Ongoing prospective studies on reirradiation: a systematic review of a clinical trials database

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Reirradiation has gained increasing interest, as advances in systemic therapy increase the survival of patients with cancer, and modern radiation techniques allow more precise treatments. However, high-quality prospective evidence on the safety and efficacy of reirradiation to guide clinical practice remains scarce. This systematic review evaluates ongoing prospective studies on reirradiation to identify research gaps and priorities. METHODS: A systematic review of ClinicalTrials.gov was conducted on July 11, 2024, using search terms related to reirradiation. Inclusion criteria were prospective studies that were 'recruiting,' 'not yet recruiting,' or 'active, not recruiting.' Studies with published results, retrospective, and in-silico studies were excluded. The review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and recommendations for systematic searches of clinical trial registries. RESULTS: Among 1026 identified studies, 307 were screened, 99 were included. Fourty (40%) focused on central nervous system (CNS), 23 (23%) head and neck, and 17 (17%) on pelvic reirradiation. Most studies (90%) were interventional, with 32 (32%) phase II and 4 (4%) phase III trials. Sixteen trials were randomized (RCTs), including the 4 phase III trials for recurrent glioblastoma, rectal and nasopharyngeal cancer. Ten dose escalation trials focus on recurrent prostate, rectal, and non-small cell lung cancer as well as glioma. Modern high-precision radiotherapy techniques were frequently used, with 21 (21%) studies using stereotactic radiotherapy and 17 (17%) using particle therapy. Combinations with systemic therapies were investigated in 41 (41%) studies. CONCLUSION: Ongoing studies most frequently focus on CNS, head and neck, and pelvic reirradiation. There remains a critical need for RCTs, in particular for lung, breast, and gynecological cancers. Dose escalation trials, application of precision radiation techniques and combinations with modern systemic therapy may help define the optimal multimodality treatment schedules.