Squamous Cell CarcinomaNCT05065346
Neoadjuvant DaRT for Locally Advanced Oral Cavity SCC
A study testing Radiation: Diffusing Alpha Radiation Emitters Therapy (DaRT in people with Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma, run by Alpha Tau Medical LTD. at 1 site in Israel.
Trial summary
A unique approach for cancer treatment employing intratumoral diffusing alpha radiation emitter device (DaRT) as a treatment prior to additional radiation or chemo therapy. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
- What is being tested?
- Radiation: Diffusing Alpha Radiation Emitters Therapy (DaRT
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 79 participants
- Where
- 1 siteIsrael
- Study dates
- Mar 2025to Jun 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
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
- Pathologically confirmed, previously untreated, resectable squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity (no involvement of the lips);
- T1-T2, N1-N2; T3 N0-2 with T3 <5 cm, depth of infiltration <15 mm, (AJCC version 8 oral cavity);
- Tumor must be potentially curable by conventional methods;
- Primary tumor must be amenable for complete coverage (including margins) by the DaRT seeds;
- Assessment by a Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) of the treatment naïve patient and suitable for DaRT based on diagnostic, contrast enhanced whole body PET-CT - and MRI at the discretion of the investigator - within 2 weeks prior to enrolment. MDT preferably composed of a head and neck/ear, nose, and throat (ENT) surgeon, medical oncologist, radiologist, radiotherapist, and pathologist but at least a surgeon and a radiotherapist;
- Age 18 and older;
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- Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG)/ World Health Organization (WHO) Performance status 0-2;
- Adequate bone marrow function as demonstrated by neutrophils (ANC) ≥ 1,5 109 /L, platelet count ≥ 100 109 /L, leukocytes (WBC) ≥ 3.0 109 /L;
- Hemoglobin ≥ 9.0 g/dL
- Calculated creatinine clearance (CL) > 60 mL/min by the Cockcroft-Gault formula;
- Coagulation parameter (as per institution's standard international normalized ratio (INR), PT or Quick PT) is within the normal ranges, or within the expected target range of their current dose for those patients receiving anticoagulant therapy.
- Women of child-bearing potential (WOCBP) must have a negative serum pregnancy test within 21 days prior to the DaRT insertion.
- Note: women of childbearing potential are defined as premenopausal females capable of becoming pregnant (i.e. females who have had any evidence of menses in the past 12 months, with the exception of those who had prior hysterectomy). However, women who have been amenorrheic for 12 or more months are still considered to be of childbearing potential if the amenorrhea is possibly due to prior chemotherapy, antioestrogens, low body weight, ovarian suppression or other reasons.
- Patients of childbearing / reproductive potential should use adequate birth control measures, as defined by the investigator, during the study treatment period and for at least 6 months after the last dose of treatment.
- Note: A highly effective method of birth control is defined as a method which results in a low failure rate (i.e. less than 1% per year) when used consistently and correctly. Such methods include:
- Combined (oestrogen and progestogen containing) hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation (oral, intravaginal, transdermal)
- Progestogen-only hormonal contraception associated with inhibition of ovulation (oral, injectable, implantable)
- Intrauterine device (IUD)
- Intrauterine hormone-releasing system (IUS)
- Bilateral tubal occlusion
- Vasectomized partner
- Sexual abstinence (the reliability of sexual abstinence needs to be evaluated in relation to the duration of the clinical trial and the preferred and usual lifestyle of the patient)
- Female subjects who are breast-feeding should discontinue nursing prior to starting treatment and until 6 months after the last dose of study treatment;
- Patient is willing and able to comply with the protocol for the duration of the study including undergoing treatment and scheduled visits and examinations including follow-up;
- Willing and able to provide tumor specimen and blood samples for translational research;
- Before patient registration/randomization, written informed consent must be given according to International Conference on Harmonization (ICH)/ Good Clinical Practice (GCP), and national/local regulations.
Who cannot join
- Floor-of-mouth primaries or extension onto the floor-of-mouth;
- Documented evidence of distant metastases (M1) based on a diagnostic, contrast-enhanced whole-body PET-CT scan ;
- Any previous anti-cancer therapy for HNSCC (surgery, chemo, radiotherapy or molecularly targeted therapy);
- History of another primary malignancy with the exception of:
- Malignancy treated with curative intent and with no known active disease ≥2 years before enrolment and of low potential risk for recurrence
- Adequately treated non-melanoma skin cancer or lentigo maligna without evidence of disease
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- Adequately treated carcinoma in situ without evidence of disease;
- Concurrent enrolment in another clinical study, unless it is an observational (non-interventional) clinical study or during the follow-up period of an interventional study;
- Any psychological, familial, sociological or geographical condition potentially hampering compliance with the study protocol and follow-up schedule; those conditions should be discussed with the patient before enrolment in the trial;
- Known contraindication to imaging tracer or nay product of contrast media, or MRI contraindications.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Israel1 site
Sharett institute, Hadassah University Hospital - Ein-Kerem
Jerusalem, 91120
Aron Popovtzer, MD
About this study
Official title: A Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Neoadjuvant DaRT for Locally Advanced Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma
A unique approach for cancer treatment employing intratumoral diffusing alpha radiation emitter device (DaRT) as a treatment prior to additional radiation or chemo therapy.
Read the detailed description
The study is planned as a phase II, single arm interventional, open-label, multi-center, prospective study evaluating DaRT as a neoadjuvant therapy in patients with advanced oral cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
The study will enroll 79 subjects with pathologically confirmed, previously untreated, resectable squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity above the age of 18.
This approach combines the advantages of local intratumoral irradiation of the tumor, as used in conventional brachytherapy, with the power of the alpha radiation emitting atoms, that will be introduced in quantities considerably lower than radiation therapy already used in patients.
The target lesion will be inserted with DaRT in a neo-adjuvant setting. DaRT seeds will be removed 15 days following the insertion. Surgery will follow 15 to 20 days after removal of the DaRT seeds followed by standard chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy alone based on histopathology.
The primary outcome of the study will be the assessment of the major pathological response.
- Being tested
- Radiation: Diffusing Alpha Radiation Emitters Therapy (DaRT
- Keywords
- Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Radiotherapy, Brachytherapy, Alpha Radiation
- Medical subject headings
- Carcinoma, Squamous Cell, Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Radiation: Diffusing Alpha Radiation Emitters Therapy (DaRTDevice
An intratumoral insertion of a seed(s), loaded with Radium-224, securely fixed in the seeds. The seeds release by recoil into the tumor short-lived alpha-emitting atoms.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| DaRT seeds | Experimental | Intratumoral Diffusing alpha-emitters Radiation Therapy (DaRT) Seeds Receives: Device: Radiation: Diffusing Alpha Radiation Emitters Therapy (DaRT |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Major Pathological Response (MPR)
Assessment of the effect of neoadjuvant DaRT on Major Pathological Response following DaRT seeds insertion
Measured: Day 30 (+5)
Secondary outcomes (8)
Pathological Response
Assessment of the effect of neoadjuvant DaRT on pathological response, using a four-point scale following DaRT seeds insertion
Measured: Day 30 (+5)
Radiological Response
Assessment of the effect of neoadjuvant DaRT on radiological response, as measured by the overall response rate (ORR) of the primary tumor and nodes by RECIST 1.1 (based on CT). Each patient will be assigned one of the following categories based on local assessment: complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), progressive disease (PD), early death or not evaluable.
Measured: Day 30 (+5)
Metabolic Response
Assessment of the effect of neoadjuvant DaRT on radiological response, as measured by Positron Emission Tomography Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (PERCIST - based on positron emission tomography (PET-CT)). Each patient will be assigned one of the following categories based on local assessment: complete metabolic response, partial metabolic response, stable metabolic disease, progressive metabolic disease, early death or not evaluable.
Measured: Day 30 (+5)
Overall Survival (OS)
Defined as the time interval between the date of of DaRT seeds insertion and the date of death for any cause.
Measured: Up to 24 months
Disease Free Survival (DFS)
Defined as time from DaRT seeds insertion to date of first occurrence of any loco-regional progression or recurrence, metastatic progression, or death due to any cause, whichever comes first.
Measured: Up to 24 months
DaRT Safety
Measured by the incidence of all adverse events assessed according to CTCAE version 5
Measured: From enrolment until 90 days after completion of post-operative treatment
Positive Margin Rate
Each patient undergoing surgery will be assigned one of the following categories based on the margin in the primary specimen (final margin after resection, if any): positive margin, close margin, clear margin.
Measured: Day 30 (+5)
Post-operative complications Classification
The Clavien-Dindo Classification of Surgical Complications (2009) will be used to grade the complications from I (any deviation from the normal post-operative course without the need for pharmaceutical treatment or surgical, endoscopic, and radiological interventions) to V (Death).
Measured: Day 30 (+5)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted4 Oct 2021
- Study startMar 2025 (estimated)
- Primary completionDec 2025 (estimated)
- Study completionJun 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Squamous Cell CarcinomaStudies 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 N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 79 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Alpha Tau Medical LTD.
- Sponsor type
- Industry (pharma, biotech, devices)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Aron Popovtzer, MD, Principal investigator, Sharett institute, Hadassah Medical Center - Ein-Kerem
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05065346
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CTP-OCC-00
- Status last verified
- May 2024
- First submitted
- 12 Sep 2021
- Last updated
- 17 May 2024
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No