
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.
This trial is looking at adding to
for cancer that has spread elsewhere in the body.
It is for people who have cancer that has spread to fewer than 5 areas of the body. Your doctor can say if this applies to you.
You won’t be able to take part if you have cancer that started in the breast, prostate, lung or bowel.
Cancers that have spread to another part of the body are advanced cancers. They are also called:
You might have standard treatment that includes ,
or
to treat advanced cancer. Some people may have radiotherapy to help with symptoms. This is
.
Researchers are looking at ways to improve treatment for people whose cancer has spread to no more than 5 areas of the body. Cancer that has spread to fewer than 5 areas are called oligometastasis. Researchers think that adding stereotactic body radiotherapy to standard of care might help this group of people. They aren’t sure how well it will work so they are doing this trial to find out more.
Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) gives radiotherapy from many different angles around the body. The beams meet at the tumour. This means the tumour receives a high dose of radiation and the tissues around it receive a much lower dose. This lowers the risk of side effects.
The main aims of the trial are to:
The following bullet points are a summary of 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.
Who can take part
You may be able to join this trial if all of the following apply. You:
Who can’t take part
Cancer related
You cannot join this trial if any of these apply. You:
Medical conditions
You cannot join this trial if any of these apply. You:
Other
You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
This phase 3 trial is taking place in Europe and the UK. The team need to find 200 people to take part including 24 from the UK.
It is a randomised trial. You are put into a group by a computer. Neither you nor your doctor will be able to decide which group you are in. There are 2 treatment groups.
You have 1 of the following:
Standard treatment
Your doctor will talk to you about the type of treatment you have and how often you have it. The standard treatments for your cancer type might include:
Standard treatment and stereotactic radiotherapy
You have SBRT first. This is then followed by standard treatment as described above.
To begin with, you have a radiotherapy planning session. Once this is complete the team arrange your SBRT.
You have 1, 3, or 5 SBRT treatments to each area of cancer spread. The number of treatments you have depends on the area of the body that needs treatment. Your doctor will tell you how many treatments you’ll have.
You have it every second day if you have 3 treatments. You have it every day if you have 5 treatments. All SBRT will be completed within 2 weeks.
You then go on to have the standard treatment that your doctor has planned for you. The team can tell you more about this.
Quality of life
The trial team ask you to fill out a questionnaire:
The questionnaire asks about side effects and how you’ve been feeling. This is called a quality of life study.
You see the doctor and have some tests before you can take part. These include:
You might also have a PET-CT scan.
Those having radiotherapy have a check up 6 weeks after it finishes. This is to see how you are and if you have any side effects from radiotherapy.
Everyone has a check up with their doctor and a CT or MRI scan:
You stop having trial scans if your cancer gets worse. The team then contact you:
This might be at a routine hospital appointment or they might call or email you to see how you are getting on.
The team plan to collect information about:
The trial team monitor you during treatment and afterwards. Contact your advice line or tell your doctor or nurse if any side effects are bad or not getting better.
The most common side effects of radiotherapy include:
We have more information about the following treatments and their side effects:
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Professor Jennifer Sherriff
European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)
Rising Tide
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
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.