Adaptive Radiation in Anal Cancer

January 30, 2026 updated by: Lisa A. Kachnic, Columbia University

Feasibility Study of Adaptive Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Locally-Advanced Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

This is a 20 patient pilot study to examine the feasibility of dose-adapted radiation therapy for the treatment of locally advanced anal squamous cell cancer. The tumor and a patient's anatomy may change during radiation treatment and daily adaption of the radiation plan (i.e., a new daily plan based on the anatomy of the day) may help to maximize the dose to the tumor and minimize the radiation dose to the normal surrounding organs.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
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

The standard treatment for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)-positive locally advanced anal cancer (described as a tumor that is greater than 4 cm in size, or with positive lymph nodes) is 54 Gy of radiation treatment to the anal canal and primary tumor planning total volume (PTV), 50.4-54 Gy to positive nodal PTV and 45 Gy to elective lymph node PTV with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and mitomycin-C chemotherapy administered at the same time as radiation in 30 fraction (treatments) delivery. During the six week course of radiotherapy, there is often a notable decrease in volume of the tumor (both primary and regional nodes), as early as one week into treatment, detected on weekly on-board Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), which is a scan done on the treatment machine while patients receive radiation to ensure that the tumor is being treated and normal tissue is not. However, CT simulation (a CT scan used to plan radiation treatment) and re-planning of the treatment to account for the tumor shrinkage are not routinely performed due to time, patient inconvenience and staffing resources. As such, daily adaptive radiation, which can generate a new CT-based plan using the anatomy of the day, may be a time efficient method to both plan and treat the patient.

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 (Estimated)

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.
20

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 Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • New York
      • New York, New York, United States, 10032
        • Recruiting
        • Columbia University Irving Medical Center
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Lisa Kachnic, MD
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • David Horowitz, MD
        • Contact:

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Histologically proven, invasive primary squamous, basaloid or cloacogenic carcinoma of the anal canal.
  • American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition stage T2 > 4 cm, T3-4 or N1.
  • Age ≥18 years.
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status ≤2 (Karnofsky ≥60%).
  • Life expectancy of greater than 12 months.
  • Patients must have normal organ and marrow function as defined below:
  • leukocytes greater than or equal to 3,000/microliter
  • absolute neutrophil count greater than or equal to 1,500/microliter
  • platelets greater than or equal to 100,000/microliter
  • total bilirubin within normal institutional limits
  • Aspartate transaminase (AST)(SGOT)/Alanine transaminase (ALT)(SGPT) ≤ 2.5 × institutional upper limit of normal
  • creatinine within normal institutional limits OR creatinine clearance ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 for patients with creatinine levels above institutional normal.
  • Females of childbearing potential and males must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry, for the duration of study participation, and for 6 months after completion of study therapy. All pregnancies must be reported.
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Prior or co-existing invasive malignancy (except non-melanomatous skin cancer) unless disease free ≥ 2 years.
  • Prior chemotherapy or radiation for anal cancer.
  • Patients who have undergone complete surgical resection.
  • Presence of recurrent/metastatic disease.
  • Prior allergic reaction to 5-Fluorouracil or mitomycin C.
  • Artificial organ prosthetics, pacemakers or other implantable devices.
  • Prior radiotherapy to the pelvis that would result in overlap of radiation therapy fields.
  • Uncontrolled inter-current illness including but not limited to known history of HIV with cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) count less than 200 or symptomatic cardiac disease.
  • Women who are 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: Other
  • 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: Chemotherapy and Adaptive Radiation Treatment Planning
Subjects will receive concurrent chemotherapy and radiation as part of their treatment for anal cancer. Subjects will receive standard of care 54 Gy of radiation, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. In addition, subjects will receive standard of care chemotherapy, with mitomycin C (10mg/meters squared IV on Day 1) and 5-Fluorouracil (1000mg/meters squared via IV on days 1-4 and 29-32) or capecitabine (825 mg/meters squared in two divided doses by mouth on days of radiotherapy).
Radiation: Artificial Intelligence Guided Daily Radiotherapy Treatment Planning and Delivery
Subjects will receive 54 Gy of radiation delivered 5 day a week for 6 weeks, 30 radiation treatments total. Intensity-Modulated photon radiation therapy will be delivered on a Varian Ethos linear accelerator. Daily image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) is required. All treatments will have artificial-intelligence (AI) daily adaptations of the radiation plan to optimize the radiation dose to the targeted area and minimize radiation dose to the normal surrounding organs such as the bowel.
Other Names:
  • Adaptive RT Planning and Delivery
Drug: Mitomycin-C
As part of the subjects' treatment, 10 mg/meters squared of Mitomycin C will be administered intravenously (IV-into the vein) on Day 1 and Day 29.
Drug: 5-Fluorouracil
As part of the subjects' treatment, 1g/meters squared/day for 4 days of 5-Fluorouracil will be administered by continuous infusion on Days 1-4 (for 96 hours) and Days 29-32 (for 96 hours). 5-Fluorouracil or capecitabine will be administered per the physician's discretion.
Other Names:
  • 5-FU
Drug: Capecitabine
As part of the subjects' treatment, 825 mg/meters squared per day, divided into 2 daily doses, will be taken on days of radiotherapy. Capecitabine or 5-FU will be administered per the physician's discretion.
Other Names:
  • Xeloda

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
Time to plan and deliver treatment fractions.
Time Frame: Up to 6 weeks
This is defined by the time the first cone beam computed tomography to the end of treatment delivery for each treatment.
Up to 6 weeks

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
Acute Treatment Toxicity
Time Frame: Up to 1 month post-treatment
Toxicity of treatment will be analyzed using NCI-CTCAE v5.0.
Up to 1 month post-treatment
Complete Clinical Response Rate
Time Frame: 6 months following the completion of chemoradiation
Complete response to treatment (CR) is defined as absence of detectable cancer.
6 months following the completion of chemoradiation

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.
Columbia University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Varian Medical Systems

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: Lisa Kachnic, MD, Principal Investigator

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 18, 2023

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.
December 31, 2026

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.
December 31, 2028

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 4, 2023

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.
April 27, 2023

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 1, 2023

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.
February 3, 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.
January 30, 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.
January 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.
  • AAAU0074

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

Yes

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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