Radiation Therapy to the Head in Preventing Brain Metastases in Women Receiving Trastuzumab and Chemotherapy for Metastatic or Locally Advanced Breast Cancer

Prospective Randomised Clinical Trial Testing the Role of Prophylactic Cranial Radiotherapy in Patients Treated With Trastuzumab (Herceptin®) for Metastatic Breast Cancer

Status

Completed

Phases

Phase 3

Study type

Interventional

Source

ClinicalTrials.gov

Registry ID

NCT00639366

Enrollment

390

Registered

2008-03-20

Start date

2007-02-28

Completion date

2010-10-31

Last updated

2013-08-07

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Breast Cancer

Keywords

recurrent breast cancer, stage IIIA breast cancer, stage IIIB breast cancer, stage IIIC breast cancer, stage IV breast cancer

Brief summary

RATIONALE: Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells. It is not yet known whether radiation therapy directed at the head is effective in preventing brain metastases in patients with advanced cancer. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying radiation therapy to the head to see how well it works in preventing brain metastases in women receiving trastuzumab and chemotherapy for metastatic or locally advanced breast cancer.

Detailed description

OBJECTIVES: * To test if prophylactic cranial radiotherapy delivering 30 Gy in 10 fractions will significantly reduce (from 35% to 21% at 2 years) the incidence of symptomatic brain metastases in patients treated with trastuzumab (Herceptin®) for metastatic breast cancer. OUTLINE: This is a multicenter study. Patients are stratified by center, type of systemic therapy (trastuzumab \[Herceptin®\] monotherapy vs combination with chemotherapy), hormone receptor status, and presence of lung metastases (yes vs no). Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms. * Arm I: Patients receive taxane/trastuzumab therapy for 6 weeks. While continuing taxane/trastuzumab therapy, patients then undergo 10 fractions of concurrent prophylactic cranial radiotherapy in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. * Arm II: Patients receive taxane/trastuzumab therapy without concurrent prophylactic cranial radiotherapy. All patients undergo quality of life assessments every 8 weeks for 9 months. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed periodically for at least 1 year.

Interventions

BIOLOGICALtrastuzumab

DRUGchemotherapy

RADIATIONradiation therapy

Study design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Primary purpose

PREVENTION

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

FEMALE

Age

18 Years to No maximum

Healthy volunteers

Inclusion criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Histologically proven breast carcinoma * Metastatic or locally advanced disease * Must demonstrate HER2 3+ positivity on IHC or 2+ over-expression and FISH test demonstrating C-erB2 gene amplification * No known or suspected brain metastases or CNS disease, as defined by the presence of any of the following key symptoms: * Headache * Nausea and/or vomiting * Clinical signs of raised intracranial pressure * Seizures * Focal symptoms * Cognitive dysfunction * Affective disorder * Hormone receptor status not specified PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Female * Postmenopausal status not specified * ECOG performance status 0 or 1 * Patients must a-priori be suitable for trastuzumab (Herceptin®) +/- chemotherapy in terms of bone marrow, hepatic, and renal function * No prior history of cerebrovascular disease or neurological disorder including seizures PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * No prior cranial radiotherapy * No prior neurosurgery

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Incidence of symptomatic brain metastases	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Survival	—
Cerebral toxicity and quality of life	—

Countries

United Kingdom

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026