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Malignant Pleural MesotheliomaPhase 1/2NCT00797719

Short Neoadjuvant Hemithoracic IMRT for MPM

A Phase 1/2 study testing Pre-op RT +/- chemotherapy in people with Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma, run by University Health Network, Toronto at 1 site in Canada.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Malignant pleural mesotheliomas (MPMs) are tumours associated with asbestos exposure involving the tissue lining surrounding the lung. Radiation therapy (RT) dramatically reduces the risk of tumour recurrence within the irradiated area (>90%). Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
What is being tested?
Pre-op RT +/- chemotherapy
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
104 participants
Where
1 siteCanada
Study dates
Oct 2008to 29 Sep 2025
Phase
Phase 1/2
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • ECOG performance status of 0-2
  • Good pulmonary function precluding radiation therapy (FEV>1 L or >40% predicted or DLCO >45% predicted)
  • Any patient wiht a new histological diagnosis of malignancy pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Sarcomatoid or biphasic histologies can be included but will be analyzed separately due to their poor prognosis
  • Stage T1-2N0M0 based on conventional investigations and tests. Selected stage T3N0M0 may be included at the discretion of the surgeon if deemed resectable.
  • Suitable for combined modality therapy
  • Informed consent

Who cannot join

  • Distant metastatic disease
  • Previous thoracic irradiation
  • Serious non-malignant disease (e.g. cardiovascular, pulmonary, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), scleroderma) which would preclude definitive radiation treatment
  • Previous chemotherapy for this or concurrent malignancy
  • Previous concomitant malignancies except for patients with non-melanoma skin cancer, contralateral non-invasive breast cancer, prostate cancer treated with curative intent or carcinoma in situ of any other site. In addition, patients with invasive cancers treated more than 3 years previously and without evidence of recurrence will be eligible
  • Women who are currently pregnant or lactating

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Canada1 site

  • University Health Network

    Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Official title: A Feasibility Study Evaluating Neoadjuvant Hemithoracic Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy for Surgically Resectable Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Malignant pleural mesotheliomas (MPMs) are tumours associated with asbestos exposure involving the tissue lining surrounding the lung. Radiation therapy (RT) dramatically reduces the risk of tumour recurrence within the irradiated area (>90%). But patients continue to succumb to MPMs due to the tumour spreading outside the chest cavity. This may be due to tumour cells inadvertently contaminating areas outside the chest cavity during surgery. The study will look at whether giving a short intense course of chest radiation just prior to surgery will sterilized these tumour cells and thus, avoid or reduce contamination of the areas outside the chest cavity. The investigators hypothesize that short neoadjuvant (pre-operative) hemithoracic RT, followed by immediate planned extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP) (+/- adjuvant chemotherapy) will reduce the risk of intra-operative seeding and reduce the incidence of distant metastatic disease.

Read the detailed description

The study is a phase I/II prospective single cohort clinical feasibility study. 100 patients with early stage resectable malignant pleural mesothelioma will be enrolled into the study. Patients will have a baseline PET scan. Patients on the study will receive IMRT for approximately 1 week of 5 daily treatments. 1 week post-RT, they will proceed with an extrapleural pneumonectomy. If the mediastinal lymph nodes that are removed during surgery are positive for tumour cells, 3 cycles of chemotherapy, consisting of raltitrexed and cisplatin OR Pemetrexed and cisplatin, will be given 6-12 weeks post-surgery. Before and during treatment, side effects will be assessed. After treatment, follow up visits will be conducted every 1 to 2 months for the first year, and every 3 months for the second year. At each visit, a history and physical examination will be performed and ECOG performance status will be assessed. Routine tests will include CBC, liver profile, creatinine and chest x-ray. CT thorax and abdomen will be done at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. Additional test may be done at the discretion of the oncologist if the patient becomes symptomatic. The study will evaluate the feasibility and safety of short pre-operative RT, and may help confirm the intraoperative seeding hypothesis. Preoperative RT may also reduce the risk of both local and distant spread and, ultimately, improve overall survival. By shortening overall treatment time, it may also improve patient compliance and convenience. We may be able to give chemotherapy only to patients that are at highest risk and avoid it in others.

