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Prophylactic Radiotherapy Optimization for Enhanced Thyroid Function Protection in NPC

Prophylactic Radiotherapy Optimization for Enhanced Thyroid Function Protection in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma (PROTECT-NPC): A Multicenter, Non-Inferiority, Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Phase III Clinical Trial

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06752239
Acronym
PROTECT-NPC
Enrollment
474
Registered
2024-12-30
Start date
2025-01-01
Completion date
2031-12-31
Last updated
2025-04-10

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

Conditions

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Quality of Life, Radiotherapy, Radiotherapy Side Effect, Thyroid Diseases

Keywords

Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Quality of Life, Thyroid Function Protection, Radiotherapy

Brief summary

This study is a multicenter, non-inferiority, open-label, randomized controlled Phase III clinical trial. It aims to compare the efficacy of modified delineation radiotherapy (experimental group) versus standard delineation radiotherapy (control group) in the prophylactic irradiation of neck lymphatic drainage areas III/IVa in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The study evaluates the incidence of primary hypothyroidism, quality of life, and adverse events between the two groups.

Interventions

RADIATIONModified delineation

Modified delineation (MD) of cervical lymphatic drainage areas, sparing the common carotid artery within the clinical target volume (CTV)

RADIATIONStandard delineation

Standard delineation

Sponsors

Jiangxi Provincial Cancer Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

1\. Male or female, aged 18-70 years; 2. Pathologically confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma; 3. No positive lymph nodes in unilateral or bilateral regions III and IVa; 4. Clinical stage I-IVa (AJCC/UICC 8th edition), with no evidence of distant metastasis; 5. Normal thyroid function; 6. ECOG performance status of 0-1; 7. Treatment-naïve patients who have not received any prior antitumor therapy; 6. No contraindications to radiotherapy or chemotherapy; 9. Adequate organ function, meeting the following criteria: Hematologic criteria: WBC ≥ 4.0 × 10⁹/L, ANC ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L, PLT ≥ 100 × 10⁹/L, HGB ≥ 90 g/L (no transfusion, blood products, or hematopoietic growth factors used within the past 7 days); Biochemical criteria: ALT and AST \< 1.5 × ULN, ALP \< 2.5 × ULN, total bilirubin \< ULN, BUN and creatinine ≤ 1.5 × ULN or creatinine clearance rate ≥ 60 mL/min (calculated using the Cockcroft-Gault formula). 10\. Voluntarily agreed to participate in the study, signed the informed consent form, demonstrated good compliance, and agreed to follow-up.

Exclusion criteria

1. History of other malignant tumors (excluding basal cell carcinoma/squamous cell carcinoma of the skin or cervical carcinoma in situ); 2. History of radiotherapy (excluding radiotherapy outside the planned target area for conditions such as melanoma); 3. History of neck surgery; 4. Any severe comorbidities that may pose risks to the study or affect compliance, such as unstable heart disease requiring treatment, kidney disease, chronic hepatitis, poorly controlled diabetes (fasting blood glucose \> 1.5 × ULN), or psychiatric disorders; 5. History of hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, or immune-related thyroid disorders; 6. Other family or social factors, as judged by the investigator, may force the study's early termination, compromise patient safety, or affect the collection of trial data.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Regional Recurrence-free Survival3 yearsRegional Recurrence-Free Survival (RRFS) is defined as the time interval from the date of randomization to the date of lymph node failure in the cervical lymphatic drainage area or the last follow-up date.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Overall Survival3 yearsOverall Survival (OS) is defined as the time interval from the date of randomization to the date of death from any cause or the last follow-up date.
Disease-free Survival3 yearsDisease-Free Survival (DFS) is defined as the time interval from the date of randomization to the date of tumor recurrence or death from any cause.
Hypothyroidism-Free Survival3 yearsHypothyroidism-free survival is defined as the time interval from the date of randomization to the date of the first occurrence of hypothyroidism or the last follow-up date.
Clinical Hypothyroidism-Free Survival3 yearsClinical hypothyroidism-free survival is defined as the time interval from the date of randomization to the date of the first occurrence of clinical hypothyroidism or the last follow-up date.
Global Health Status1year, 2 year and 3 yearsThe quality of life of patients in the two groups will be assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Core 30).

Countries

China

Contacts

Primary ContactXiaochang Gong, MD
gxcanddw@163.com8613970020755

Outcome results

None listed

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