SUPERMAN
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Pencil Beam Scanning Proton Beam Radiotherapy for the Management of Abdominal Neuroblastoma - An Evaluative Commissioning in Protons (ECIP) Study
IRAS ID
325297
Contact name
Pei Lim
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) and Evaluative Commissioning in Protons (ECIP):
PBT is an advanced radiotherapy technique. There are two PBT treatment centres in the UK, in Manchester and London. The NHS is committed to ensuring the best use of this limited resource by investigating which patients will benefit from PBT.
ECIP is a programme of studies, funded by NHS England, exploring the role of PBT in different cancer types. ECIP studies are non-randomised, eligible patients will be offered PBT. Any eligible UK patient can be referred, and accommodation is available for patients who don't live close to a PBT centre.
The main benefit of PBT, compared with standard photon radiotherapy, is the predicted reduction in radiation dose to surrounding healthy tissues. With photon radiotherapy, some radiation passes beyond the target area, affecting healthy tissues and causing side-effects. With PBT, radiation dose stops within the target area, causing less damage to surrounding tissues, and limiting side effects.
SUPERMAN:
SUPERMAN is a study within the ECIP programme. Sometimes it’s not entirely clear whether the most beneficial type of radiotherapy for patients with abdominal neuroblastoma is with PBT or photon radiotherapy. We intend to understand this better to ensure that each patient receives treatment best tailored to their needs.
For most people PBT will be best. We will choose the best type of radiotherapy by thinking about which type will:
a) Best treat the area near the cancer (the area we want to treat).
b) Best avoid healthy parts of the body, which can otherwise cause side-effects (the area we don’t need to treat).SUPERMAN has two main aims:
1) Part A Choosing Treatment - Choosing the best type of radiotherapy for each patient.
2) Part B Monitoring PBT Treatment – Better understanding how to monitor and improve treatment for patients having PBT.REC name
HSC REC A
REC reference
25/NI/0039
Date of REC Opinion
21 Mar 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion