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NCT Number: NCT05013892

NTS-WBRT in Brain Metastases

This research is being done to assess the quality of life and symptom burden in participants who receive (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy (NTS-WBRT).

This research study involves:

* NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy) * Memantine standard of care drug

Recruiting

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Key information

Conditions

Brain Metastases Brain Diseases Brain Neoplasms Central Nervous System Diseases Central Nervous System Neoplasms Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Nervous System Diseases Nervous System Neoplasms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center

Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Helen A Shih, MD, MS, MPH

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Helen A Shih, MD,MS,MPH

CONTACT

[email protected]

617-724-9627

About this study

This is a Phase 2 trial testing the safety and effectiveness of NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy) in treating brain metastases.

NTS-WBRT is a targeted radiation therapy that further reduces radiation dose to tissue that does not need radiation therapy treatment.

The research study procedures include screening for eligibility and study treatment including evaluations and follow up visits.

It is expected that about 41 people will take part in this research study.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Any patient with a solid tumor diagnosis and any number of brain metastasis clinically indicated for cranial irradiation with whole brain radiation therapy
  • Age ≥ 18
  • Karnofsky Performance Status ≥ 70
  • Prior stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) permissible per physician discretion
  • Prior craniotomy permissible per physician discretion. Protocol radiation therapy should be initiated ≥2 weeks after craniotomy.
  • Prior partial brain radiation therapy permissible if target volume < 50% brain and per physician discretion
  • Expectant > 6 months survival
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
  • Fluency in English, able to complete questionnaires and neurocognitive testing
  • Ability to undergo MRI with gadolinium examination
  • Ability to return for follow-up examinations throughout the course of this study for a maximum of 2 years after radiation treatment completion
  • Any prior, concomitant, or post-radiotherapy systemic therapy is permitted at discretion of treating physicians
  • Negative pregnancy test for premenopausal women

Exclusion criteria

  • Leptomeningeal disease (by any one or more of clinical assessment, radiographic assessment, or cerebrospinal fluid study)
  • Prior whole brain radiation therapy
  • Pre-existing or current use of memantine or other NMDA antagonists
  • Known allergy to contrast used in imaging studies and/or inability to have MRI imaging
  • Uncontrolled intercurrent illness that could significantly affect baseline cognitive function as determined by the enrolling clinician, such as symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, prior CVA, significant uncontrolled epilepsy or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements
  • Pregnant or unwilling to use appropriate contraception to prevent pregnancy during the time of radiation therapy
  • Concurrent participation in an investigational systemic therapy protocol.

Treatment and study plan

NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy)

Radiation

Radiation

Other names: Radiation Therapy

Memantine

Drug

Capsule, taken orally

Other names: Namenda, Namenda XR, Namenda XR Titration Pack

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in Patient Reported Quality of Life for NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy)

    Time frame: 4 Months

    Assessed by Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Brain (FACT-Br) questionnaire. Score range is 0-200 and the higher the score, the better the outcome.

  2. Change in Patient Reported Symptom Burden for NTS-WBRT (normal tissue sparing whole brain radiation therapy)

    Time frame: 4 Months

    Assessed by Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Brain (FACT-Br) questionnaire. Score range is 0-200 and the higher the score, the better the outcome.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Tumor local control Rates between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT

    Time frame: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

    Estimated by the cumulative incidence function treating death as a competing risk, compared using Gray's test

  2. Intracranial- Progression Free Survival (PFS) between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT

    Time frame: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

    Estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, compared using the logrank test

  3. Overall survival (OS) between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT

    Time frame: The date of randomization to the date of death, or otherwise censored at the last follow-up date for patients still alive up to 24 months

    Estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, compared using the logrank test

  4. Change in Neurocognitive function between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT

    Time frame: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

    Assessed longitudinally by the HADS-D and HADS-A questionnaires

  5. Change in Mood between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT

    Time frame: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

    Mixed effects models with treatment arm as a fixed effect will be used to compare changes in depression (HADS-D) and anxiety (HADS-A) scores over time

  6. Change in Fatigue between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT

    Time frame: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

    Mixed effects models with treatment arm as a fixed effect will be used to compare changes in the fatigue score over time

  7. Change in Neuroendocrine function between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT

    Time frame: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

    Estimated by the cumulative incidence function treating intracranial progression and death as competing risks; compared using Gray's test.

  8. Change in Hearing between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT Assessed by Pure Tone Average

    Time frame: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

    Changes in pure tone average (PTA) from baseline to each subsequent assessment will be compared between treatment arms using Wilcox rank-sum test. Pure tone thresholds are found by presenting tones using standard headphones and methods in a sound treated booth. Pure tone thresholds will be tested by both bone (500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz) and air conduction (250, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000, 8000, 10000, 12000, and 14000 Hz). Masking will be applied sufficient to determine the ear responsible for each value. The results of this testing will be used to determine the sensorineural hearing level. If significant conductive loss is found, bone conduction threshold will be used to report sensory ototoxicity. Threshold effects across frequency will be combined into a Pure Tone Average (PTA), defined as the average of audiometric thresholds at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000. A significant decrease in Pure Tone Average is defined as an increase > 10 dB in relation to baseline threshold.

  9. Change in Hearing between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT Assessed by Word Recognition Score

    Time frame: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

    Changes in word recognition score (WRS) from baseline to each subsequent assessment will be compared between treatment arms using Wilcox rank-sum test. Word recognition is defined as the percent correct on a standard, 50-item word list of English monosyllables: CID W-22, NU#6 or CNC. A significant decrease in word recognition is defined as a score exceeding the 95% critical difference from the table of Thornton and Raffin.

  10. Change in Hearing between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT Assessed by Otoacoustic Emissions

    Time frame: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

    The rates of absent otoacoustic emissions (OAE) will be compared between treatment arms using Fisher's exact test. The OAE (Otoacoustic Emissions) test checks part of the inner ear's response to sound. Otoacoustic emissions are sounds given off by one small part of the cochlea when it is stimulated by soft clicking sounds. When the sound stimulates the cochlea, the outer hair cells vibrate. The vibration produces a nearly inaudible sound that echoes back into the middle ear. The results are either present or absent. Present OAEs are consistent with normal to near normal hearing. Absent OAEs may be a sign of a problem related to study treatment.

  11. Alopecia Rates between NTS-WBRT+SIB and NTS-WBRT

    Time frame: baseline, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months

    Assessed by patient report and visual inspection with documented photography; compared by Fisher's exact test

  12. Number of Participants With Treatment-Related Adverse Events as Assessed by CTCAE Version 5.0

    Time frame: Up to 24 months

    The number and proportion of adverse events, graded as defined by CTCAE version 5.0 will be tabulated by type and grade, compared using Fisher's exact test.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Helen A Shih, MD, MS, MPH

CONTACT

[email protected]

(617) 724-9627

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Massachusetts General Hospital

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Phase II Trial of Normal Tissue Sparing Whole Brain Radiation Therapy (NTS-WBRT) in Patients With Brain Metastases

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2027
Study completion
2027
First posted
Aug 19, 2021
Registry last updated
Apr 16, 2026

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

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

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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