Dose Escalation Trial of Neoadjuvant Radiosurgery for the Treatment of Metastatic Brain Tumors

April 16, 2026 updated by: Stephen Shiao, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

A Phase 1 Dose Escalation Trial of Neoadjuvant Radiosurgery for the Treatment of Metastatic Brain Tumors

The purpose of this study is to study if giving radiation to a brain tumor (a procedure called radiosurgery) before neurosurgery (surgery to remove the tumor) will help to keep brain tissue healthy, while possibly eliminating the need to return for radiation once a patient has healed from neurosurgery. This study will also seek the best radiation dose on a brain tumor based on how well the radiation therapy works and asses the side-effects.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Radiosurgery is a non-surgical radiation therapy that can deliver targeted radiation to small brain tumors. Radiosurgery is considered to be part of standard of care. Typically for standard of care, radiosurgery is given after a patient has healed from neurosurgery, in an attempt to destroy any cancer cells that may be left after surgery. Patients who agree to participate in this research study will receive radiosurgery before their neurosurgery.

The timing of radiosurgery (pre-operatively) and the dosing to determine the safest dose is considered experimental.

By giving radiation the typical way, after surgery, a larger area of the brain must be covered, which means healthy brain tissue also receives radiation, whereas radiation before surgery will specifically target the tumor.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
25

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Early Phase 1

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90048
        • Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with prior histopathological diagnosis of cancer other than small cell lung cancer, lymphoma, and germ cell histologies.
  • MR imaging of the brain with findings strongly suggestive of metastatic tumor(s) as assessed by the radiologist.
  • MR evidence of at least one brain lesion ≤ 40 mm in maximal diameter that is deemed to be surgically resectable as evaluated by the neurosurgeon and appropriate for SRS. All other brain lesions must be appropriate for SRS alone and treated according to physician preference. Prior neurosurgery and/or prior SRS at a non-overlapping location are permitted at the discretion of the treating physician.
  • Written informed consent obtained from subject, or a legally designated power of attorney and ability for subject to comply with the requirements of the study.
  • Negative pregnancy test in women of childbearing potential (WOCBP) within 30 days of radiation. WOCBP is a female patient less than 50 years of age or who has menstruated within the last 12 months.
  • Patients aged ≥ 18 years.
  • Life expectancy ≥ 3 months
  • Non-acute KPS ≥ 60%

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients deemed medically unfit to undergo surgical resection of brain metastasis, such as those who are neurologically or hemodynamically unstable despite appropriate medical interventions.
  • Patients who have had whole brain radiation within the previous three months.
  • Patients with >4 brain metastases.
  • Active or prior: documented inherited hypersensitivity syndromes, certain autoimmune diseases, and certain collagen vascular diseases. For example, any radiation hypersensitivity syndrome, including, but not limited to, ataxia-telangiectasia, Gorlin syndrome, multiple sclerosis, scleroderma, and systemic lupus erythematosus.
  • Radiographic or cytologic evidence of leptomeningeal disease.
  • Patients receiving methotrexate, adriamycin, epirubicine, or navelbin for one week prior to or concurrently with SRS. Note: All other systemic anti-cancer therapies will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by study PI to determine if appropriate for study treatment and documented within the research record or EMR.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Neoadjuvant stereotactic radiosurgery
Stereotactic radiosurgery will be performed prior to neurosurgical resection of the indexed brain metastasis. The dose of radiation to be administered to the indexed lesion will be established as a function of tumor size.
Radiation: Neoadjuvant stereotactic radiosurgery
Dose escalation of neoadjuvant stereotactic radiosurgery
Procedure: Neurosurgical resection
Surgical resection of newly diagnosed brain metastases
Other Names:
  • craniotomy

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Maximum tolerated dose (MTD)
Time Frame: 1 month after neurosurgery
To determine the maximum tolerated dose of radiosurgery given prior to neurosurgery in subjects with brain metastases of up to 4 cm.
1 month after neurosurgery

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Adverse events
Time Frame: 1 month after neurosurgery
To describe the adverse events associated with radiosurgery when administered prior to neurosurgical resection of brain metastases.
1 month after neurosurgery
Describe preliminary rates of image-complete resection
Time Frame: 3 years
3 years
Describe preliminary rates of local tumor control
Time Frame: 3 years
3 years
Describe preliminary rates of intracranial control
Time Frame: 3 years
3 years
Describe preliminary rates of progression-free survival
Time Frame: 3 years
3 years
Describe preliminary rates of leptomeningeal spread
Time Frame: 3 years
3 years
Describe preliminary rates of rate of salvage treatment
Time Frame: 3 years
Salvage treatment is any additional local treatment (surgery or radiation) in the setting of recurrent or progressive disease after the current treatment.
3 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Stephen Shiao, MD, PHD, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 9, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 15, 2022

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
May 19, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 22, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 23, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 16, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IIT2016-18-Shiao-NeoAdSRS

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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