Serial MRI Scans During Radiation Therapy

Launched by DANA-FARBER CANCER INSTITUTE · Dec 4, 2019

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is studying how effective regular MRI scans are in monitoring the treatment response of patients with certain advanced cancers—specifically esophageal cancer, glioblastoma, prostate cancer, vulvar cancer, and pediatric gliomas—while they undergo radiation therapy, which is a common cancer treatment. Participants will have three MRI scans: one before starting radiation, one during the treatment, and one after it ends. The goal is to see if these scans can help doctors understand how well the treatment is working.

To be eligible for this study, participants must be at least 18 years old and have a confirmed cancer diagnosis that requires radiation therapy. Additionally, they should be in good enough health to take part in the study and must be able to understand and sign a consent form. It's important to note that specific criteria may vary depending on the type of cancer. If you choose to participate, you can expect to have those three MRI scans and may contribute to valuable research that could improve future cancer treatments.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Participants must have a confirmed malignancy requiring radiation therapy.
• • Age: 18 years or older except where otherwise specified in subprotocol.
• • ECOG performance status ≤2 (Karnofsky ≥60%)
• • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
• • Any further criteria listed in the specific disease site subprotocol.
• • (Esophageal cohort) Patients must be considered appropriate candidates for neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy followed by esophagectomy. Patients must have an endoscopic ultrasound done or scheduled to be done at the baseline visit.
• • (Glioblastoma cohort) Patients with a histologically confirmed newly diagnosed intracranial glioblastoma or gliosarcoma who will be undergoing radiation therapy as part of clinical care.
• • (Prostate cohort) Patients with localized prostate cancer who are planning to receive androgen deprivation therapy and definitive radiation therapy.
• • (Vulvar cohort) Patients with biopsy-proven locally advanced vulvar cancer for which definitive radiotherapy is planned.
• • (Pediatric glioma cohort) Patients age 18 or under (patients 18-30 years old are also eligible if the physician determines that based on genetics, the tumor biology is consistent with pediatric high grade glioma). Patients with a histologically confirmed newly diagnosed high-grade glioma (WHO grade III or IV) who will be undergoing radiation therapy as part of clinical care. Patients with DIPG are only eligible if biopsy-confirmed high grade DIPG is present. Ability to understand and/or willingness of their parent or legally authorized representative to sign a written informed consent document.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Disease-specific exclusion criteria will be specified in a subprotocol.
• • For MRI involving contrast, history of allergic reactions attributed to gadolinium-based IV contrast. If patient will not receive contrast, this is not applicable and kidney function will not affect eligibility.
• • Inability to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).