Neurocognitive Outcomes After Whole Brain Radiation Therapy for Hematologic Malignancies

May 18, 2026 updated by: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
This study assesses neurocognitive outcomes after receiving radiation therapy to the brain (whole brain radiation therapy) in patients with blood cancers (hematologic malignancies). This may help researchers learn more about the effects of whole brain radiation therapy on memory and thinking in patients with blood cancer.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. Record patients' cognitive outcomes after whole-brain radiation therapy (WBRT) for hematologic malignancies using standard-of-care neurocognitive function testing.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Assess patients' quality-of-life after WBRT for hematologic malignancies, based on a validated questionnaire.

II. Explore magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes in the brain after WBRT for hematologic malignancies, based on standard-of-care imaging studies.

III. Study the role of Memantine in patients' cognitive outcomes during and after WBRT for hematologic malignancies, based on standard-of-care use, utilizing standard-of-care neurocognitive function testing.

OUTLINE:

Patients undergo neurocognitive function assessments, complete questionnaires over 8-10 minutes and undergo standard of care MRI at baseline (within 4 weeks before the first day of WBRT), 2, 6, 12 months after RT completion, then annually for 5 years.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

100

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 Locations

  • United States
    • Texas
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
        • Recruiting
        • M D Anderson Cancer Center
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Bouthaina S. Dabaja

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

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients with radiation therapy to the brain for a hematologic malignancies

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age 18 years or older
  • Treatment with radiation therapy to the brain for a hematologic malignancy (ex. primary central nervous system lymphoma [PCNSL], secondary central nervous system lymphoma [SCNSL], leukemia, myeloma)
  • Proficient and capable of completing tests in English
  • Patients with claustrophobia are eligible if the claustrophobia is managed with medication
  • Patients with cognitively-impairment are eligible if the impairment is managed with medication
  • Patients who are pregnant

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

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Observational (neurocognitive assessment, questionnaires, MRI)
Patients undergo neurocognitive function assessments, complete questionnaires over 8-10 minutes and undergo standard of care MRI at baseline (within 4 weeks before the first day of WBRT), 2, 6, 12 months after RT completion, then annually for 5 years.
Procedure: Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Undergo MRI
Other Names:
  • MRI
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scan
  • Medical Imaging, Magnetic Resonance / Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
  • MR Imaging
  • MRI Scan
  • NMR Imaging
  • NMRI
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Other: Questionnaire Administration
Complete questionnaires
Other: Quality-of-Life Assessment
Complete questionnaires
Other Names:
  • Quality of Life Assessment
Other: Neurocognitive Assessment
Undergo neurocognitive function assessment

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Cognitive outcomes
Time Frame: Up to 5 years
Neurocognitive failure will be defined as the first cognitive failure on 2 or more of the following tests: the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test Revised Total Recall, Delayed Recall and Delayed Recognition; the Controlled Oral Word Association; and the Trail Making Test Part A or B. The rate of neurocognitive failure and its 95% confidence interval (CI) will be calculated. The cumulative incidence approach may be used to estimate the median time to neurocognitive failure to account for the competing risk of death. May use the Aalen-Johansen estimator of the cumulative incidence function.
Up to 5 years

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Quality-of-life
Time Frame: Up to 5 years
Assessed using European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire - Core 30/Brain Neoplasm 20. The rates of improvement and worsening will be calculated. The rate of deterioration will be calculated. Also, Wilcoxon signed rank test or paired t-test will be used to compare the scores between baseline and after radiation at 2 months.
Up to 5 years
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) changes
Time Frame: Baseline up to 5 years
Will explore radiographic changes on standard-of-care MRI scans that are suggestive of radiation toxicity. Radiographic changes will be considered in the context of radiation treatment plans. Correlation of radiographic changes with radiation dose will be performed for hypothesis generation. Spearman correlation coefficient may be used to assess the correlation between radiographic changes and radiation dose.
Baseline up to 5 years
Role of medications indicated to improve memory and cognitive function
Time Frame: Up to 5 years
Neurocognitive outcomes at different time points will be summarized using descriptive statistics. Changes overtime on neurocognitive outcomes may be analyzed using generalized linear models for the repeated measures. May compare the neurocognitive outcomes of the patients to a similar cohort of patients that were not treated with Memantine or other medications indicated to improve memory and cognitive function (example the RT arm of RTOG 1114). Will amend the protocol to include the details on which cohort of patients to be compared to, variables to be used for matching the two patient cohorts, and method to be used for matching once decided to proceed with the comparison.
Up to 5 years

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Bouthaina S Dabaja, M.D. Anderson Cancer 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)

January 9, 2020

Primary Completion (Estimated)

October 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

October 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 12, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 12, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

August 18, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 20, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 18, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • PA18-0791 (Other Identifier: M D Anderson Cancer Center)
  • NCI-2021-08429 (Other Identifier: Clinical Trials Reporting Program (CTRP))

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

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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