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Whole Brain Radiation Using IMRT for Patients With Brain Metastases

NCT02753790 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 29

Last updated 2025-05-22

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Some cancers can spread, or metastasize, to the brain. When they do, treatment often involves surgery and/or radiation. Optimal treatment of brain metastases would maximize disease control and minimize toxicity (or side effects), and improve the quality of life of patients. A common type of radiation used for brain metastases is called whole brain radiation, which treats not just the cancer that can be seen on scans (i.e., gross disease), but the smaller sites of cancer that may not be visible (i.e. subclinical disease). Fractionation is used to describe repetitive treatments in which small doses (fractions) of a total planned dose are given at separate clinic visits. The most common dosing regimen is 30 Gray (Gy), using 3 Gy per fraction over 10 fractions. Previous studies have suggested that using intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) may be a safer way to deliver higher doses to gross disease and lower doses to the rest of the brain that may contain subclinical disease. This approach may spare the rest of the brain from radiation complications and side effects.

The goal of this study is to determine whether using IMRT to treat brain metastases is more effective than current standard whole brain radiation in controlling gross disease and whether patient quality of life and hair loss is improved compared to previous studies using whole brain radiation.

Conditions

  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Central Nervous System Metastases

Interventions

RADIATION

Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy

Whole brain radiation using IMRT: 60 Gy to gross disease (planning treatment volume \[PTV\] 60) or 45 Gy to gross disease (PTV 45) and 30 Gy to subclinical sites (PTV 30) over 15 fractions. Patients will be treated Monday through Friday (5 days per week) for 3 weeks. Patients with either a single metastasis greater than 15 cubic centimeters (cm) or total volume of metastases greater than 26 cubic cm will receive the lower dose of 45 Gy to visible brain metastases. 45 Gy may also be prescribed per physician discretion. Gross disease which has received prior radiosurgery will receive 30 Gy.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • New Mexico Cancer Research Alliance

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Ben Liem, MD · University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center

Study Design

Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Model
SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2016-03-09
Primary Completion
2021-04-22
Completion
2022-04-10

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT02753790 on ClinicalTrials.gov