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NCT Number: NCT03017794

Evaluation of Neuroendocrine Differentiation as a Potential Mechanism of Tumor Recurrence Following Radiotherapy

This is a pilot study to test a hypothesis that a greater increase in serum chromogranin A (CgA) after a definitive radiotherapy (RT) with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer recurrence after RT. Serum CgA level is measured before the start of RT and/or the start of neoadjuvant ADT for patients undergoing a definitive RT with or without ADT. CgA is also measured at various pre-defined post-RT time points. The study will analyze the followings: 1. Change in CgA level at various pre-defined post-RT time points from the baseline, 2. Correlation between the extent of post-therapy CgA change and Gleason score of malignancy, 3. Correlation between the extent of post-therapy CgA change and treatment outcome.

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This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

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Key information

Conditions

Prostate Cancer Genital Diseases Genital Diseases, Male Genital Neoplasms, Male Male Urogenital Diseases Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Prostatic Diseases Prostatic Neoplasms Urogenital Diseases Urogenital Neoplasms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

Male

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Scottsdale, Arizona, United States

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About this study

Neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) in prostate cancer is a well-recognized phenotypic change by which prostate cancer cells transdifferentiate into neuroendocrine-like (NE-like) cells. Accumulated evidences have suggested that the prevalence of NE-like cells is associated with disease progression and poor prognosis.

NED can be induced by a therapeutic agent. Such therapeutic agents include RT and ADT. RT-induced NED represents a novel pathway by which prostate cancer cells survive radiotherapy and contribute to treatment failure and tumor recurrence. Chromogranin A is the serum biomarker for NED and correlates well with CgA-positive staining in biopsy specimens. It has been reported that elevated serum CgA is associated with poor therapeutic response, androgen-independent growth, and biochemical recurrence.

The study tests whether the extent of serum CgA increase by RT +/- ADT, which reflects radiation-induced NED, is correlated with the risk of prostate cancer recurrence following RT and a Gleason score of prostate carcinoma.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Clinically localized prostate carcinoma, T1-T4 N0M0, any Gleason Score, any prostate-specific antigen (PSA), or Biochemical relapse with clinically suspicious (based on MRI or clinical examination) or biopsy-proven local recurrence in the prostatic fossa after a radical prostatectomy
  • ≥18 years old
  • Histologic diagnosis of prostate adenocarcinoma
  • Signed informed consent

Exclusion criteria

  • Biochemical relapse alone without clinically suspicious (i.e. no suspicious lesion on MRI of the prostatic bed) or biopsy-proven local recurrence in the prostatic fossa
  • Regional pelvic node metastasis (N1)
  • Distant metastasis (M1)
  • Concurrent or previous cytotoxic medications
  • Medical or psychological conditions that in the opinion of the investigator would not allow follow-up

Treatment and study plan

Primary outcomes

  1. Post-RT CgA and Gleason Score (GS)

    Time frame: 5 years 6 months

    Post-RT CgA will be correlated with Gleason score (GS).The Gleason score is calculated by adding together the two grades of cancer cells that make up the largest areas of the biopsied tissue sample. The Gleason score usually ranges from 6 to 10. The lower the Gleason score, the more the cancer cells look like normal cells and are likely to grow and spread slowly.

  2. Chromogranin A (CgA) levels

    Time frame: 5 years 6 months

    Chromogranin A (CgA) levels will be recorded before radiation therapy (RT), during RT, and post-RT.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and CgA

    Time frame: 5 years 6 months

    CgA levels of patients receiving RT plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) will be compared with CgA levels for patients receiving RT alone.

  2. Post--therapy CgA in photon-based RT and proton-based RT

    Time frame: 5 years 6 months

    CgA levels in patients undergoing photon-based RT will be compared with CgA levels of those undergoing proton-based RT.

  3. CgA and biochemical recurrence

    Time frame: 5 years 6 months

    CgA levels will be compared with biochemical recurrence of disease, defined as an increase in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels after treatment without other signs of cancer.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Mayo Clinic

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Jan 11, 2017
Registry last updated
Jan 6, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

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This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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