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Taking people in United StatesPhase 2

Memory Avoidance Whole Brain Radiotherapy vs Hippocampal Avoidance Whole Brain Radiotherapy (Athena 2 Trial)

Key facts

Who runs it
Case Comprehensive Cancer Center
Where
Cleveland, United StatesSee the site
Trial code
Status
Recruiting
Phase
Phase 2
People taking part
90 people, planned
Started
9 Jul 2026
Expected to end
Nov 2028
Type of study
Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets an existing treatment, for comparison.
Treatments tested
  • MA-WBRT (Memory Avoidance Whole Brain Radiation Therapy (MA-WBRT))
  • HA-WBRT (Hippocampal Avoidance Whole Brain Radiation Therapy (HA-WBRT))
  • Memantine
Record updated
22 September 2026

Who can take part

Age
18 years and older
Sex
Women and men
Healthy volunteers
Cannot take part

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 12 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

  • Participants must have histologically, cytologically, or radiographically confirmed diagnosis of solid tumor with brain metastases
  • Age >18 years
  • Performance status: Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) ≥ 70
  • Estimated life expectancy of at least 3 months
  • Participant must be considered a candidate for WBRT by the treating physician
  • Participant must be a primary English speaker and have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign an English written informed consent document
  • Participant has at least 10 brain metastases or is otherwise suitable for WBRT

Who cannot take part

  • Prior whole brain radiation
  • Participant has Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer's, dementia, or mental disability
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding women are excluded from this study
  • Participant is not able to receive an MRI
  • Participant has metastasis within avoidance neurocognitive substructures (hippocampus, amygdala, fornix, corpus callosum, pituitary, amygdala)

Where in United States

  • University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center, Case Comprehensive Cancer CenterCleveland, United StatesContact: Haley Perlow, MDTaking people

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

Participants in this research study have cancer that has spread to their brain, called brain metastases. One treatment for this type of cancer is called whole brain radiotherapy that stays away from a specific neurocognitive substructure, called the hippocampus, combined with medication to preserve cognitive function. This study compares that approach to another approach of whole brain radiotherapy that stays away from additional structures that are thought to have a role in cognitive function. Researchers want to see if there is a difference in the preservation of cognitive function between these two approaches.

The 2 groups in the trial

  • Memory Avoidance Whole Brain Radiation Therapy (MA-WBRT)Treatment being tested

    Treatment: MA-WBRT (Memory Avoidance Whole Brain Radiation Therapy (MA-WBRT)) and Memantine

  • Hippocampal Avoidance Whole Brain Radiation Therapy (HA-WBRT)Existing treatment, for comparison

    Treatment: HA-WBRT (Hippocampal Avoidance Whole Brain Radiation Therapy (HA-WBRT)) and Memantine

Questions to ask the study team

  1. How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
  2. Are travel costs paid?
  3. Can I keep my own doctor?
  4. What happens if I want to stop?

Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations

Print a page for my doctor

Data and sources

Registry record
Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
Official title
A Randomized Phase 2 Trial of Memory Avoidance Whole Brain Radiotherapy Versus Hippocampal Avoidance Whole Brain Radiotherapy (Athena 2 Trial)
Record updated
22 September 2026