Whole Body Diffusion MRI for Non-invasive Lesion Detection and Therapy Follow-up: Study With Patients With Ovarian Cancer and Peritoneal Metastasis

April 9, 2015 updated by: katrijn Michielsen, Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Ovarian cancer is a gynecological cancer with a high risk of mortality. This is because the diagnosis is often been made in an advanced cancer stage with metastases throughout the peritoneum.

An international study led by Prof. Dr. Ignace Vergote (Gynaecological Oncology) showed for the first time that patients in such an advanced stage of ovarian cancer who received first three neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy regimens followed by interval debulking surgery, and in turn followed by at least 3 treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy, had fewer complications than patients treated with primary debulking surgery followed by chemotherapy. Moreover, the final survival rate in both groups seemed to be similar. The most important prognostic marker appeared to be whether patients with primary or interval surgery no longer had a visible residual tumor after the treatment. Patients who had only small metastases in the peritoneum, seemed to be better treated with primary surgery (neoadjuvant Vergote I, et al Chemotherapy or Primary Surgery in Stage IIIC or IV Ovarian Crystallising, N Engl J Med 363 (1910): 943 - 953).

Each patient with suspected advanced ovarian cancer should undergo a preoperative evaluation where they assess which of the two treatments is the best option.

The aim of the study is to assess whole body diffusion weighted imaging (WB-DWI) as a non-invasive method, in patients with confirmed ovarian cancer in the presence of peritoneal metastases. This is to assess which of the two treatments (primary debulking surgery followed chemotherapy versus platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery, followed in turn by chemotherapy) is the best option for a particular type of patient.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Ovarian cancer is a gynecological cancer with a high risk of mortality. This is because the diagnosis is often been made in an advanced cancer stage with metastases throughout the peritoneum. The standard treatment for this condition till now consisted of primary debulking surgery where the tumor, the uterus and both the ovaries were removed, followed by a minimum of six treatments with platinum-based chemotherapy. This operation is often accompanied by serious complications such as for example bleedings, embolic events, infections and in extreme cases, even mortality. An international study led by Prof. Dr. Ignace Vergote (Gynaecological Oncology) showed for the first time that patients in such an advanced stage of ovarian cancer who received first three neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy regimens followed by interval debulking surgery, and in turn followed by at least 3 treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy, had fewer complications than patients treated with primary debulking surgery followed by chemotherapy. Moreover, the final survival rate in both groups seemed to be similar. The most important prognostic marker appeared to be whether patients with primary or interval surgery no longer had a visible residual tumor after the treatment. Patients who had only small metastases in the peritoneum, seemed to be better treated with primary surgery (neoadjuvant Vergote I, et al Chemotherapy or Primary Surgery in Stage IIIC or IV Ovarian Crystallising, N Engl J Med 363 (1910): 943 - 953).

Each patient with suspected advanced ovarian cancer should undergo a preoperative evaluation where they assess which of the two treatments is the best option. This should of course, for each individual patient, take into account comorbidity, cancer stage, number and location of the metastases etc. Currently,[18F] FDG-PET/CT, CT and conventional MRI are being used for staging, detecting recurrence and metastasis and for evaluating therapy response. These techniques have some disadvantages. A PET study takes a long time to perform and makes use of radioactive material. The addition of CT also gives rise to additional radiation. [18F] FDG accumulates in inflammatory cells in the tumor. This can explain the difficulties concerning early evaluation of treatment response. Although CT allows high resolution images of the entire body, sometimes the technology lacks sufficient sensitivity or specificity. Although conventional MRI has the highest sensitivity for detection of liver metastases, the lack of efficient whole-body imaging for staging a disadvantage when assessing systemic tumor spread and metastasis. Small peritoneal metastases are therefore often missed with this technique.

Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is an emerging technology that is currently being uses in cancer imaging. Here the difference in movement of water molecules provides information about the integrity of cellular membranes. DWI has the advantage that no contrast material is required and there is also no need for exposure to ionizing radiation. Further developments in technology allowed for an acceptable time in whole body conducting research, so we should be able to image gastrointestinal tumors with this whole body technique.

AIM OF THE STUDY

The aim of the study is to assess whole body diffusion weighted imaging (WB-DWI) as a non-invasive method, in patients with confirmed ovarian cancer in the presence of peritoneal metastases. This is to assess which of the two treatments (primary debulking surgery followed chemotherapy versus platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery, followed in turn by chemotherapy) is the best option for a particular type of patient.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

50

Phase

  • 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

  • Belgium
      • Leuven, Belgium, 3000
        • University Hospital Gasthuisberg

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients diagnosed with stage IIIC or IV epithelial ovarian cancer in the presence of peritoneal metastasis are, on a voluntary basis, enrolled in the study. These are patients who 'll either underwent primary debulking surgery followed by at least six courses of platinum-based chemotherapy or patients who will be assigned to three courses of neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery, followed in turn by at least three courses of platinum-based chemotherapy.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with known contra-indications for MRI (cardiac pacemakers, cochlear implants, claustrophobic patients) will be excluded from this study. And so are patients with contra-indications to Gadolinium-based contrast agents and patients with a known restricted renal function (GFR < 30 ml/min).

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

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Evaluation of WB-DWI as a noninvasive method to assess which kind of treatment fits best for a particular patient with ovarian cancer in the presence of peritoneal metastasis
Time Frame: 2011-2015 continuously
The aim of the study is to assess whole body diffusion weighted imaging (WB-DWI)as a non-invasive method, in patients with confirmed ovarian cancer in the presence of peritoneal metastases. This is to evaluate which of the two treatments (primary debulking surgery followed chemotherapy versus platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval debulking surgery, followed in turn by chemotherapy) is the best option for a particular type of patient.
2011-2015 continuously

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Helpful Links

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

January 1, 2011

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2013

Study Completion (Actual)

December 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 16, 2010

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 16, 2010

First Posted (Estimate)

November 17, 2010

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

April 10, 2015

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 9, 2015

Last Verified

April 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • S52920

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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