
"I am glad that taking part in a trial might help others on their own cancer journey.”
Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.
This trial is for people with soft tissue sarcoma that hasn’t spread and who are going to have treatment with radiotherapy and then surgery.
It is for people going to The Royal Marsden Hospital in London.
Soft tissue sarcoma is a cancer that starts in the supporting tissues of the body (the soft tissue) such as:
There are different ways to treat soft tissue sarcoma that hasn’t spread. Often people have radiotherapy and then surgery.
Radiotherapy before surgery is called neoadjuvant radiotherapy. This shrinks the cancer so that it’s easier to remove during surgery. This is .
Pazopanib (Votrient) is a type of targeted therapy (biological therapy). It blocks a protein called tyrosine kinase that tells cells to divide and grow. Blocking this protein might stop cancer cells from growing.
Pazopanib is already used to help people with soft tissue sarcoma that has come back (recurrent soft tissue sarcoma). Now doctors want to find out if it can also help people with soft tissue sarcoma that hasn’t spread.
The main aims of this trial are to:
The following bullet points list the entry conditions for this trial. Talk to your doctor or the trial team if you are unsure about any of these. They will be able to advise you.
You may be able to join this trial if all of the following apply.
You cannot join this trial if any of these apply.
Cancer related
Medical conditions
Other
This is an international phase 2 trial. Researchers need about 30 people to take part worldwide and hope that around 20 people going to The Royal Marsden Hospital in London will take part.
You have radiotherapy and take pazopanib tablets. Then you have surgery.
Radiotherapy
You have a radiotherapy planning scan. The scan helps doctors know how much radiation you need and exactly where you need it. You might also have a radiotherapy mould (or shell) made. This is to keep you still during the treatment.
Then you start radiotherapy. You have it every day, Monday to Friday, with a break at weekends. You have 25 treatments (5 weeks).
Pazopanib
Pazopanib comes as tablets that you take every morning, including the weekends.
You start taking pazopanib tablets 1 week before the start of radiotherapy. And you continue taking them until the end of radiotherapy.
You cannot eat for at least 1 hour before the tablets and after you have had the tablets you must wait at least 2 hours before eating.
Surgery
You have surgery between 6 to 8 weeks after finishing radiotherapy and pazopanib. Your doctor can tell you more about this.
Blood samples
You have some extra blood tests as part of this trial. Researchers want to find out what happens to pazopanib and the effects it has in the body.
You have the extra blood samples before the start of pazopanib and then every week during treatment.
Tissue samples
The trial team will ask you to have 2 samples of tissue (biopsies) taken. You have them before the start of treatment and at the start of week 4 of radiotherapy (day 22).
Researchers want to look at the blood vessels (such as veins) that bring oxygen and other substances to the cancer.
MRI scans
You have 3 extra MRI scans as part of this trial. You have them:
Researchers want to see if the MRI scans can help to tell how well the treatment is working.
Patient diary
The trial team will ask you to keep a diary to record each time you take pazopanib. This helps your doctor see how many doses of treatment you had.
You see a doctor and have some tests before taking part. These tests might include:
During treatment you see the trial doctor every week. You have blood tests and a physical examination.
After you finish radiotherapy and pazopanib, you see the trial doctor after 1 and 2 weeks. Then you have surgery.
After surgery you see the trial doctor every week, for 3 weeks. Then:
The trial team monitor you during the time you have treatment and you have a phone number to call them if you are worried about anything. The team will tell you about all the possible side effects before you start the trial.
The most common side effects of pazopanib are:
We have more information about pazopanib.
And information about the side effects of:
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Dr Aisha Miah (clinical lead for the UK)
Novartis
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
The Netherlands Cancer Institute
Freephone 0808 800 4040
"I am glad that taking part in a trial might help others on their own cancer journey.”