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NCT01049230Active, not recruiting

Proton Beam Radiation Therapy for Central Nervous System (CNS) Germ Cell Tumors

Phase II Study of Proton Radiation Therapy for CNS Germ Cell Tumors: Evaluation of Acute and Late Side Effects

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Last updated 29 Oct 2026

Brief summary (registry, in English)

The purpose of this research study is to determine if radiation using proton beam therapy will kill the germ cell tumor in the participant's central nervous system. This type of radiation has been used previously on many patients with different types of cancers. There are two types of external radiation treatments, proton beam and photon beam. In this study we will be examining the effects of proton beam radiation therapy. Studies have suggested that this kind of radiation can spare normal tissue more than photon radiation therapy. The physical characteristics of proton beam radiation let the doctor safely increase the amount of radiation delivered to the tumor. We believe that proton beam therapy will potentially reduce side effects that participants would normally experience with photon radiation therapy.

Status (registry)
Active, not recruiting
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
45 (actual)
First submitted
13 Jan 2010
Start date
Jun 2010
Primary completion date
30 Jun 2027
Lead sponsor
Massachusetts General Hospital
NCT number
NCT01049230

What you commit to

  • Study type: Interventional
  • Participants enrolled: 45
  • From Jun 2010 to the primary completion date, 30 Jun 2027
  • 2 sites in 1 country
  • Visits and tests: ask the trial team, the registry does not list them

Built from the registry fields of ClinicalTrials.gov. It describes the study, not your situation.

Who cannot take part

Copied verbatim from ClinicalTrials.gov and grouped by topic. Only the trial team decides who can take part.

Prior treatment

  • Patients will be ineligible if any prior therapeutic radiation therapy \> 200 cGy has been delivered to the central nervous system.
  • Patients will be ineligible if chemotherapy was completed greater than 1 year from the planned start date of radiation therapy or if the patient is referred for radiation therapy after a relapse following a regimen with chemotherapy alone.

Other illness

  • Individuals with a history of a different malignancy are ineligible except for the following circumstances: Disease-free for at least 5 years and are deemed by the investigator to be at low risk for recurrence of that malignancy. Individuals diagnosed and treated within the past 5 years for cervical cancer in situ and basal cell or squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

Other

  • Pregnant females

Who the study is looking for

  • Histologically confirmed germ cell tumor or elevated AFP or B-HCG in the setting of radiographic disease consistent with a germ cell tumor. Disease must be confined to the central nervous system.
  • Participants do not need to have measurable disease. Most patients will not have measurable disease at the time of treatment.
  • 3 years of age or older and 25 years of age or younger at the time of diagnosis because this study evaluates this disease entity in the pediatric population which may differ from the adult population.
  • Life expectancy of greater than 12 months.
  • ECOG performance status of 0, 1 or 2
  • Baseline MRI of the brain and spinal axis with gadolinium and prior to any chemotherapy is required. If surgical resection is performed a post-operative MRI is required. If the patient receives chemotherapy prior to radiation, a post-chemotherapy MRI of the brain is required. If spinal involvement was seen on initial MRI and prior to chemotherapy, a MRI of the spine is required after chemotherapy and prior to radiation.
  • Serum and lumbar CSF must be obtained to evaluate for alpha fetoprotein (AFP) and beta human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). This is needed to stratify patients into pure GCT and NGGCT.
  • Women of child-bearing potential and men must agree to use adequate contraception prior to study entry and for the duration of study participation.

Age in the registry: 3 years to 25 years · Sex: All · Does not accept healthy volunteers

Full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov

Sites (2)

Sites in registry order. Pick your city on the disease page to sort them by distance.

SiteCityCountrySite status
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
BostonUnited StatesUnknown status
Massachusetts General Hospital
Coordinator of this site? Confirm its status
BostonUnited StatesUnknown status

This page is information, not medical advice. Discuss any trial with your doctor.