Being tested
Pre-op RT +/- chemotherapy
Keywords
MPM, Short hemithoracic IMRT
Medical subject headings
Mesothelioma, Malignant

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Pre-op RT +/- chemotherapyOther

    Patients on the study will receive IMRT for approximately 1 week of 5 daily treatments. Short pre-operative hemithoracic RT is a new technique. 1 week post-RT, they will proceed with an extrapleural pneumonectomy. If the mediastinal lymph nodes that are removed during surgery are positive for tumour cells, 3 cycles of chemotherapy, consisting of raltitrexed and cisplatin, will be given 6-12 weeks post-surgery.

Study groups in NCT00797719
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
AllExperimentalThis is a single arm study. All patients enrolled will be in this arm.
Receives: Other: Pre-op RT +/- chemotherapy

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. The primary outcome for the study will be the proportion of patients treated as per protocol without treatment related mortality.

    Measured: After completion of therapy: every 4 wks for 3 mos, then every 6 wks for 6 mos, then every 2 mos for 12 mos, then every 3 mos for 2 yrs, then every 6 mos for 5 years

Secondary outcomes (1)

  1. To evaluate: acute and late morbidity related to treatment; local & distant recurrence, disease free & overall survival; identify factors/parameters associated with increased risk of treatment morbidity

    Measured: After completion of therapy: every 4 wks for 3 mos, then every 6 wks for 6 mos, then every 2 mos for 12 mos, then every 3 mos for 2 yrs, then every 6 mos for 5 years

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted25 Nov 2008 (estimated)
  2. Study startOct 2008
  3. Primary completion29 Sep 2025
  4. Study completion29 Sep 2025

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 1/2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
104 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00797719
Sponsor's protocol ID
UHN REB 08-0106-C
Status last verified
Mar 2026
First submitted
21 Nov 2008
Last updated
5 Mar 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Chan M, Wu L, Yun Z, McKee TD, Cabanero M, Zhao Y, Kohno M, Murakami J, de Perrot M. Blocking the GITR-GITRL pathway to overcome resistance to therapy in sarcomatoid malignant pleural mesothelioma. Commun Biol. 2021 Jul 26;4(1):914. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02430-5.

    PubMed 34312483

  • Cho BCJ, Donahoe L, Bradbury PA, Leighl N, Keshavjee S, Hope A, Pal P, Cabanero M, Czarnecka K, McRae K, Tsao MS, de Perrot M. Surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma after radiotherapy (SMART): final results from a single-centre, phase 2 trial. Lancet Oncol. 2021 Feb;22(2):190-197. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(20)30606-9. Epub 2021 Jan 12.

    PubMed 33450184

  • de Perrot M, Dong Z, Bradbury P, Patsios D, Keshavjee S, Leighl NB, Hope A, Feld R, Cho J. Impact of tumour thickness on survival after radical radiation and surgery in malignant pleural mesothelioma. Eur Respir J. 2017 Mar 15;49(3):1601428. doi: 10.1183/13993003.01428-2016. Print 2017 Mar.

    PubMed 28298401

  • Cho BC, Feld R, Leighl N, Opitz I, Anraku M, Tsao MS, Hwang DM, Hope A, de Perrot M. A feasibility study evaluating Surgery for Mesothelioma After Radiation Therapy: the "SMART" approach for resectable malignant pleural mesothelioma. J Thorac Oncol. 2014 Mar;9(3):397-402. doi: 10.1097/JTO.0000000000000078.

    PubMed 24445595

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 1/2 study testing Pre-op RT +/- chemotherapy in people with Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma, run by University Health Network, Toronto at 1 site in Canada.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Mar 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Canada. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

What does this combined phase mean?

Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.

Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.

Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

The primary outcome for the study will be the proportion of patients treated as per protocol without treatment related mortality. (time frame: After completion of therapy: every 4 wks for 3 mos, then every 6 wks for 6 mos, then every 2 mos for 12 mos, then every 3 mos for 2 yrs, then every 6 mos for 5 years). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT00797719, which also lists 4 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Mar 2026.

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