InGReS version 1.0
Research type
Research Study
Full title
InGReS: Intra-treatment Image Guided Adaptive Radiotherapy Dose-escalation Study - a Phase 1 multicentre feasibility study
IRAS ID
257601
Contact name
Teresa Guerrero Urbano
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust R&D Department
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
The aim of this trial is to see whether we can treat head and neck cancer (HNC) patients with an extra radiation boost, guided by extra scans mid-treatment, without causing additional side effects.
Patients with HNC are often treated with a combination of radiotherapy plus chemotherapy (CRT) over 6-7 weeks. 40-60% of patients are cured this way. However, if not all cancer cells are destroyed then the cancer can come back. This often happens in an area that has already received a high dose of radiation. Previous trials have suggested that we can improve cure rates by increasing the dose of radiation given to the tumour. Modern radiotherapy techniques are now able to deliver these higher doses to focused areas, without excess side effects.
To select which area of tumour could benefit from a radiotherapy boost we rely on accurate imaging techniques. Positron Emission Tomography (PET), which gives information on how active a tumour is, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), which gives information about anatomy, are two types of scans which are usually used to identify tumours at the beginning and end of radiotherapy. We want to use these scans during radiotherapy to select patients who may benefit from a radiation boost to their tumour.
All patients in the trial will start treatment with standard CRT. Normally patients would not have repeat scans until 3 months after treatment. In this study we propose all patients have an extra PET and MRI scan after 2 weeks of radiotherapy. Information from these scans will help identify areas of cancer that may benefit from an adjusted dose of radiotherapy. The radiation boost will be delivered to specific areas of the tumour towards the end of treatment. We will then assess the side effects in those patients who have received the extra dose.
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/LO/0056
Date of REC Opinion
16 Mar 2022
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion