Esophageal CancerPhase 2PaRCUSNCT02297217
Chemoradiotherapy for Advanced Esophageal Cancer
A Phase 2 study testing Carboplatin and Taxol (paclitaxel) and External Beam Radiation in people with Esophageal Cancer, run by AHS Cancer Control Alberta at 1 site in Canada.
Trial summary
This study aims to show that the addition of carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy to a palliative course of external beam radiation treatment improves both dysphagia relief and patient quality of life in patients with unresectable esophageal cancer. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Esophageal Cancer
- What is being tested?
- Carboplatin and Taxol (paclitaxel) and External Beam Radiation
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion, Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteCanada
- Study dates
- 21 Nov 2019to 30 Apr 2028
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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
- Biopsy proven carcinoma of the esophagus.
- Not a candidate for radical/curative treatment due to the advanced nature of the disease, presence of metastases, or intercurrent illness.
- Symptomatic patients with Mellow Dysphagia Scores of ≥ 1 i.e. able to eat only some solids.
- ECOG Performance status ≤ 2.
- Patients able to begin treatment within 14 days of signing the informed consent form.
- Patient is at least 18 years old.
Show all 16Show fewer
- Hematological function as defined by the following laboratory parameters:
- Hemoglobin > 100g/L
- Platelet count > 100x10E9/L
- Absolute neutrophil count > 1.5x10E9/L
- Renal function to undergo chemotherapy as defined by the following laboratory parameters:
- Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 2.5x the upper limit of institutional normal (≤ 5 if liver metastases)
- Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5x the upper limit of institutional normal
- Calculated creatinine clearance ≥ 50 mL/min using the Cockcroft-Gault formula
- Patients capable of childbearing are using adequate contraception.
- Written and informed consent of patient.
Who cannot join
- Previous radiotherapy delivered to the chest.
- Synchronous active malignancies.
- Pregnant or lactating patients: women of child bearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 7 days of Treatment Visit 1. Women or men of child bearing potential must use effective contraception (defined by the use of two birth control methods, which can be either two barrier methods or a barrier method plus a hormonal method to prevent pregnancy). Subjects must start using birth control from the time they have signed the Informed Consent Form prior to start of therapy until 120 days post completion of study therapy or study discontinuation, which must be documented in the eCRF.
- Patients unfit for any treatment component, including absolute contraindications for radiotherapy or Connective Tissue Disease.
- Tracheo-esophageal fistula.
- Esophageal stents in situ.
- Previous chemotherapy for esophageal cancer
- Unable to complete surveys in English without aid of interpreter.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Amy Abel contact
Canada1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Tom Baker Cancer Centre
Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N2
Marc Kerba, MD, 403-521-3164, marc.kerba@ahs.ca
Amy Abel, Amy.Abel@ahs.ca
About this study
Official title: A Phase 2 Study of Palliative Chemo-Radiotherapy With Carbo-Taxol in Non-Curative Cancer of the Esophagus
This study aims to show that the addition of carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy to a palliative course of external beam radiation treatment improves both dysphagia relief and patient quality of life in patients with unresectable esophageal cancer.
Read the detailed description
Patients with carcinoma of the esophagus not suitable for definitive radical treatment who have symptomatic dysphagia requiring locoregional palliation, and who have no contra-indications to chemo-radiotherapy will be offered Carboplatin (AUC 2) and paclitaxel (50 mg/m2) intravenously on days 1 and 8 concurrent with external beam radiation therapy of 30Gy/10 fractions over two weeks where the primary goal is relief of dysphagia and other outcomes include toxicity, quality of life and metabolomics.
- Conditions
- Esophageal Cancer
- Being tested
- Carboplatin and Taxol (paclitaxel), External Beam Radiation
- Medical subject headings
- Esophageal Neoplasms
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Carboplatin and Taxol (paclitaxel)Drug
Patients will receive carboplatin (AUC 2) and paclitaxel (50 mg/m2) intravenously on Days 1 and 8. Patients are seen for 2 weekly Treatment Visits during concurrent chemo-radiation then every 28 days until the End of Study Visit, approximately 6 months after Treatment Visit 1. Preparation and administration of chemotherapy will be according to local site standard of care.
External Beam RadiationRadiation
Patients will receive external beam radiation therapy of 30Gy/10 fractions over two weeks (or reduced to 25 Gy/10 fractions if acute toxicity parameters are met during the run-in) and receive carboplatin (AUC 2) and paclitaxel (50 mg/m2) intravenously on Days 1 and 8. Treatment will be planned, prescribed and delivered using standard 3D radiotherapy planning techniques to encompass the primary tumor and surrounding clinical target volume. Patients are seen for 2 weekly Treatment Visits during concurrent chemo-radiation then every 28 days until the End of Study Visit, approximately 6 months after Treatment Visit 1.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Chemotherapy with Concurrent Radiation | Experimental | Carboplatin and paclitaxel will be administered intravenously on Days 1 and 8 while radiation therapy is administered Receives: Drug: Carboplatin and Taxol (paclitaxel); Radiation: External Beam Radiation |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Proportion of patients who achieve relief of dysphagia
Will be measured as the proportion of patients who achieve relief of dysphagia, defined as improvement of at least one point on the Mellow Dysphagia Score, measured at Day 57 after the start of radiotherapy, and maintained for at least 28 calendar days (until the Day 85 visit).
Measured: up to day 85
Secondary outcomes (1)
Dysphagia progression free survival
Will be measured from screening to the time of first progression of dysphagia. Progression of dysphagia will be defined as follows:
- A drop of at least 1 point on the 5 point Mellow Dysphagia Score,
- Stricture requiring intervention, or
- Death,
Other secondary objectives as follows:
Time to achieving any response in dysphagia after treatment as measured by an improvement of at least 1 point on the 5 point Mellow Dysphagia Score. Number of patients receiving secondary treatment (radiation, chemotherapy or stenting), Utility assessments pre to post treatment and at 3 and 6 months, Quality of life differences post treatment and at 3 and 6 months. Measures of biological/serological correlates of response, Acute and late toxicity.
Measured: 6 Months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Nov 2014 (estimated)
- Study start21 Nov 2019
- Primary completion30 Apr 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Apr 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Esophageal CancerStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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 2
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- AHS Cancer Control Alberta
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Marc Kerba, AHS Cancer Control Alberta
- Investigators
- Marc Kerba, MD, Principal investigator, 5872316617
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02297217
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HREBA.CC-14-0122
- Acronym
- PaRCUS
- Status last verified
- Oct 2025
- First submitted
- 19 Nov 2014
- Last updated
- 16 Dec 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 16 Dec 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Phase 2 Study of Palliative Chemo-Radiotherapy With Carbo-Taxol in Non-Curative Cancer of the Esophagus
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02297217
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PaRCUS / HREBA.CC-14-0122
- Conditions
- Esophageal Cancer
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- AHS Cancer Control AlbertaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 21 Nov 2019 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Apr 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Apr 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 21 Nov 2014 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to show that the addition of carboplatin and paclitaxel chemotherapy to a palliative course of external beam radiation treatment improves both dysphagia relief and patient quality of life in patients with unresectable esophageal cancer.
Detailed description
Patients with carcinoma of the esophagus not suitable for definitive radical treatment who have symptomatic dysphagia requiring locoregional palliation, and who have no contra-indications to chemo-radiotherapy will be offered Carboplatin (AUC 2) and paclitaxel (50 mg/m2) intravenously on days 1 and 8 concurrent with external beam radiation therapy of 30Gy/10 fractions over two weeks where the primary goal is relief of dysphagia and other outcomes include toxicity, quality of life and metabolomics.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Chemotherapy with Concurrent Radiation | Experimental | Drug: Carboplatin and Taxol (paclitaxel), Radiation: External Beam RadiationCarboplatin and paclitaxel will be administered intravenously on Days 1 and 8 while radiation therapy is administered |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (16 listed)
- Biopsy proven carcinoma of the esophagus.
- Not a candidate for radical/curative treatment due to the advanced nature of the disease, presence of metastases, or intercurrent illness.
- Symptomatic patients with Mellow Dysphagia Scores of ≥ 1 i.e. able to eat only some solids.
- ECOG Performance status ≤ 2.
- Patients able to begin treatment within 14 days of signing the informed consent form.
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Previous radiotherapy delivered to the chest.
- Synchronous active malignancies.
- Pregnant or lactating patients: women of child bearing potential must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 7 days of Treatment Visit 1. Women or men of child bearing potential must use effective contraception (defined by the use of two birth control methods, which can be either two barrier methods or a barrier method plus a hormonal method to prevent pregnancy). Subjects must start using birth control from the time they have signed the Informed Consent Form prior to start of therapy until 120 days post completion of study therapy or study discontinuation, which must be documented in the eCRF.
- Patients unfit for any treatment component, including absolute contraindications for radiotherapy or Connective Tissue Disease.
- Tracheo-esophageal fistula.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Carboplatin and Taxol (paclitaxel)Patients will receive carboplatin (AUC 2) and paclitaxel (50 mg/m2) intravenously on Days 1 and 8. Patients are seen for 2 weekly Treatment Visits during concurrent chemo-radiation then every 28 days until the End of Study Visit, approximately 6 months after Treatment Visit 1. Preparation and administration of chemotherapy will be according to local site standard of care. | Drug | Chemotherapy with Concurrent Radiation |
| External Beam RadiationPatients will receive external beam radiation therapy of 30Gy/10 fractions over two weeks (or reduced to 25 Gy/10 fractions if acute toxicity parameters are met during the run-in) and receive carboplatin (AUC 2) and paclitaxel (50 mg/m2) intravenously on Days 1 and 8. Treatment will be planned, prescribed and delivered using standard 3D radiotherapy planning techniques to encompass the primary tumor and surrounding clinical target volume. Patients are seen for 2 weekly Treatment Visits during concurrent chemo-radiation then every 28 days until the End of Study Visit, approximately 6 months after Treatment Visit 1. | Radiation | Chemotherapy with Concurrent Radiation |
Primary outcome
Proportion of patients who achieve relief of dysphagia
Time frame: up to day 85
Will be measured as the proportion of patients who achieve relief of dysphagia, defined as improvement of at least one point on the Mellow Dysphagia Score, measured at Day 57 after the start of radiotherapy, and maintained for at least 28 calendar days (until the Day 85 visit).
1 secondary outcome
Dysphagia progression free survival
Time frame: 6 Months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 16 Dec 2025.
Related trials for Esophageal Cancer
RecruitingPhase 2/3
Multicenter Validation Trial of [18F]AlF-FAPI-74 for PET Imaging of Cancer-associated Fibroblasts Through Fibroblast Activation Protein Inhibitors (FAPI) in Different Tumor Types
Oesophageal Cancer, Gastric Cancer
RecruitingObservational study
Multicenter Prospective Cohort on Esophageal Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection
Superficial Esophageal Cancer, Oesophageal Adenocarcinoma
Recruiting
The Vanguard Study: Testing a New Way to Screen for Cancer
Bladder Carcinoma, Breast Carcinoma
RecruitingPhase 2
At-Home Cancer Directed Therapy Versus in Clinic for the Treatment of Patients With Advanced Cancer
Advanced Anal Carcinoma, Advanced Biliary Tract Carcinoma
RecruitingPhase 1
A Study to Learn About the Study Medicine Called PF-08046876 in People With Advanced Solid Tumors
Advanced/Metastatic Solid Tumors, Bladder Cancer
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Amy Abel contact
Marc Kerba, MD principal investigator
5872316617
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 2 study testing Carboplatin and Taxol (paclitaxel) and External Beam Radiation in people with Esophageal Cancer, run by AHS Cancer Control Alberta 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 16 inclusion and 8 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 16 Dec 2025. 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 phase mean?
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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Marilyn David (5872315492, marilyn.david@cancercarealberta.ca), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Proportion of patients who achieve relief of dysphagia (time frame: up to day 85). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 16 Dec 2025.