Study on Immunotherapy With or Without Targeted Radiation for Advanced Liver Cancer (HELIO-RT Trial)

Sponsor: NRG Oncology

Sponsor score: 0

ClinicalTrials ID:NCT07166406

This clinical trial is exploring whether adding targeted radiation therapy to immunotherapy can improve treatment outcomes for patients with advanced liver cancer. The study compares the effects of immunotherapy alone versus immunotherapy combined with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).

Patient Parameters

Program Overview

This study is investigating if combining immunotherapy with targeted radiation therapy (SBRT) is more effective than immunotherapy alone for treating advanced liver cancer. Immunotherapy uses drugs like atezolizumab, bevacizumab, durvalumab, tremelimumab, ipilimumab, and nivolumab to help the immune system attack cancer cells. SBRT is a precise form of radiation therapy that targets tumors while sparing healthy tissue. The study aims to see if this combination can help patients live longer and improve their quality of life.

Description

The main goal of this study is to find out if adding targeted radiation therapy (SBRT) to immunotherapy can help patients with advanced liver cancer live longer compared to using immunotherapy alone. The study will also look at other factors like how long patients live without the cancer getting worse, how well the cancer responds to treatment, and any side effects.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups:

  • Group 1: Patients will receive one of three immunotherapy treatments chosen by their doctor. These treatments involve drugs like atezolizumab, bevacizumab, durvalumab, tremelimumab, ipilimumab, and nivolumab, given through an IV.

  • Group 2: Patients will receive the same immunotherapy treatments as Group 1, but they will also undergo targeted radiation therapy (SBRT) to the liver. This involves receiving radiation once a day, every other day, or twice a week for a total of five sessions over up to three weeks.

Throughout the study, patients will have regular blood tests and imaging scans like CT or MRI to monitor their progress. After completing the treatment, patients will have follow-up visits every three months for two years, then every six months for three years, and finally once a year.

Eligibility Criteria

  • PRIOR TO STEP 1 REGISTRATION:

  • Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by at least 1 criterion listed below:

    • Pathologically (histologically or cytologically) proven diagnosis of HCC (strongly recommended)
    • Radiographically proven (American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases [AASLD] criteria) diagnosis of HCC by multiphasic MRI and/or CT scan is allowed.
    • For patients with a prior or concurrent malignancy, pathologic confirmation of hepatocellular cancer is required.
  • HCC macrovascular invasion, defined as enhancing vascular thrombosis demonstrating arterial enhancement and venous or delayed venous washout on multiphasic MRI and/or CT is required.

  • Presence of extrahepatic metastatic disease on CT chest and CT or MRI pelvis, or PET/CT chest/abdomen/pelvis is permitted.

  • 5 or fewer discrete intrahepatic parenchymal foci of HCC.

  • Total maximal sum of hepatocellular carcinoma tumors, as a single conglomerate, multiple lesions, or infiltrative HCC < 20 cm in total summed diameter.

  • No direct primary tumor extension into the stomach, duodenum, small bowel, or large bowel.

  • No known fibrolamellar HCC, sarcomatoid HCC, or biphenotypic HCC.

  • Child-Pugh class A or B7 liver function.

  • Age ≥ 18.

  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-2.

  • Not pregnant and not nursing

    * Negative urine or serum pregnancy test (in persons of childbearing potential) within 30 days prior to registration. Childbearing potential is defined as any person who has experienced menarche and who has not undergone surgical sterilization (hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy) or who is not postmenopausal.

  • Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500 cells/mm^3.

  • Platelets ≥ 60,000 cells/mm^3.

  • Hemoglobin ≥ 8g/dl (Note: The use of transfusion or other intervention to achieve hemoglobin [Hgb] ≥ 8g/dl is acceptable).

  • Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 6 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN).

  • Total bilirubin < 4 x institutional ULN.

  • Creatinine clearance (CrCL) ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m^2 by the Cockcroft-Gault formula.

  • For treatment of HCC:

    • Prior surgical resection, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), and ablation are permitted.
    • No prior systemic therapy or transarterial radioembolization (TARE) for HCC.
    • No history of liver transplantation.
  • For prior treatment for any malignancy:

    • Prior systemic therapy for a different cancer is allowable, except for prior immunotherapy.
    • No prior radiotherapy to the region of the study cancer that would result in significant overlap of radiation therapy fields that would lead to excessive cumulative toxicity at the discretion of the investigator.
  • No medical contraindication to the standard of care immunotherapy.

  • For patients to be treated with atezolizumab/bevacizumab:

    * No history of a gastrointestinal (GI) bleed or other clinically significant bleeding event within 6 months prior to study registration.

  • Systemic immunostimulatory agents (including, but not limited to, interferons and interleukin-2 [IL-2]) are prohibited within 4 weeks or five drug elimination half-lives (whichever is longer) prior to registration and during the study period.

  • No history of allergic reaction to the systemic therapy agent(s), compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to the systemic therapy agent(s) (or any of its excipients).

  • PRIOR TO STEP 2 RANDOMIZATION:

  • Obtain confirmation of payment coverage (insurance or other) for both possible treatment arms.

Locations

FACILITYZIPCITYSTATE
Alta Bates Summit Medical Center-Herrick Campus94704BerkeleyCalifornia
Sutter Cancer Centers Radiation Oncology Services-Cameron Park95682Cameron ParkCalifornia
Palo Alto Medical Foundation-Fremont94538FremontCalifornia
UCI Health - Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care92612IrvineCalifornia
Palo Alto Medical Foundation-Camino Division94040Mountain ViewCalifornia
UC Irvine Health/Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center92868OrangeCalifornia
Palo Alto Medical Foundation Health Care94301Palo AltoCalifornia
Sutter Cancer Centers Radiation Oncology Services-Roseville95661RosevilleCalifornia
Sutter Roseville Medical Center95661RosevilleCalifornia
Sutter Medical Center Sacramento95816SacramentoCalifornia

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