A Trial Comparing Radiosurgery With Surgery for Solitary Brain Metastases

Neoplasm Metastasis Clinical Trial

Official title: A Randomised Trial of Surgery Plus Whole Brain Radiotherapy (WBRT) Versus Radiosurgery Plus WBRT for Solitary Brain Metastases

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

This study examines surgery versus radiosurgery (highly focussed radiation) for the treatment of cancer which has spread to one spot in the brain (solitary brain "metastasis"). For these two treatment options, it will compare patients' survival times, quality of life, control rate of the brain metastases and side effects. It uses the most rigorous scientific method available called "randomisation" which minimises biases that exist with other types of studies. It will involve 30 - 40 patients.

Clinical Trial Description

Primary objectives - to evaluate for solitary brain metastases whether both overall survival and health related quality of life (HQoL) in patients treated with radiosurgery (RS) plus whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) are non-inferior to those of patients treated with surgery (S) plus WBRT.

Secondary objectives - to compare between the two treatment arms time to local and distant brain recurrence, failure free survival, acute and late toxicity.

Hypothesis - Patients treated with RS + WBRT have neither worse survival nor worse quality of life than those treated with S + WBRT.

Research plan:

• Trial design - Single-centre prospective randomised Phase III controlled two arm non-inferiority study with the "gold standard" of surgery (plus WBRT) as the control arm. Blinding to trial arm will not be feasible. Stratification is by Radiation Therapy Oncology Group Recursive Partitioning Analysis (RPA) prognostic Class 1 vs 2 vs 3.

• Main eligibility criteria - single presumed metastasis on MRI brain; systemic cancer diagnosed within the last 5 years; considered suitable for both S and RS; written informed consent.

• Main exclusion criteria - surgery indicated for life-threatening raised intra-cranial pressure or tissue diagnosis; surgery contra-indicated by site or medical co-morbidities; leptomeningeal disease; primary is small cell lung cancer, germ cell tumour, lymphoma, leukaemia or myeloma.

• Radiation - WBRT dose is 30 Gy in 10 fractions over 2 weeks. RS dose is based on lesion size up to 4 cm (15-20 Gy).

• Surgery - Aim is complete excision.

• Treatment sequence and patient assessments - Any sequencing of S/RS and WBRT is allowable, as long as the brain treatment is commenced within 2 weeks after, and completed within 6½ weeks after the diagnostic MRI brain. Assessments at baseline, during brain treatment, at 2 and 3 months after commencement, then 3 monthly, with MRI brain at 3 and 6 months, and/or as clinically indicated. Acute toxicity monitored by NCI Common Toxicity Criteria, late toxicity by RTOG/EORTC Late Radiation Morbidity Scheme. HQoL assessed by EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ-BN20.

• Sample size - 30-40 patients over 5 years.

Outcomes and Significance:

The trial will enable Level I evidence to be applied to this common clinical problem. Patients will be able to make an informed choice based upon valid survival, quality of life and toxicity comparisons. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Brain Neoplasm
• Brain Neoplasms
• Neoplasm Metastasis
• Neoplasms

• NCT number: NCT00124761
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: Royal Adelaide Hospital
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• Start date: December 2002
• Completion date: May 2009