A Feasibility Study Evaluating Surgery for Mesothelioma After Radiation Therapy Using Extensive Pleural Resection (SMARTER)

March 3, 2026 updated by: University Health Network, Toronto
This study aims to find the maximum tolerated dose level for malignant pleural mesothelioma patients receiving background radiation + boost radiation, and surgery. Boost radiation is an experimental form of radiation that involves targeting non-uniform high doses of radiation to bulky pleural masses. We hypothesize the immunologic abscopal effect is an important component in controlling disease, and may be stimulated with highly hypofractionated doses. Doses will increase with every three patients who will be enrolled in the study until the background radiation reaches 1800 cGy or the maximum tolerated dose, whichever is lower.

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

This study aims to find the maximum tolerated dose level for mesothelioma patients receiving background radiation + boost radiation, and surgery. 3 patients will start with a background radiation therapy (RT) dose of 0 cGy, and boost RT of at least 2100 cGy. If the radiation is manageable (radiation related AEs grade < 4), the next set of 3 patients will be enrolled, and the background radiation dose will be increased by 600 cGy. This will continue until the background radiation dose reaches 1800 cGy. If 1 patient exhibits dose limiting toxicities (AEs grade 4 & 5), the dose level will repeat with the next 3 patients. If 2 or more patients exhibit DLTs, the previous dose level will be determined as the maximum tolerated dose level. Surgery will be scheduled to occur approximately 1-2 weeks after completing radiation therapy, and will subsequently be followed up as per study schedule.

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.
15

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.
  • Not Applicable

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

  • Canada
    • Ontario
      • Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5G 2M9
        • Princess Margaret Hospital, University Health Network

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:

  • Age ≥ 18 years
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-2
  • Good pulmonary function precluding radiation therapy (FEV1>1 L or >40% predicted or DLCO >45% predicted)
  • Any patient with a new histological diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Sarcomatoid or biphasic histologies can be included but will be analyzed separately due to their poor prognosis.
  • Stage T1-3 N0-1 M0 according to the 8th edition of the tumor, node, and metastases (TNM) staging system based on conventional investigations and tests (Appendix 1). Note that the updated TNM staging system now categorizes ipsilateral mediastinal nodes as N1 disease.
  • Suitable for combined modality therapy
  • Informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Age < 18 years.
  • Contralateral mediastinal nodal disease (N2)
  • Distant metastatic disease (M1).
  • Poor performance status ECOG 3-4.
  • Poor pulmonary function precluding radiation therapy (FEV1<1 L or <40% predicted or diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) <45% predicted)
  • Failure to provide informed consent.
  • Previous thoracic irradiation.
  • Serious non-malignant disease (e.g. cardiovascular, pulmonary, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), scleroderma) which would preclude definitive radiation treatment.
  • Previous chemotherapy for this or concurrent malignancy.
  • Previous or concomitant malignancies except for patients with non-melanoma skin cancer, contralateral non-invasive breast cancer, prostate cancer treated with curative intent or carcinoma in situ of any other site. In addition, patients with invasive cancers treated more than 3 years previously and without evidence of recurrence will be eligible.
  • Women who are currently pregnant or lactating.

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: Sequential 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: Radiation
This study involves a 3+3 design. The starting cohort (n=3) will receive a neoadjuvant Background dose to the affected hemithorax (starting at 0 cGy) as well as concomitant Boost dose (of at least 2100 cGy) to a part of the gross tumour volume (GTV). The radiation will be delivered over 3 alternate days over 5-7 calendar days followed by macroscopically complete extensive pleural resection (either extra-pleural pneumonectomy or extended pleurectomy decortication, at the surgeon's discretion) after 7 to 14 days. If no dose limiting toxicities (DLTs) seen, then the Background RT dose will be increased by 600 cGy (up to 1800 cGy) and the cohort (n=3) for the next dose level will be accrued. If only 1 DLT seen, then an additional 3 patients will be treated on this dose level. If 2 or more DLTs seen at any given dose level, then the previous dose level will be defined as the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Patients will be stratified by type of resection.
Radiation: Varying Doses of Background and Boost RT
3+3 radiation dose escalation model to see the maximum tolerated dose for background and boost radiation therapy.

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 for Background Radiation
Time Frame: Up to five years
AEs will be graded by CTCAE. Maximum tolerated dose is the dose level that do not result in fatal lung injury (grade 5 lung toxicity) or life-threatening or fatal treatment related toxicity (grade 4+).
Up to five years

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
Patient Morbidity
Time Frame: Up to five years
NCI common toxicity scale
Up to five years
Local recurrence
Time Frame: Up to five years
Documented radiographically
Up to five years
Patients' quality of life
Time Frame: Up to five years
Short Form Health Survey-36 (SF-36) Form
Up to five years
Evaluating patients' pain
Time Frame: Up to five years
Assess by using the Short Form (BPI-SF)
Up to five years
Evaluating patients' pain
Time Frame: Up to five years
Assess by using The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)
Up to five years
Evaluating patients' pain
Time Frame: Up to five years
Assess by using the EuroQol EQ-5D-5L Questionnaire
Up to five years
Evaluating patients' pain
Time Frame: Up to five years
Assess by using the Sensitivity to Pain Traumatization Scale (SPTS)
Up to five years
Evaluating patients' pain
Time Frame: Up to five years
Assess by using the ID Pain form
Up to five years
Evaluating patients' pain
Time Frame: Up to five years
Assess by using the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS)
Up to five years
Evaluating patients' pain
Time Frame: Up to five years
Assess by using the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-Civilian version (PCL-C)
Up to five years
Evaluating patients' pain
Time Frame: Up to five years
Assess by using a variety of standard instruments including the Injustice Experience Questionnaire (IEQ).
Up to five 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.
University Health Network, Toronto

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: John Cho, MD, PhD, Princess Margaret Hospital, Canada

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.
September 5, 2019

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
April 1, 2027

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.
April 1, 2027

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).
April 3, 2019

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.
July 18, 2019

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.
July 22, 2019

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.
March 5, 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.
March 3, 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.
March 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.
  • 18-5987

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

No

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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