Evaluation of the Impact of Empty Versus Full Bladder in Patients With Prostate Cancer, RELIEF Trial

RELIEF: Randomized EvaLuation of the Impact of Empty Versus Full Bladder

This clinical trial evaluates the effects of an empty bladder versus (vs.) a full bladder prior to undergoing a computed tomography (CT) simulation for radiation therapy in patients with prostate cancer. Radiation therapy is a commonly used treatment for men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Prior to initiation of a course of radiotherapy, all patients with prostate cancer undergo a CT simulation that allows for computer-based optimization of radiation dose delivery to the target tissue (i.e., prostate) and simultaneous dose minimization to surrounding normal tissues, such as bladder and rectum. Patients are typically given standard instructions for preparation to present with a reproducible full bladder at the time of CT simulation and for each subsequent radiation treatment appointment. The goal of bladder distension is to displace portions of the bladder and bowel away from the highest dose radiation delivery to the prostate. However, as typical urinary symptoms related to radiotherapy develop during treatment, some patients are unable to reproduce the bladder distention achieved at the time of CT simulation. This can result in increased daily treatment time, sub-optimal reproducibility of patient internal anatomy, and increased stress for patients and radiation therapy staff. This trial will evaluate the effects of an empty bladder vs. a full bladder prior to CT simulation and radiation therapy in patients with prostate cancer and how it effects patient reported outcomes.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Prostate Carcinoma
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Questionnaire Administration; Procedure: Computed Tomography; Radiation: Radiation Therapy; Other: Electronic Health Record Review; Other: Best Practice; Procedure: Imaging Procedure

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

I. To determine whether an empty bladder during radiation therapy delivery for prostate cancer is non-inferior to standard bladder filling for change in patient-reported urinary symptoms 3 months post-treatment.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate whether an empty bladder during radiation therapy delivery for prostate cancer is non-inferior to standard bladder filling for patient-reported bowel symptoms and patient-reported severity of urinary symptoms 3 months post-treatment.

II. To compare physician-assessed genitourinary and gastrointestinal Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) toxicity related to radiation therapy in patients treated with a full versus an empty bladder 3 months post-treatment.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:

I. To evaluate the differences in dosimetric parameters, using both absolute and relative volumetric measures, between the full bladder and empty bladder patients and correlate with toxicity scores 3 months post-treatment.

II. To compare patient experience questionnaire answers between arms. III. To compare daily treatment evaluations by radiation therapists (RTT) between arms.

IV. To test for moderation of the treatment effect on the primary endpoint by the four stratification factors.

V. To evaluate whether an empty bladder during radiation therapy delivery for prostate cancer is non-inferior to standard bladder filling for patient-reported urinary symptoms at end of therapy (EOT) and severity, function, and bother 3 months post- treatment.

OUTLINE: Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 arms.

ARM I: Patients perform standard of care (SOC) bladder filling and then undergo computed tomography (CT) and radiation therapy in 2-39 fractions at the discretion of the treating clinician on study.

ARM II: Patients perform bladder emptying and then undergo CT and radiation therapy in 2-39 fractions at the discretion of the treating clinician on study.

After completion of study intervention, patients are followed up at 3 months.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 168
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Arizona
    • Scottsdale, Arizona, United States, 85259
      • Mayo Clinic in Arizona
  • Florida
    • Jacksonville, Florida, United States, 32224-9980
      • Mayo Clinic in Florida
  • Minnesota
    • Albert Lea, Minnesota, United States, 56007
      • Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea
    • Mankato, Minnesota, United States, 56001
      • Mayo Clinic Health Systems-Mankato
    • Rochester, Minnesota, United States, 55905
      • Mayo Clinic in Rochester
  • Wisconsin
    • Eau Claire, Wisconsin, United States, 54701
      • Mayo Clinic Health System-Eau Claire Clinic
    • La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States, 54601
      • Mayo Clinic Health System-Franciscan Healthcare

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age >= 18 years
• Histological confirmation of prostate cancer

• Planned definitive dose radiotherapy to the prostate

  • Note: Patients are eligible for enrollment if they are already enrolled or planned for enrollment on another interventional research protocol provided that other study protocol treatment does not require procedures or treatments that would be in conflict with the eligibility or treatment protocols for this study nor, in the judgement of the enrolling physician, affect primary study objectives of this study
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) 0, 1, or 2
• Ability to complete questionnaire(s) by themselves or with assistance
• Provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Planned delivery of radiotherapy to pelvic lymph nodes
• Planned brachytherapy treatment of the prostate
• Significant urinary incontinence that precludes standard bladder filling
• Evidence of direct bladder extension or bladder wall metastases from prostate cancer
• Used indwelling or intermittent urinary catheterization at baseline
• Prior pelvic radiotherapy such that any portion of the prostate received > 5 Gy

