and Observation Arm Using ITT Population — 5; 9 Participants — p=0.1877
Study Design & Population
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 3
- Interventions
- imiquimod (Drug); fluorouracil (Drug); questionnaire administration (Other); laboratory biomarker analysis (Other)
- Age
- Adult, Older Adult · 21+ yrs
- Sex
- All
- Sponsor
- AIDS Malignancy Consortium
- Primary completion
- Dec 2023
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Percentage of Participants Achieving Complete Response in 5-FU Arm and Observation Arm Using ITT Population |
5; 9 | 0.1877 |
| PRIMARY Percentage of Participants Achieving Complete Response (5-FU vs Observation ) Using Per Protocol Population |
9; 5 | 0.1068 |
| PRIMARY Percentage of Participants Achieving Complete Response in 5-FU vs. Imiquimod, Using the ITT Population Restricted to Those Randomized to Either Treatment Prior to the Closure of the Imiquimod Arm. |
5; 5 | 0.8071 |
| PRIMARY Percentage of Participants Achieving Complete Response in 5-FU vs. Imiquimod, Using the PP Population Restricted to Those Randomized to Either Treatment Prior to the Closure of the Imiquimod Arm. |
5; 5 | 0.6562 |
| PRIMARY Percentage of Participants Achieving Complete Response in Imiquimod vs Observation Arm, Using ITT Population Restricted to Those Randomized to Either Treatment Prior to the Closure of the Imiquimod Arm. |
5; 0 | 0.0141 sig |
| PRIMARY Percentage of Participants Achieving Complete Response in Imiquimod vs Observation Arm, Using Per Protocol Population Restricted to Those Randomized to Either Treatment Prior to the Closure of the Imiquimod Arm. |
5; 0 | 0.0141 sig |
| PRIMARY Number of Participants With Peri-anal HSIL Confirmed by Histology Across All Study Arms |
1; 0; 0 | — |
| PRIMARY Number of Participants With Intra-anal HSIL |
12; 27; 32 | — |
| SECONDARY Number of Participants Who Experienced an Adverse Event of Grade 1 to 5 by Week 44, Irrespective of Relatedness to the Intervention. AEs Were Stratified According to Those Reported at or Before Week 20 and After Week 20. |
0; 2; 2; 0; 0; 0 | — |
| SECONDARY Percentage of Participants Achieving Complete or Partial Response in 5-FU vs Observation Using ITT Population |
17; 19 | 0.5726 |
| SECONDARY Percentageof Patients Achieving Complete or Partial Response in Imiquimod vs Observation Arm, Using ITT Population Restricted to Those Randomized to Either Treatment Prior to the Closure of the Imiquimod Arm. |
11; 6 | 0.0805 |
| SECONDARY Amount of Drug Consumed in 5-FU and Imiquimod Arm by Week 16 |
39.5; 32.6 | — |
| SECONDARY Percentage of Participants Achieving Complete or Partial Response in 5-FU vs Observation Using ITT Population |
17; 19 | 0.5726 |
| SECONDARY Percentage of Patients Achieving Complete or Partial Response in Imiquimod vs Observation Arm, Using ITT Population Restricted to Those Randomized to Either Treatment Prior to the Closure of the Imiquimod Arm. |
11; 10 | 0.6184 |
| SECONDARY Persistence and New Infections of HPV Type Specific Infections |
1; 4; 3; 1; 3; 1 | — |
| SECONDARY Comparison of the Number of hrHPV Genotypes in Each Arm Observed at Baseline vs at Week 20 |
3.75; 4.25; 3.32; 3.67; 3.5; 2.62 | 0.3 |
| SECONDARY HPV Genotypes Present at Baseline But no Longer Detected at Week 20 |
2; 0; 1; 12; 15; 14 | — |
Summary
This randomized phase III trial studies imiquimod or fluorouracil to see how well they work compared to observation in treating patients with high-grade anal squamous skin lesions who are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive. Biological therapies, such as imiquimod, may stimulate the immune system in different ways and stop tumor cells from growing. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as fluorouracil, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping them from dividing. It is not yet known whether imiquimod or fluorouracil is more effective than observation in treating high-grade anal squamous skin lesions.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- HIV-positive; documentation of HIV infection must be based on a federally approved, licensed HIV test performed in conjunction with screening (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA], western blot, or other test); alternatively, this documentation may include a record that another physician has documented that the patient has HIV based on prior ELISA and western blot; an approved antibody test will be used to confirm diagnosis; if the physician is treating a patient with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) with a history of HIV positivity based on an approved antibody test then repeat antibody confirmation is not necessary
- Biopsy-proven HSIL (anal intraepithelial neoplasia 2 (AIN2) and/or AIN3) of the anal canal at either the squamocolumnar junction or distal anus, documented within 60 days prior to enrollment, but not less than 1 week prior to enrollment
- HSIL occupies at least 25% of the circumference of the anal canal at either the squamocolumnar junction or distal anus on high-resolution anoscopy (HRA) at screening or entry based on available biopsy results and visual appearance
- Anal HSIL lesions are visible at study entry and no lesions are suspicious for invasive cancer
- Ability to understand and willing to provide informed consent
- Participants must, in the opinion of the Investigator, be capable of complying with the requirements of this protocol including self-administration of study treatment
- Karnofsky performance status of >= 70%
- Cluster of differentiation (CD)4 count >= 200 within 120 days prior to enrollment or plasma HIV-1 ribonucleic acid (RNA) 750 cells/mm^3 within 90 days prior to enrollment
- Hemoglobin >= 9.0 g/dL within 90 days prior to enrollment
- Platelet count >= 75, 000/mm^3 within 90 days prior to enrollment
Exclusion Criteria
- History of anal cancer
- Prior intra-anal use of topical 5-fluorouracil 5% or imiquimod 2.5%, 3.75% or 5% at any point, or use of perianal imiquimod 2.5%, 3.75% or 5% or topical 5-fluorouracil 5% within 6 months prior to enrollment
- Extensive concurrent perianal or lower vulvar HSIL or condyloma requiring a different treatment modality than the study treatment, or treatment that cannot be deferred in observation arm, per examining provider
- Condyloma occupying more than 50% of the circumference of the anal canal or that obscures a satisfactory exam
- Ongoing use of anticoagulant therapy other than aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- Acute treatment for an infection (excluding fungal infection of the skin and sexually transmitted infections) or other serious medical illness within 14 days prior to study entry
- Malignancy requiring systemic therapy; note: Kaposi's sarcoma limited to the skin is not exclusionary unless requiring systemic chemotherapy
- Concurrent systemic corticosteroids, cytokines, and immunomodulatory therapy (e.g. interferons)
- Prior history of HPV vaccination
- Treatment for anal or perianal HSIL, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) or condyloma within 4 months of entry; please note that infrared coagulation (IRC) or electrocautery of a biopsy site to stop bleeding does not constitute treatment
- Female participants who are pregnant or breastfeeding; women of childbearing potential must have a negative urine or serum pregnancy test within 72 hours prior to initiating study treatment; all women of childbearing potential must be willing to comply with an acceptable birth control regimen to prevent pregnancy while receiving treatment and for 3 months after treatment is discontinued as determined by the Investigator; post-menopausal women must be amenorrheic for at least 12 months to be considered of non-childbearing potential; (note: a woman of childbearing potential is one who is biologically capable of becoming pregnant; this includes women who are using contraceptives or whose sexual partners are either sterile or using contraceptives)
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02059499). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.