This Phase II Prospective, parallel and open-label randomised control trial will investigate whether a radiotherapy technique (called SABR) can treat early stage liver cancer more effectively than current treatments which use heating probes directly inserted into the tumour or chemotherapy or radioactive particles injected into the blood supply of the tumour. Investigators hypothesize SABR will result in higher rates of freedom from local progression (FFLP) at 2 years compared to percutaneous thermal ablation ± TACE or transarterial therapies (TACE/TARE).The study will also look at other important outcomes such as progression free survival, overall survival, side effects, quality of life and people's experiences of their treatment.
The SOCRATES randomised controlled trial will assess the efficacy, toxicity, HRQoL profile and cost effectiveness of SABR compared to the current SOC treatment in patients with first diagnosis of unresectable, single nodule HCC. Participants will be placed into one of two groups based on the size of their tumour and whether thermal ablation is an appropriate treatment for them. The study will include about 218 participants in total. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either SABR or the current standard of care. Standard care may include thermal ablation, transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE), or transarterial radioembolisation (TARE).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
218
SABR will be delivered in 3 or 5 outpatient treatment sessions (each 20 to 45 minutes in duration) spaced out over 1 to 2 weeks. The exact number of treatment sessions received, and the duration of each session depends on the size and location of the liver cancer.
Patients will receive standard of care treatment (SOC) as per their institution's local practice that will be administered by a doctor called an Interventional Radiologist. The therapies offered will depend on the size and location of the liver cancer and may include one or a combination of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) / microwave ablation (MWA) and/or transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) / transarterial radioembolisation (TARE).
Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group
Waratah, Australia
RECRUITINGUniversity Health Network - Princess Margaret Cancer Centre
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
RECRUITINGFreedom from local progression (FFLP)
Time frame: 2 years
Progression-free survival (PFS)
Time frame: 2 years
Overall survival (OS)
Time frame: 2 years
Safety and adverse events (CTCAE v5.0)
Time frame: 2 Years
Patient reported outcomes (EORTC QLQ-C30)
The C30 is a 30-item instrument that evaluates HRQOL comprised of five functional scales (physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and role) as well as nine symptom scales (fatigue, pain, nausea/vomiting, dyspnea, insomnia, anorexia, constipation, diarrhea, and financial), and a global QoL scale. Responses are scored on a linear scale from 0 to 100. Higher scores on functioning/global health indicate a better, healthier state. Higher scores on symptom scales indicate a higher symptom burden or worse condition.
Time frame: 2 Years
Patient reported outcomes (QLQ-HCC18)
QLQ-HCC18 is a questionnaire where patients report symptoms or problems on a scale of 1 (not much) to 4 (very much). Higher scores on symptom scales indicate a higher symptom burden or worse condition.
Time frame: 2 Years
Cost-effectiveness analysis
Incremental cost per outcome
Time frame: 2 Years
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