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NTS-WBRT in Brain Metastases

Phase 2
Recruiting
Conditions
Brain Metastases
Interventions
Radiation: NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy)
Registration Number
NCT05013892
Lead Sponsor
Massachusetts General Hospital
Brief Summary

This research is being done to assess the quality of life and symptom burden in participants who receive (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy (NTS-WBRT).

This research study involves:

* NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy)

* Memantine standard of care drug

Detailed Description

This is a Phase 2 trial testing the safety and effectiveness of NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy) in treating brain metastases.

NTS-WBRT is a targeted radiation therapy that further reduces radiation dose to tissue that does not need radiation therapy treatment.

The research study procedures include screening for eligibility and study treatment including evaluations and follow up visits.

It is expected that about 41 people will take part in this research study.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
41
Inclusion Criteria
  • Any patient with a solid tumor diagnosis and any number of brain metastasis clinically indicated for cranial irradiation with whole brain radiation therapy
  • Age ≥ 18
  • Karnofsky Performance Status ≥ 70
  • Prior stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) permissible per physician discretion
  • Prior craniotomy permissible per physician discretion. Protocol radiation therapy should be initiated ≥2 weeks after craniotomy.
  • Prior partial brain radiation therapy permissible if target volume < 50% brain and per physician discretion
  • Expectant > 6 months survival
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
  • Fluency in English, able to complete questionnaires and neurocognitive testing
  • Ability to undergo MRI with gadolinium examination
  • Ability to return for follow-up examinations throughout the course of this study for a maximum of 2 years after radiation treatment completion
  • Any prior, concomitant, or post-radiotherapy systemic therapy is permitted at discretion of treating physicians
  • Negative pregnancy test for premenopausal women
Exclusion Criteria
  • Leptomeningeal disease (by any one or more of clinical assessment, radiographic assessment, or cerebrospinal fluid study)
  • Prior whole brain radiation therapy
  • Pre-existing or current use of memantine or other NMDA antagonists
  • Known allergy to contrast used in imaging studies and/or inability to have MRI imaging
  • Uncontrolled intercurrent illness that could significantly affect baseline cognitive function as determined by the enrolling clinician, such as symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, prior CVA, significant uncontrolled epilepsy or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
  • Pregnant or unwilling to use appropriate contraception to prevent pregnancy during the time of radiation therapy
  • Concurrent participation in an investigational systemic therapy protocol.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
SINGLE_GROUP
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy) + MemantineNTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy)Participants will be randomly assigned to NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy) administration group and receive: * NTS-WBRT for 5 days (Monday-Friday) for either 2 or 3 weeks. * Memantine per standard of care, 1-2x daily for up to 24 weeks Specific participant administration schedules will be determined by study doctor
NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy) + MemantineMemantineParticipants will be randomly assigned to NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy) administration group and receive: * NTS-WBRT for 5 days (Monday-Friday) for either 2 or 3 weeks. * Memantine per standard of care, 1-2x daily for up to 24 weeks Specific participant administration schedules will be determined by study doctor
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change in Patient Reported Symptom Burden for NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy)4 Months

Assessed by Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Brain (FACT-Br) questionnaire. Score range is 0-200 and the higher the score, the better the outcome.

Change in Patient Reported Quality of Life for NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy)4 Months

Assessed by Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Brain (FACT-Br) questionnaire. Score range is 0-200 and the higher the score, the better the outcome.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Tumor local control Rates between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRTbaseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

Estimated by the cumulative incidence function treating death as a competing risk, compared using Gray's test

Change in Hearing between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT Assessed by Otoacoustic Emissionsbaseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

The rates of absent otoacoustic emissions (OAE) will be compared between treatment arms using Fisher's exact test. The OAE (Otoacoustic Emissions) test checks part of the inner ear's response to sound. Otoacoustic emissions are sounds given off by one small part of the cochlea when it is stimulated by soft clicking sounds. When the sound stimulates the cochlea, the outer hair cells vibrate. The vibration produces a nearly inaudible sound that echoes back into the middle ear. The results are either present or absent. Present OAEs are consistent with normal to near normal hearing. Absent OAEs may be a sign of a problem related to study treatment.

Change in Mood between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRTbaseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

Mixed effects models with treatment arm as a fixed effect will be used to compare changes in depression (HADS-D) and anxiety (HADS-A) scores over time

Change in Neuroendocrine function between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRTbaseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

Estimated by the cumulative incidence function treating intracranial progression and death as competing risks; compared using Gray's test.

Overall survival (OS) between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRTThe date of randomization to the date of death, or otherwise censored at the last follow-up date for patients still alive up to 24 months

Estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, compared using the logrank test

Number of Participants With Treatment-Related Adverse Events as Assessed by CTCAE Version 5.0Up to 24 months

The number and proportion of adverse events, graded as defined by CTCAE version 5.0 will be tabulated by type and grade, compared using Fisher's exact test.

Change in Fatigue between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRTbaseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

Mixed effects models with treatment arm as a fixed effect will be used to compare changes in the fatigue score over time

Intracranial- Progression Free Survival (PFS) between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRTbaseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

Estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, compared using the logrank test

Change in Neurocognitive function between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRTbaseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

Assessed longitudinally by the HADS-D and HADS-A questionnaires

Change in Hearing between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT Assessed by Pure Tone Averagebaseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

Changes in pure tone average (PTA) from baseline to each subsequent assessment will be compared between treatment arms using Wilcox rank-sum test. Pure tone thresholds are found by presenting tones using standard headphones and methods in a sound treated booth. Pure tone thresholds will be tested by both bone (500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz) and air conduction (250, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000, 8000, 10000, 12000, and 14000 Hz). Masking will be applied sufficient to determine the ear responsible for each value. The results of this testing will be used to determine the sensorineural hearing level. If significant conductive loss is found, bone conduction threshold will be used to report sensory ototoxicity. Threshold effects across frequency will be combined into a Pure Tone Average (PTA), defined as the average of audiometric thresholds at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000. A significant decrease in Pure Tone Average is defined as an increase \> 10 dB in relation to baseline threshold.

Change in Hearing between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT Assessed by Word Recognition Scorebaseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

Changes in word recognition score (WRS) from baseline to each subsequent assessment will be compared between treatment arms using Wilcox rank-sum test. Word recognition is defined as the percent correct on a standard, 50-item word list of English monosyllables: CID W-22, NU#6 or CNC. A significant decrease in word recognition is defined as a score exceeding the 95% critical difference from the table of Thornton and Raffin.

Alopecia Rates between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRTbaseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

Assessed by patient report and visual inspection with documented photography; compared by Fisher's exact test

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center

🇺🇸

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

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