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: Arm I (bladder filling, CT, radiation); Patients perform SOC bladder filling and then undergo CT and radiation therapy in 2-39 fractions at the discretion of the treating clinician on study.	Other: Questionnaire Administration; Ancillary studies; Procedure: Computed Tomography; Undergo CT; Other Names: CT; CAT; CAT Scan; Computed Axial Tomography; Computerized Axial Tomography; Computerized Tomography; CT Scan; tomography; Computerized axial tomography (procedure); Computerized Tomography (CT) scan; Radiation: Radiation Therapy; Undergo radiation therapy; Other Names: Cancer Radiotherapy; ENERGY_TYPE; Irradiate; Irradiated; Irradiation; Radiation; Radiation Therapy, NOS; Radiotherapeutics; Radiotherapy; RT; Therapy, Radiation; Energy Type; Other: Electronic Health Record Review; Ancillary studies; Other: Best Practice; Undergo bladder filling prior to CT; Other Names: standard of care; standard therapy
Experimental: Arm II (bladder emptying, CT, radiation); Patients perform bladder emptying and then undergo CT and radiation therapy in 2-39 fractions at the discretion of the treating clinician on study.	Other: Questionnaire Administration; Ancillary studies; Procedure: Computed Tomography; Undergo CT; Other Names: CT; CAT; CAT Scan; Computed Axial Tomography; Computerized Axial Tomography; Computerized Tomography; CT Scan; tomography; Computerized axial tomography (procedure); Computerized Tomography (CT) scan; Radiation: Radiation Therapy; Undergo radiation therapy; Other Names: Cancer Radiotherapy; ENERGY_TYPE; Irradiate; Irradiated; Irradiation; Radiation; Radiation Therapy, NOS; Radiotherapeutics; Radiotherapy; RT; Therapy, Radiation; Energy Type; Other: Electronic Health Record Review; Ancillary studies; Procedure: Imaging Procedure; Undergo bladder emptying prior to CT; Other Names: Diagnostic Imaging Technique; Imaging; Imaging Procedures; Medical Imaging; imaging type; imaging_type; Type of imaging; Image Type; Imaging (procedure); IMAGING_METHOD; Imaging Technique

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Patient-reported urinary symptoms	Assessed by the change score of urinary irritative/obstructive scale score from the Expanded Prostate Index Composite (EPIC) or EPIC-26 short form questionnaire and compared between patients treated with an empty bladder and standard bladder filling. A t-test will be used to test for non-inferiority of bladder emptying compared to standard bladder filling at the 5% alpha level.	Baseline, 3 months, 1 and 2 years post radiation therapy (RT)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Incidence of physician reported gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) adverse events	Defined as a composite of the hematuria, urinary incontinence, urinary retention, urinary tract pain, urinary frequency, and urinary urgency items from the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0 (CTCAE v 5.0) for the genitourinary toxicities and by a composite of the rectal hemorrhage, diarrhea, and proctitis items from the CTCAE v 5.0 for the gastrointestinal toxicities. The proportion of patients with a grade 2 or higher GU and GI toxicity at 3 months post-RT will be estimated by the number of patients experiencing a grade 2 or higher GU and GI event divided by the total number of evaluable patients, respectively. Comparisons between treatment arms will be made using a Chi-square test with an alpha level of 5%.	At 3 months post-RT
Patient-reported bowel quality of life	Assessed by the bowel scale score from EPIC-26 and compared between patients treated with an empty bladder and standard bladder filling. A t-test will be used to test for non-inferiority of bladder emptying compared to standard bladder filling at the 5% alpha level with a non-inferiority margin of 7 points.	At 3 months post-RT
Patient-reported severity of urinary tract symptoms	Assessed by International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and t-test will be used to test for non-inferiority of bladder emptying compared to standard bladder filling at the 5% alpha level with a non-inferiority margin of 4 points.	At 3 months post-RT

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Mayo Clinic
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Bradley J. Stish, M.D., Mayo Clinic

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Mayo Clinic Clinical Trials

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 19, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 30, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 7, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 13, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): September 14, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 23, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 19, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Urogenital Diseases; Genital Diseases; Genital Neoplasms, Male; Urogenital Neoplasms; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Genital Diseases, Male; Prostatic Diseases; Male Urogenital Diseases; Prostatic Neoplasms; Health Services Administration; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Therapeutics; Quality of Health Care; Physical Phenomena; Quality Indicators, Health Care; Electromagnetic Phenomena; Magnetic Phenomena; Electromagnetic Radiation; Radiation, Ionizing; Guidelines as Topic; Quality Assurance, Health Care; Radiotherapy; Standard of Care; Radiation; X-Rays; Practice Guidelines as Topic
• Other Study ID Numbers: RELIEF; NCI-2023-06451 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program)); GMROR2352 (Other Identifier: Mayo Clinic Radiation Oncology); 23-005799 (Other Identifier: Mayo Clinic Institutional Review Board)

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