Skin Cancer and Hyperthermia and Radiotherapy (SAHARA)

June 11, 2025 updated by: Kantonsspital Winterthur KSW

Skin Cancer and Hyperthermia and Radiotherapy - SAHARA a Two-arm, Open-label, Randomized Controlled Phase II Trial

The SAHARA trial assesses wether combining ultrahypofractionated accelerated radiotherapy (RT) with hyperthermia is as effective as standard hypofractionated high-dose radiation in treating non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC).

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 SAHARA Trial is investigating if adding hyperthermia to radiotherapy (RT) can enhance treatment outcomes by making cancer cells more sensitive to radiation, thus requiring lower doses and potentially reducing side effects. The trial compares high-dose RT alone with de-escalated RT plus hyperthermia. The aim is to demonstrate that the combination is non-inferior to standard RT in treating non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). The trial is designed for elderly people of 65 years or older.

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.
100

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 Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Switzerland
      • Bern, Switzerland, 3001
        • Recruiting
        • Lindenhofgruppe
        • Contact:
          • Markus Notter, Dr. med.
          • Phone Number: +41 31 300 95 11
      • Luzern, Switzerland, 6000
        • Recruiting
        • Luzerner Kantonsspital
        • Contact:
          • Winfried Arnold, Dr.med.univ.(A)
    • AG
      • Aarau, AG, Switzerland, 5001
        • Recruiting
        • Kantonsspital Aarau
        • Contact:
          • Emsad Puric, Dr. med.
    • Kanton Zuerich
      • Winterthur, Kanton Zuerich, Switzerland, 8401

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

  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Personally signed and dated written informed consent
  • Histologically confirmed invasive non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), including basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of any differentiation
  • ≥ T2 (TNM Classification 8th Edition)
  • Tumor thickness up to 2cm (Maximum Depth invasion and/or exophytic growth, measured on pathology report or imaging)
  • Local recurrence allowed, if primary treatment longer ago than 6 months (after primary treatment other than radiotherapy (RT))
  • Age ≥ 65 years
  • Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2, with a life expectancy of more than 6 months
  • Presentation at the Swiss Hyperthermia Network (SHN) tumor conference mandatory

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Other histology than BCC or SCC
  • T1 tumor and/or N+ (according to TNM classification 8th edition)
  • Tumors after resection (R1 or R2 as well as adjuvant indication)
  • Tumor invasion into critical areas
  • Several lesions exceeding the capacity of one treatment/radiation field (multiple lesions within one treatment field are acceptable)
  • Previous (one month) or concurrent Chemo- or Immunotherapy
  • Patients with connective tissue disorders (e.g. Sclerodermia, Lupus erythematodes)
  • Lesions inside or in proximity (within 3cm) previously irradiated area
  • Medical immunosuppression

  • wIRA-specific exclusion criteria

    • Tattoos in irradiated area
    • Increased photosensitivity (either due to simultaneous treatment with photosensitivity-enhancing medications or conditions such as porphyria)

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: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel 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: Hyperthermia -Experimental Group A
The study arm in which hyperthermia and radiotherapy are administered. The RT Dose: 6 fractions of 5 Gy each, delivered twice per week and with a minimum interval of 48 hours, preferably 72 hours, between each fraction over three weeks.
Combination product: Water-filtered infrared-A-hyperthermia (wIRA) hyperthermia combined
The wIRA device applies hyperthermia by heating the treatment area (with maximum surface temperature set to 43° C), aiming to make cancer cells more sensitive to radiation therapy for non-melanoma skin cancer combined with radiotherapy.
Radiation: Radiotherapy (RT)
Radiotherapy is applied.
Active Comparator: Radiotherapy - Control Group
The study arm in which only radiotherapy is administered. RT Dose: 12 fractions of 4 Gy each, delivered 3 times per week, with sessions scheduled every other day (exceptions can be made in weeks with holidays) over four weeks.
Radiation: Radiotherapy (RT)
Radiotherapy is applied.

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
Local control
Time Frame: Within two years post-treatment initiation.
The primary outcome is local control, defined as the absence of of recurrence or need for subsequent intervention.
Within two years post-treatment initiation.

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
Analysis
Time Frame: Immediately (within 24 hours post-treatment), at six weeks post-treatment and at three months post-treatment.
Radiation is applied assessed immediately post-treatment, at six weeks, and three months post-treatment using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse events (CTCAE 5.0).
Immediately (within 24 hours post-treatment), at six weeks post-treatment and at three months post-treatment.
Late toxicities
Time Frame: at 6months, one year and two years post-treatment
Monitoring late toxicities, specifically noted at six months, one year, and two years after completion of treatment using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse events (CTCAE 5.0).
at 6months, one year and two years post-treatment
Quality of life assessment
Time Frame: at three months, 6months, one year and two years post-treatment
Evaluations are carried out at time of inclusion, immediately post-treatment, at three months, 6months, one year and two years post-treatment utilizing the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Quality of Life Questionnaire for Elderly (QLQ-ELD14) questionnaire.
at three months, 6months, one year and two years post-treatment

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.
Kantonsspital Winterthur KSW

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.
Kantonsspital Aarau
Luzerner Kantonsspital
Lindenhofgruppe AG

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: Winfried Arnold, Dr.med.univ.(A), Luzerner Kantonsspital
  • Principal Investigator: Maximilian Sturz, Dr.med., Luzerner Kantonsspital

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.
January 1, 2025

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.
July 1, 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.
July 1, 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 15, 2024

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 22, 2024

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.
April 25, 2024

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.
June 15, 2025

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.
June 11, 2025

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, 2025

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.
  • SAHARA Trial

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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