First patient for EORTC-trial in oligometastatic rare cancers
First patient for EORTC-trial in oligometastatic rare cancers
Brussels – EORTC 1945 OligoRARE enrolled its first patient in Antwerp, Belgium. The trial is a phase 3 study evaluating stereotactic body radiotherapy in addition to standard of care treatment for patients with oligometastatic rare cancers.
EORTC 1945 OligoRARE is an international study with 6 participating countries in Europe and a collaboration with the British Columbia Cancer Agency in Canada. A total of 200 patients will be recruited over a period of 5.5 years. The first patient was randomized at the GZA Hospitals in Antwerp, Belgium.
The Anticancer Fund and the Rising Tide Foundation for Clinical Cancer Research are funding this trial with a joint grant of 800,000 euro, on a total cost of 1.9M euro. The remaining 1.1M euro has been secured by EORTC, the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer. The EORTC is also conducting the trial.
Improving overall survival
The trial aims at improving overall survival in patients with oligometastatic rare cancers, including all solid cancer types except lung, breast, colon, prostate cancer.
Metastatic cancer can range from a single metastasis to widely disseminated metastases, making it the leading cause of cancer death. Oligometastatic disease is considered to be an intermediate state between locoregional cancer and widespread metastases with a limited number of lesions and organs involved. Because of its limited spread, it has been shown in studies that metastasis-directed therapy, for example radiotherapy, added to standard of care might achieve long-term survival or even cure in about one quarter of the patients.