RAPid SimPLE Targeted Radiation Treatment for Brain Metastases (RAPPLE)

Randomized Phase II Non-Inferiority Study of 5-Day Versus 1-Day RAPid SimPLE (RAPPLE) Targeted Radiation Treatment for Brain Metastases

The aim of the study is to show that rapid, simple targeted radiotherapy to brain metastases with 8 Gy / 1 is non-inferior to 20 Gy / 5 in terms of overall survival for patients with poor prognosis.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Brain Metastases, Adult
• Intervention / Treatment: Radiation: Targeting All Brain Metastases

Detailed Description

Hypothesis For selected patients with limited life expectancy, a single targeted fraction of 8 Gy / 1 to brain metastases will provide equivalent survival as targeted radiotherapy with 20 Gy / 5 to brain metastases.

Justification The QUARTZ study randomized patients with brain metastases and poor prognosis between 20 Gy / 5 whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) and best supportive care. The median survival in both arms of the study was 9 weeks. The quality of life in both arm was also the same. It is known that WBRT significantly diminishes quality of life. The investigators interpretation of the QUARTZ trial is that the unchecked growth of brain metastases in the best supportive care arm diminishes quality of life as much as WBRT. To control brain metastases without giving WBRT, targeted treatment with 20 Gy / 5 to the metastases alone is standard care at BC Cancer. Numerous randomized trials have compared the efficacy of 20-30 Gy / 5-10 fractions and 8 Gy / 1 for palliative treatment of pain from bone metastases. In addition, there is a randomized trial showing that 20 Gy / 5 and 8 Gy /1 are equally effective for the treatment of symptoms from spinal cord compression. This study will test the use of this shorter, one-visit treatment schedule against the standard 5-visit treatment schedule for patients with brain metastases.

Research Design Randomized Phase II Non-Inferiority Study. The estimated median survival for this cohort, based upon a prior cohort study from 2012-2016 at BC Cancer is 3 months (13 weeks). The investigators would regard a study median survival of less than the 9-week median survival observed in the QUARTZ trial as unacceptable. Hence, the hazard ratio for the experimental arm and the control arm is: 13 weeks / 9 weeks = 1.44. With one-sided Type I error set at alpha = 0.2 and power = 0.8, the investigators calculated a theoretical sample size of 86 patients. Based on prior experience with clinical trials for patients with brain metastases, a 15% risk of drop-out and loss to follow up is expected. Hence the final sample size will be 100 patients. Stratification by the diagnosis-specific graded prognostic assessment (DS-GPA) ranges of 0.0 - 1.0 and 1.5 - 2.0 and lung cancer versus other histologies will help to ensure baseline characteristics that predict for equal survival are equally distributed in both arms of the study.

Statistical Analysis The primary endpoint is overall survival. The study will be considered to be a positive phase II non-inferiority study if the median survival in the experimental arm is within 4 weeks of the median survival in the standard arm.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 100
• Phase: Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Sandy Chang; Phone Number: 2683 604-877-6000; Email: sandy.chang@bccancer.bc.ca

Study Locations

• Canada
  • British Columbia
    • Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
      • Recruiting
      • Bc Cancer - Abbotsford
      • Contact: Fred Hsu, BSc MD FRCPC; Phone Number: 6048514710
    • Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada, V1Y5L3
      • Recruiting
      • BC Cancer - Kelowna
      • Contact: Benjamin Mou, MD FRCPC DABR; Phone Number: 250-712-3900; Email: Benjamin.Mou@bccancer.bc.ca
    • Prince George, British Columbia, Canada, V2M7E9
      • Recruiting
      • BC Cancer - Prince George
      • Contact: Robert Olson, MD MSc FRCPC; Phone Number: 25064573000; Email: rolson2@bccancer.bc.ca
    • Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
      • Recruiting
      • BC Cancer - Surrey
      • Contact: Sarah Baker, MD; Phone Number: 604.930.2098
    • Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5Z 4E6
      • Recruiting
      • BC Cancer - Vancouver
      • Contact: Sandy Chang; Phone Number: 202199 604-675-4100; Email: sandy.chang@bccancer.bc.ca
      • Contact: Shilo Lefresne, MD
    • Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
      • Recruiting
      • BC Cancer - Victoria
      • Contact: Isabelle Vallieres, MD MSc FRCPC; Phone Number: 2505195577; Email: isabelle.vallieres@bccancer.bc.ca

