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Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Unresectable Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma

A Pilot Study to Determine the Feasibility of Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Following Chemotherapy for Unresectable Perihilar Cholangiocarcinoma. The STRONG Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03307538
Acronym
STRONG
Enrollment
6
Registered
2017-10-11
Start date
2017-11-06
Completion date
2020-06-30
Last updated
2021-01-26

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

Conditions

Klatskin Tumor

Keywords

Perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, Klatskin tumor, Stereotactic body radiation therapy

Brief summary

Rationale: For patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, surgery is the only treatment modality that can result in cure. Unfortunately, in the majority of these patients the tumors are found to be unresectable at presentation due to local invasive tumor growth or the presence of distal metastases. For patients with unresectable cholangiocarcinoma palliative chemotherapy is the standard treatment yielding an estimated median overall survival of 12-15.2 months. There is no evidence from randomized trials that support the routine use of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for cholangiocarcinoma. However, small and most often retrospective studies combining chemotherapy with SBRT showed promising results with overall survival reaching up to 33-35 months. Based upon these observations, the investigators designed a local feasibility trial with SBRT after chemotherapy in patients with unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma in order to try to confirm the observed tolerability of adding SBRT to standard chemotherapy. The expected time to include the required patients for this pilot study will be one year. Objective: To assess feasibility of SBRT as add on treatment after standard chemotherapy. Study design: Local feasibility trial. Study population: Patients diagnosed with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, 18 years of age or older, T1-4 N0-1 M0 (AJCC 7th Edition), after completion of standard chemotherapy. Exclusion criteria are local tumor growth into either stomach, colon, duodenum, pancreas or abdominal wall. Sample size will be 6 patients. Intervention: SBRT will be delivered in 15 fractions of 3 to 4.5Gy after 8 cycles of chemotherapy. In case of toxicity causing premature termination of systemic treatment, the patient can still proceed to SBRT. Main study parameters/endpoints: The primary endpoint of this study is feasibility measured by radiotherapy induced toxicity according to CTC v4.0.3. Secondary endpoints will be: * Quality of life * Local progression * Progression free survival * Overall survival * Cellular radiosensitivity.

Detailed description

For patients with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, surgery is the only treatment modality that can result in cure. Unfortunately, in the majority of these patients the tumors are found to be unresectable at presentation due to local invasive tumor growth or the presence of distant metastases. For these patients palliative chemotherapy is the standard treatment yielding an estimated median overall survival of 12-15.2 months. There is no evidence from randomized trials that supports the routine use of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) for unresectable cholangiocarcinoma. However, small and most often retrospective studies combining chemotherapy with SBRT showed promising results with overall survival reaching up to 33-35 months. This pilot study is designed as a first step to confirm and extend these findings. Up to six patients diagnosed with unresectable perihilar cholangiocarcinoma will be treated with standard chemotherapy followed by SBRT in order to assess possible severe side effects of the treatment. As part of this research, patients will be followed with CT- or MRI-scan and blood tests exams until progression. In addition to this clinical evaluation, the investigators will also work towards developing a predictive assay for radiotherapy response of both normal and tumor tissue by establishing normal tissue and tumor organoids and determining several key parameters for their response to ionizing radiation treatment.

Interventions

RADIATIONStereotactic body radiation therapy

15 fractions of 3-4,5 Gy (risk-adapted)

Sponsors

Erasmus Medical Center
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

In order to be eligible to participate in this study, a subject must be discussed in a multidisciplinary liver tumor board and should meet all of the following criteria: * Patients diagnosed with perihilar cholangiocarcinoma according to the criteria of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester: * Positive or strongly suspicious intraluminal brush or biopsy or, * A radiographic malignant appearing stricture plus either: * CA 19-9\>100 U/ml in the absence of acute bacterial cholangitis, or * polysomy on FISH, or * a well-defined mass on cross sectional imaging. * One tumor mass * Unresectable tumor * Finished chemotherapy treatment with Gemcitabine and Cisplatin, preferably 8 cycles. If less cycles are given, patients are still eligible for this study. * T1-T4 (AJCC staging 7th edition), before chemotherapy * N0-N1 (AJCC staging 7th edition), radiologically or pathologically suspect, before chemotherapy * Measurable disease to be selected as a target on CT/MRI-scan, according to RECIST criteria, after chemotherapy within 6 weeks prior to inclusion * Tumor visibility on CT * If liver cirrhosis is present, it should be well compensated, with Child-Pugh grade A. * Age ≥ 18 years * ECOG performance status 0-1 * Bilirubin ≤1.5 times normal value, AST/ALT ≤5 times ULN, within 6 weeks prior to inclusion * Platelets ≥ 50x10E9/ l, Leukocytes \> 1.5x10E9/l, Hb \> 6 mmol/l, within 6 weeks prior to inclusion * Written informed consent, after chemotherapy * Willing and able to comply to the follow-up schedule * Able to start SBRT within 12 weeks after completion of chemotherapy.

Exclusion criteria

* Eligibility for resection * Prior surgery or transplantation * Multifocal tumor * Tumor extension in stomach, colon, duodenum, pancreas or abdominal wall. * N2, (AJCC staging 7th edition), radiologically or pathologically suspect, before chemotherapy * Distant metastases * Progression (local or distant) during or after chemotherapy Ascites * Previous radiotherapy to the liver * Current pregnancy

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Acute toxicity3 monthsLimiting toxicity will be defined as more than one patient with grade 4 hepatobiliary toxicity related to study procedures, or more than one patient with grade 3 gastrointestinal toxicity related to study procedures, occurring in the period up to 3 months after the last SBRT administration.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Quality of life2 yearsAssessed by means of the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire
Local progression2 yearsMeasured on CT
Progression free survival2 yearsTime from treatment to progression measured on CT
Overall survival2 years
Cellular radiosensitivity2 yearsA predictive assay will be developed for radiotherapy response of both normal and tumor tissue by establishing normal tissue and tumor organoids and determining several key parameters for their response to ionizing radiation treatment.

Countries

Netherlands

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 23, 2026