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Proton Therapy Vs. IMRT for Low or Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer

Not Applicable
Active, not recruiting
Conditions
Prostate Cancer
Interventions
Radiation: Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy
Radiation: Proton Beam Therapy
Registration Number
NCT01617161
Lead Sponsor
Massachusetts General Hospital
Brief Summary

We are studying whether men being treated for prostate cancer have the same amount of side effects from either one of two different external radiation treatments: IMRT or PBT. With IMRT, a number of x-ray beams are used to shape the radiation to the prostate. PBT is another type of external radiation treatment for prostate cancer that is used in a few centers in the United States. Protons are tiny particles with positive charge that can be controlled to travel a certain distance and stop. PBT is precise like IMRT, but it uses proton beams instead of x-ray beams.

IMRT and PBT aim to deliver most of the radiation to the prostate cancer while sparing surrounding tissues. Both IMRT and PBT have been used in the treatment of prostate cancer and are thought to be equally effective at curing prostate cancer. However, both treatments have also been shown to cause the potential side effects of radiation, including bowel, urinary and erectile problems. It is possible that side effect rates with PBT will be lower, the same, or even higher than with IMRT, but this has not been studied well to date. Though both of these radiation therapies have been used in the past to treat prostate cancer, there has never been a study that compares the effects of these two therapies to see which one has less side effects.

In this research study, we are comparing IMRT to PBT to determine which therapy best minimizes the side effects of treatment.

Detailed Description

Because no one knows which of the study options is best, you will be "randomized" into one of the study groups: IMRT or PBT. Randomization means that you are put into a group by chance, like flipping a coin. Neither you nor the research doctor will choose which group you will be in. You will have an equal chance of being placed in either group. Randomization makes the study better from a scientific point of view because it helps ensure that patients receiving IMRT and proton therapy are similar. You will be receiving only one type of radiation, either IMRT or PBT throughout your participation in the study.

Before you begin radiation therapy you will have a pelvic CT scan in order to design your radiation treatment. Doctors will use information gathered from these scans to plan the best way to deliver radiation to your tumor.

Both types of radiation therapy will be given once a day for 5 days (no weekends or holidays) for up to 9 weeks. Both IMRT and PBT will require that you lie on a table for less than 15 minutes to obtain your treatment.

During each visit you will be asked questions about your general health and specific questions about any problems that you might be having and any medications you might be taking. You will also undergo a physical exam and complete some quality of life questionnaires.

After your radiation therapy you will have follow up visits at 3,6,9,12,18,24,36,48 and 60 months.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
Sex
Male
Target Recruitment
454
Inclusion Criteria
  • Diagnosed with histologically confirmed adenocarcinoma of the prostate based on core-biopsy within 1 year of study entry from TRUS
  • Clinical stages T1c to T2c
  • PSA <20, within 6 months of study entry
  • Participants who are currently receiving Dutasteride (or have received it within the last 90 days) or Finasteride (or have received it within the last 30 days) must have a PSA of ≤ 10
  • Gleason score ≤6, 3 + 4 = 7, or 4 + 3 = 7
  • ECOG Performance Status 0-1 as documented within 3 months prior to study entry
  • Must have complete history and physical examination within 45 days of study entry and digital rectal examination of prostate within 180 days of study entry
Exclusion Criteria
  • Prior surgery (not including TURP), cryosurgery, radiofrequency ablation, chemotherapy or radiation for PCa

  • Prior or planned androgen deprivation or bilateral orchiectomy

  • Distant metastases, or clinically or pathologically involved lymph nodes confirmed by a CT scan within 365 days of study entry

  • Hip prosthesis, inflammatory bowel disease or connective tissue disorder such as active scleroderma or lupus

  • Individuals with a history of other malignancies are ineligible unless 1) they have been disease-free for at least 5 years OR 2) are deemed by the investigator to be at low risk for recurrence of that malignancy with no plans for adjuvant systemic chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy and have received overall principal investigator approval.

  • Individuals who have AIDS (CD4 < 200 or an AIDS-defining illness) or are HIV positive and not on HAART therapy are ineligible.

  • Major medical or psychiatric illness

  • Individuals with any of the following conditions are excluded from this study:

    • Unstable angina and/or congestive heart failure requiring hospitalization within the last 6 months.
    • Transmural myocardial infarction within the last 6 months.
    • Acute bacterial or fungal infection requiring intravenous antibiotics at the time of registration.
    • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation or other respiratory illness requiring hospitalization or precluding study therapy at the time of registration
    • History of Hepatic insufficiency resulting in clinical jaundice and/or coagulation defects within the last 12 months

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
IMRTIntensity Modulated Radiation TherapyIntensity Modulated Radiation Therapy
PBTProton Beam TherapyProton Beam Therapy
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Efficacy of PBT vs. IMRT2 years

Compare the reduction in mean EPIC bowel scores for men with low or low-intermediate risk PCa treated with PBT versus IMRT at 24 months following radiation (where higher scores represent better outcomes)

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Disease Specific Quality of Life2 years

Assess the effectiveness of PBT versus IMRT for men with low or low-intermediate risk PCa in terms of disease-specific quality of life as measured by patient-reported outcomes, perceptions of care and adverse events

Radiation Dose and Bowel, Urinary and Erectile Function2 years

Develop predictive models to examine the associations between selected metrics of individual radiation dose distributions and patient reported bowel, urinary and erectile function

Long Term Survival10 years

Assess longer-term rates of disease-specific and overall survival as well as development of late effects such as second cancers

Cost Effectiveness of PBT vs. IMRT2 years

Assess the cost-effectiveness of PBT versus IMRT under current conditions and model future cost-effectiveness for alternative treatment delivery and cost scenarios

Identification and Evaluation Biomarkers of PCa Behavior2 years

Identify and evaluate biomarkers of prostate cancer behavior and response to radiotherapy

Trial Locations

Locations (13)

University of Florida Health Proton Therapy Institute

🇺🇸

Jacksonville, Florida, United States

Northwestern Medicine Chicago Proton Center

🇺🇸

Chicago, Illinois, United States

University of Maryland Medical Center

🇺🇸

College Park, Maryland, United States

University of Washington Medical Center

🇺🇸

Seattle, Washington, United States

Massachusetts General Hospital

🇺🇸

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Mayo Clinic

🇺🇸

Rochester, Minnesota, United States

Washington University

🇺🇸

St. Louis, Missouri, United States

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

🇺🇸

New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States

Mass General/North Shore Cancer Center

🇺🇸

Danvers, Massachusetts, United States

University Hospital of Cleveland

🇺🇸

Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania

🇺🇸

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Provision Proton Therapy Center

🇺🇸

Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

Princeton ProCure Proton Therapy Center

🇺🇸

Somerset, New Jersey, United States

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