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 100 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Subjects must meet all of the following criteria to be eligible for participation in this study:

• Age ≥ 18
• Pathological diagnosis of a non-hematopoietic malignancy
• Brain metastases of any size
• Any number of untreated or progressing, previously treated brain metastases that can all be contoured and targeted
• Presence of extracranial disease
• Diagnosis-Specific Graded Prognostic Assessment ≤ 2.0. (https://brainmetgpa.com/) or Graded Prognostic Assessment ≤ 2.0 (Appendix I)
• Able to complete the EuroQOL (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire
• Willing and able to have regular imaging follow up
• Feasible to start protocol treatment within 14 days of participant enrolment
• Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) ≥ 50

Exclusion Criteria:

Subjects are excluded from the study if any of the following criteria apply:

• Inability to have a brain MRI
• WBRT less than 3 months prior to randomization
• Disseminated leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (limited pachymeningeal disease is permitted)
• Multiple sclerosis
• Neurologically declining despite corticosteroids
• Appropriate for surgery or stereotactic radiosurgery
• Germ cell and primary brain tumours
• Systemic lupus erythematosis, scleroderma, or other connective tissue disorders not in remission
• Any other serious intercurrent illness or medical condition judged by the local investigator to compromise the participant's safety, preclude safe administration of the planned protocol treatment, or prevent the participant from being managed according to the protocol guidelines
• Pregnancy
• Potentially fertile men or women of childbearing potential who are unwilling to employ highly effective contraception

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: 20 Gy in 5 Fractions Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy to Brain Metastases; Five treatments of 4 Gy will be delivered using volumetric modulated arc therapy on a conventional linear accelerator in a conventional head shell without the use of stereotactic radiosurgery technique.	Radiation: Targeting All Brain Metastases; Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy
Experimental: 8 Gy in 1 Fraction Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy to Brain Metastases; A single treatment of 8 Gy will be delivered using volumetric modulated arc therapy on a conventional linear accelerator in a conventional head shell without the use of stereotactic radiosurgery technique.	Radiation: Targeting All Brain Metastases; Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Survival Time	The median time from randomization to death	1 year

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Median Time to Decline in Karnofsky Performance Status	The time from randomization to a 20-point decline in Karnofsky Performance Status	1 year
Control of treated brain metastases	Cumulative incidence of local recurrence of treated metastases	1 year
Corticosteroid use	Proportion of patients taking corticosteroids	6 weeks
Control of brain disease	Cumulative incidence of (local recurrence of treated metastases OR new metastases)	1 year
Retreatments for brain metastases	Proportion of patients with retreatment for brain metastases after radiotherapy	1 year
Adverse Events	Cumulative incidence of adverse events, graded using CTCAE Version 5.0	1 year
Health-Related Quality of Life	Median time to a minimum clinically important decline in Health-Related Quality of Life	1 year

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: British Columbia Cancer Agency
• Collaborators: Varian Medical Systems
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Alan Nichol, MD, BC Cancer Vancouver

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Mulvenna P, Nankivell M, Barton R, Faivre-Finn C, Wilson P, McColl E, Moore B, Brisbane I, Ardron D, Holt T, Morgan S, Lee C, Waite K, Bayman N, Pugh C, Sydes B, Stephens R, Parmar MK, Langley RE. Dexamethasone and supportive care with or without whole brain radiotherapy in treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases unsuitable for resection or stereotactic radiotherapy (QUARTZ): results from a phase 3, non-inferiority, randomised trial. Lancet. 2016 Oct 22;388(10055):2004-2014. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30825-X. Epub 2016 Sep 4.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 4, 2021
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 17, 2021
• First Posted (Actual): September 21, 2021

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 17, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 15, 2025
• Last Verified: April 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: radiotherapy; phase II; overall survival; randomized clinical trial; non-inferiority
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Pathologic Processes; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Neoplastic Processes; Nervous System Neoplasms; Central Nervous System Neoplasms; Neoplasm Metastasis; Brain Neoplasms
• Other Study ID Numbers: H21-01343

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