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NCT Number: NCT04188535

Serial MRI Scans During Radiation Therapy

This is a phase 1 study to determine the feasibility and utility of using serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess treatment response during and after radiation therapy (standard of care cancer treatment) for participants with advanced esophageal cancer, glioblastoma, prostate cancer, vulvar cancer or pediatric glioma.

The research study procedures include three MRI scans (one before, one during, and one after standard of care cancer radiation therapy) for participants with advanced esophageal cancer, glioblastoma, prostate cancer, vulvar cancer or pediatric glioma.

The research study procedures include:

* Screening for eligibility * Three MRI scans

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Key information

About this study

This is a phase 1, non-randomized, open-label study evaluating feasibility of serial MRI, with an option for an expansion cohort. The optional expansion cohort is a prospective imaging registry evaluating imaging biomarkers as predictors of disease control with standard of care treatment.

This research study is a feasibility study, meaning that it is the first time that investigators at this institution are examining the process of getting multiple MRIs during radiation treatment.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared this MRI scanner for use.

Participants who fulfill eligibility criteria will be entered into the trial.

The research study procedures include screening for eligibility, and three MRI scans. MRI imaging will be performed as per disease site standards.

A total of 149 participants will be enrolled in this trial:

  • 13 participants in the esophageal cancer cohort
  • 10 participants in the initial glioblastoma cohort and 36 participants in the image registry expansion cohort
  • 10 participants in the prostate cancer cohort and 50 participants in the image registry expansion cohort
  • 10 participants in the vulvar cancer cohort
  • 10 participants in the pediatric glioma cohort
  • 10 participants in the sarcoma cohort

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Participants must have a confirmed malignancy requiring radiation therapy.
  • Age: 18 years or older except where otherwise specified in subprotocol.
  • ECOG performance status ≤2 (Karnofsky ≥60%)
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
  • Any further criteria listed in the specific disease site subprotocol.
  • (Esophageal cohort) Patients must be considered appropriate candidates for neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy followed by esophagectomy. Patients must have an endoscopic ultrasound done or scheduled to be done at the baseline visit.
  • (Glioblastoma cohort) Patients with a histologically confirmed newly diagnosed intracranial glioblastoma or gliosarcoma who will be undergoing radiation therapy as part of clinical care.
  • (Prostate cohort) Patients with localized prostate cancer who are planning to receive androgen deprivation therapy and definitive radiation therapy.
  • (Vulvar cohort) Patients with biopsy-proven locally advanced vulvar cancer for which definitive radiotherapy is planned.
  • (Pediatric glioma cohort) Patients age 18 or under (patients 18-30 years old are also eligible if the physician determines that based on genetics, the tumor biology is consistent with pediatric high grade glioma). Patients with a histologically confirmed newly diagnosed high-grade glioma (WHO grade III or IV) who will be undergoing radiation therapy as part of clinical care. Patients with DIPG are only eligible if biopsy-confirmed high grade DIPG is present. Ability to understand and/or willingness of their parent or legally authorized representative to sign a written informed consent document.

Exclusion criteria

  • Disease-specific exclusion criteria will be specified in a subprotocol.
  • For MRI involving contrast, history of allergic reactions attributed to gadolinium-based IV contrast. If patient will not receive contrast, this is not applicable and kidney function will not affect eligibility.
  • Inability to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Treatment and study plan

MRI imaging

Diagnostic Test

Imaging with MRI will be performed as per disease site standards.

Primary outcomes

  1. Feasibility of acquiring serial MRI scans on an MRI simulator during treatment with radiation therapy

    Time frame: 1 year

    90% lower confidence limit (LCL) on the true feasibility rate. Feasibility is defined as successfully enrolling patients, acquiring MRI data at all timepoints, identifying the target on MRI data obtained at all timepoints, and processing MRI data at all timepoints to yield pre-specified MRI-derived measurements.

  2. Ability to measure disease control (for imaging registry expansion cohort)

    Time frame: 2 years

    Validating a previously developed predictive model to identify the most likely area of recurrence using MRI-based features.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Dosimetric change

    Time frame: 1 year

    For subprotocols studying the adaptive treatment, the secondary objective is dosimetric change in the in silico adaptive radiation therapy plans, without delivering adaptive plans in Phase I.

Study contacts

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

Jonathan Leeman, MD

CONTACT

[email protected]

(617) 732-6452

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Other

Registry information

Official study title

RELAY: Repeated Magnetic Resonance Imaging Examinations to Analyze and Assess Your Cancer: A Prospective Study on the Use of Serial Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Assessment of Changes During Treatment With Radiation Therapy

Acronym: RELAY

Important dates

Study start
2020
Primary completion
2030
Study completion
2030
First posted
Dec 6, 2019
Registry last updated
Aug 26, 2025

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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