MRI and Blood Biomarkers for Brain Cancer
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
This trial examines how repeated MRI scans and blood tests can predict changes in thinking and memory following brain radiation, a type of cancer treatment. Researchers aim to determine if these tests can track patient responses to treatment and allow for adjustments if necessary. The trial is suitable for individuals scheduled to undergo brain radiation for at least five weeks and who can tolerate MRIs with contrast. Participants must also understand and complete cognitive tests in English and have no history of serious mental health issues or neurological disorders like dementia. As a Phase 2 trial, this study measures the treatment's effectiveness in an initial, smaller group, offering participants an opportunity to contribute to important research.
Do I need to stop my current medications for the trial?
The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. However, you cannot participate if you are on concurrent chemotherapy.
What prior data suggests that this protocol is safe for evaluating brain radiation effects?
Research has shown that brain radiation is usually well-tolerated, with some patients experiencing mild to moderate side effects. In one study involving patients with cancer spread to the brain, only about 3.2% experienced severe side effects. Another study found that brain radiation did not cause serious issues like brain bleeding or death. Additionally, more than 40% of patients with cancer spread to the brain demonstrated improvements in their thinking abilities after treatment.
Overall, while some side effects may occur, brain radiation is considered safe for most people. Those considering participation in trials should discuss potential risks and benefits with their healthcare providers.12345Why are researchers excited about this trial?
Researchers are excited about this trial because it aims to predict neurocognitive decline after brain radiation using MRI and blood biomarkers. Unlike standard approaches that wait for symptoms to appear, this method uses advanced imaging and blood tests to identify changes early on. This could lead to more personalized treatment plans, potentially improving patient outcomes by addressing issues before they worsen.
What evidence suggests that this method is effective for monitoring brain radiation effects?
Research has shown that brain radiation can be beneficial in certain situations, particularly for patients whose cancer has spread to the brain. While it might not significantly extend overall life expectancy, it has been linked to benefits such as reducing pain in more than half of the patients who survived at least three months after treatment. Additionally, when combined with the chemotherapy pill temozolomide, radiation therapy has improved survival rates in patients with glioma, a type of brain cancer. This suggests that brain radiation might help manage symptoms and potentially improve outcomes when used with other treatments. However, results can vary for each individual, so discussing expectations with a healthcare provider is important.678910
Who Is on the Research Team?
Caroline Chung
Principal Investigator
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
Inclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Radiation
Participants undergo multiparametric MRI with and without contrast and blood sample collection during radiotherapy
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for neurocognitive changes with MRI and blood biomarkers post-radiotherapy
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Brain Radiation
How Is the Trial Designed?
1
Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Patients undergo multiparametric MRI with contrast at baseline, 3 weeks during radiotherapy, and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months post-radiotherapy. Patients undergo multiparametric MRI without contrast at 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 weeks during radiotherapy. Patients may undergo functional MRI at baseline and 6 months post-radiotherapy. Patients also complete questionnaires and undergo collection of blood samples at baseline, weekly through week 6 during radiotherapy, and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months post radiotherapy.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Lead Sponsor
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Collaborator
Citations
Results - Radiation Therapy for Brain Metastases - NCBI - NIH
Overall survival (HR 2.00; CI 0.78 to 5.17; 1 RCT), progression-free survival (HR 3.10; CI 0.74 to 12.93; 1 RCT) and death due to brain metastases (RR 3.00; CI ...
Patient Reported Outcomes Following Palliative Whole ...
More than 50% of patients that survived 3 months reported a significant alleviation of pain, and 38% of patients that survived for 6 months ...
Clinical trial finds that adding the chemotherapy pill ...
“We found that the 10-year survival rate was 70% with the combined treatment with temozolomide chemotherapy and radiation, compared to 47% with ...
Radiotherapy for brain metastasis and long-term survival
Our results indicate that RT did not significantly increase the median overall survival of BM patients, although RT was associated with a ...
the outcome of whole brain radiation therapy in the era of ...
For asymptomatic patients, ipilimumab has shown an intracranial response rate of 5–16% (19) and pembrolizumab or nivolumab alone achieved a response rate of 21– ...
Radiation Therapy for Brain Metastases: A Systematic ...
Radiation therapy after surgery did not improve overall survival compared with surgery alone (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.76%-1.26%; 5 RCTs). Data for ...
Safety Evaluation of a Combination of Brain Radiation ...
None intracerebral hemorrhage or death related to the treatment was reported. These results indicate a possible way of innovative strategies in the therapeutic ...
Efficacy and safety analysis in metastatic cancer patients ...
Response to radiotherapy was observed in 548 (83.0 %) cases and CTCAE toxicity grade > 3 was observed in 21 (3.2 %) cases. •. An increasing number of RT courses ...
Safety and Feasibility of Stereotactic Radiosurgery for ...
SRS was safe, had favorable cognitive outcomes, and had comparable survival outcomes to contemporary studies evaluating WBRT in this population. Treatment-naïve ...
People who experience side effects from cranial radiation ...
Analysis of three large, phase III clinical trials finds more than 40% of brain metastases patients completely reversed cognitive losses.
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