Adaptive Radiation BOost for Rectal Cancer: a Phase I Dose Escalation Study (ARBOR)
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to find out if giving extra adaptive radiation therapy after standard chemoradiation treatment is safe and helpful for people with rectal cancer. The main questions the study aims to answer are: * Can this approach help target the most aggressive cancer cells more accurately, while protecting nearby healthy tissue? * Can it reduce the side effects that people may experience during treatment? Participants will: * First receive standard treatment: radiation (45 Gy in 25 sessions) along with a chemotherapy pill called capecitabine. * Then get extra radiation using MRI scans every two weeks to adjust the treatment based on how the tumor responds. * Use a small balloon during treatment to help aim the radiation and protect healthy areas. * Finally, receive additional chemotherapy (such as FOLFOX) for four months.
Arms & interventions
- RadiationAdaptive Radiotherapy Boost
Patients will receive one boost fraction every two weeks, targeting the primary tumor within the rectum plus a 2 mm Planning Target Volume (PTV) margin. Any regional lymph nodes that measure at least 5 mm in short axis on the day of treatment will receive treatment with the ART dose being given to the primary rectal tumor.
Outcome measures
Primary
MTD will be evaluated by monitoring the rate of dose limiting toxicities (DLTs) defined as acute Grade 2+ gastrointestinal toxicity probably or definitely related to radiation.
Time frame: From the initiation of rectal adaptive radiotherapy boost to 90 days after the last dose of boost, for a total of ~ 120 days.
Feasibility of a rectal boost that targets at least 90% of the rectal planning tumor volume with the 80% prescribed dose while limiting the outer 3 mm of the rectal wall to no more than 50% of the prescription dose delivered to 0.1cc.
Feasibility will be determined based on successful implementation and completion of standard chemoradiotherapy followed by experimental rectal adaptive radiotherapy boost utilizing CT-MR fusion that targets at least 90% of the rectal PTV\_Eval with the 80% prescribed dose while limiting the outer 3 mm of the rectal wall to no more than 50% of the prescription dose delivered to 0.1cc in ≥ 70% of ART fractions for the patient population enrolled in the study. This will be assessed at the MTD.
Time frame: From the ART boost initiation to the end of the ART boost, for a period of ~ 5 weeks
Secondary
Estimate the efficacy of bi-weekly adaptive radiotherapy boost fractions by complete response rate, near complete response rate, and incomplete response rate as per Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) criteria.
Time frame: From the end of rectal adaptive radiotherapy boost to the end of study, for a total of ~ 5 years.
Estimate total mesorectal excision (TME) free survival following treatment with the study regimen.
Time frame: From the end of treatment to the end of the study, for a total of up to 5 years.
Estimate overall survival (OS) following treatment with the study regimen.
Time frame: From the end of treatment to the end of study, for a total of up to 5 years.
Estimate early and late toxicity following treatment with the study regimen.
Time frame: From the initiation of rectal radiation boost treatment to the end of the study, for a total of ~ 5 years.
Eligibility criteria
Study locations (1)
Fox Chase Cancer Center
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19111