Last year in the UK over 60,000 cancer patients enrolled on clinical trials aimed at improving cancer treatments and making them available to all.
A study looking at individual and targeted radiotherapy for non small cell lung cancer
Cancer type:
Lung cancer
Non small cell lung cancer
Status:
Results
Phase:
Other
This study looked at a more individual and targeted way of having radiotherapy to treat non small cell lung cancer. It was for people who had lung cancer that couldn’t be removed with surgery.
Cancer Research UK supported this study.
More about this trial
When doctors can’t remove non small cell lung cancer with surgery, they generally treat it with radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy.
Intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is a type of radiotherapy that doctors can use to target the cancer better. Using IMRT doctors can give a higher dose of radiotherapy to the cancer while giving as little as possible to nearby organs.
The researchers used IMRT and also worked out the dose of radiotherapy for each person individually.
In the study most patients had an increased dose of radiotherapy.
About a month after completing chemotherapy everyone had radiotherapy twice a day.
The aims of this study were to find out:
- if it was practical to give an individual targeted dose of radiotherapy
- what the side effects were
- if this treatment stopped lung cancer from continuing to grow or coming back
- if the treatment helped people with lung cancer live longer
Summary of results
The study team found it was possible to give an individual increased targeted dose of radiotherapy.
The radiotherapy dose for each person was to be higher than the standard dose 
of radiotherapy used for non small cell lung cancer.
of radiotherapy used for non small cell lung cancer. Of the 37 people who took part:
- 2 people had standard radiotherapy instead of the targeted radiotherapy, this was due to the size of their cancer
- 14 people were able to have the highest dose of radiotherapy
- 1 person didn’t complete their radiotherapy because their cancer continued to grow
After an average follow up of just over a year, 20 people were still alive.
The team looked at side effects that happened during the radiotherapy and for 4 months afterwards (short term side effects). These included:
- a cough
- difficulty swallowing
- shortness of breath
- inflammation of the food pipe
- skin problems at the treatment area
They also looked at side effects that continued on 4 months after radiotherapy (long term side effects). These included:
- a cough
- difficulty swallowing
- shortness of breath
The team concluded an individual targeted dose of radiotherapy to treat non small cell lung cancer was possible. And the side effects weren’t too bad. A trial called ADSCaN is comparing different ways of giving an increased dose of radiotherapy to the standard ways of giving radiotherapy for non small cell lung cancer.
We have based this summary on information from the research team. The information they sent us has been reviewed by independent specialists (peer reviewed ) but may not have been published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the research team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.
) but may not have been published in a medical journal. The figures we quote above were provided by the research team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.Recruitment start:
Recruitment end:
How to join a clinical trial
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Please note - unless we state otherwise in the summary, you need to talk to your doctor about joining a trial.
Chief Investigator
Professor Corinne Faivre-Finn
Supported by
British Lung Foundation
Cancer Research UK
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)
NIHR Clinical Research Network: Cancer
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
Freephone 0808 800 4040
Last review date
CRUK internal database number:
10076
Please note - unless we state otherwise in the summary, you need to talk to your doctor about joining a trial.
Over 60,000 cancer patients enrolled on clinical trials in the UK last year.
