Neoplasms

Nervous System Diseases

All Conditions

Symptoms and General Pathology

Rare Diseases

Meningioma

Atrophy

Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue

Neoplasms by Histologic Type

Neoplasms, Vascular Tissue

Meningeal Neoplasms

Central Nervous System Neoplasms

Nervous System Neoplasms

Conformal focal-brain irradiation using modern radiotherapeutic techniques (i.e., conventionally fractionated VMAT, hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy, and proton beam therapy, etc)

The techniques of conformal focal-brain irradiation in the era of modern radiotherapy (i.e., conventionally fractionated VMAT, hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy, and proton beam therapy, etc)

Radiation

Chi-Cheng Chuang, M.D.

Shinn-Yn Lin, M.D.

【Background】For cranial-irradiation-naive patients with intracranial meningiomas at risk of local recurrence, the administration of conformal cranial radiotherapy can enhance tumor control in the current era of modern radiotherapeutic techniques. Life expectancy in patients with intracranial meningiomas, particularly non-malignant meningiomas (WHO grade I and II) is essentially similar to people of general population. However, RT-related neurocognitive function (NCF) sequelae are potentially and seriously a concern which should not be ignored. In terms of the natural course of cranial irradiation-induced NCF decline, it might vary considerably according to the specific domains which are selected to be measured. Early neurocognitive decline principally involves impairments of episodic memory, which is significantly associated with functions of the hippocampus. Additionally, the extent of changes in hippocampal volume after local irradiation may be associated with the hippocampal dosimetry. This study thus aims to investigate the potential cause-effect relationship between the hippocampal dosimetry and radiological outcomes represented by the volumetric changes regarding the contralateral hippocampus; furthermore, the correlation between radiological outcomes and neurocognitive endpoints will be examined and clarified.

【Methods】Patients with cranial-RT-naive intracranial meningiomas may be eligible and therefore enrolled in this prospective study addressing both radiological outcomes and neurocognitive endpoints. All eligible and recruited patients should receive baseline volumetric brain MRI examination and baseline neurobehavioral assessment. Subsequently, conformal cranial irradiation in the era of modern radiotherapeutic techniques (including hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy, proton beam therapy volumetric modulated arc therapy) will be utilized in order to reduce the dose irradiating the contralateral hippocampus and other relevant organs at risk. The prescribed dose schemes for treating patients with intracranial meningioma depend on the decision of the radiation oncologist in charge and follow the treatment guidelines at our cancer center. Accordingly, a battery of neurocognitive measures, which includes 9 standardized neuropsychological tests categorized into 5 NCF domains (e.g., executive functions, verbal \& non-verbal memory, working memory, psychomotor speed, and amygdala-related emotion recognition), is used to evaluate neurocognitive performances longitudinally for our registered patients. There will be two co-primary outcome measures in the current study. The main primary outcome will be the correlation between the mean hippocampal dose and the extent of change in hippocampal volume at 6 months after the course of cranial RT. The other primary endpoint will be 6-month cognitive-deterioration-free survival.

【Expected Results】This prospective observational cohort study aims to explore and investigate the cause-effect relationship between the hippocampal dosimetry (i.e., mean dose irradiating the hippocampus, particularly the one contralateral to the lateralization of intracranial meningioma) and the extent of hippocampal atrophy signifying one of the measures regarding radiological outcomes. Simultaneously, predefined standardized neurocognitive outcome measures such as hippocampus-related memory functions and amygdala-related emotion recognition will be obtained prospectively and longitudinally in order to examine whether any meaningfully significant correlation exists between the above radiological outcome measures and neurocognitive endpoints. The mutual associations among hippocampal dosimetry, radiological outcomes including the MRI-delineated hippocampal volume, and neurocognitive endpoints including hippocampus-related verbal/non-verbal memory functions will be examined thoroughly.

Cognition-preserving Brain Irradiation for Treating Patients With Intracranial Meningioma in the Era of Modern Radiotherapeutic Techniques Including Proton Beam Therapy - a Prospective Study Focusing on Radiological Outcomes and Neurocognitive Endpoints

Longitudinal changes in the volumes (cc) of the left hippocampus, right hippocampus, left amygdala, right amygdala, left thalamus, right thalamus, and so on based on volumetric MR imaging examinations

Change in verbal memory function related to left hippocampus from baseline to 4 months after cognition-preserving cranial RT

Change in non-verbal memory learning associated with right hippocampus from baseline to 4 months after cognition-preserving brain RT

Change in executive function related to hippocampus from baseline to 4 months after cognition-preserving cranial RT.

Concerning the domain of executive functions generally dominated by the frontal lobes, the Modified Card Sorting Test is employed to assess both conceptual formation and mental shifting which have been documented to be the major components of executive functions.

Change in emotion memory tasks associated with the amygdala from baseline to 4 months after cognition-reserving cranial irradiation.

For evaluate and quantify the cognitive function of amygdala, the NCF test tailored to the emotional recognition task will be used and patients' performances will be assessed using the commercialized and computerized test included in Cambridge Cognition® package.

Change in working memory related to hippocampus from baseline to 4 months after cognition-preserving cranial RT.

Working memory includes executive functions and psychomotor speed.

* The neurocognitive outcome of verbal working memory was determined by the Digit Span Subtest (DS) and Spatial Span (SSP) of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale- 3rd edition (WAIS-III®).
* In order to indicate patients' performance on the psychomotor speed, we make use of Psychomotor Speed Index (PSI), which is derived from the composite score of Digit Symbol Coding Subtest (DSS) and Symbol Searching Subtest (SS) of the WAIS-III®.

Longitudinal changes in the imaging biomarkers from DTI imaging

Longitudinal changes in the fractional anisotropy (FA, unitless index between 0 and 1) from DTI imaging

Trajectories in the imaging biomarker, mean diffusivity (MD, mm squared/second) based on DTI imaging

Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

Neoplasm Metastasis

Brain Neoplasms

Neoplastic Processes

Brain Diseases

Central Nervous System Diseases

All studied patients should undergo a computed tomography (CT) simulation scan encompassing the entire head region with 1.25-mm slice thickness using a thermoplastic mask for immobilization. To achieve conformal hippocampal sparing during the delivery of whole brain radiation (WBRT), the technique of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) via Linac-based RapidArc®.In terms of dose prescription, a dose of 30 Gy in 12 fractions was prescribed to whole-brain planning target volume (PTV) if the role of RT was considered either adjuvant following craniotomy with tumor removal or therapeutic for treating oligometastatic brain disease.

hippocampal-sparing WBRT

Whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) has long been a practical and effective therapeutic modality for various settings of management in radiation oncology. For example, the indications for WBRT should include brain metastasis or metastases, the setting of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) used mainly for patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer, and even some patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. The rationales for WBRT are essentially based on that it can target both microscopic and gross intracranial disease.

In addition to providing rapid alleviation of neurologic symptoms and enhanced intracranial disease control, WBRT might also prolong the time to develop neurocognitive function (NCF) decline. However, paradoxically NCF decline can also occur due to a sequel of WBRT. In terms of the time course of WBRT-induced NCF decline, it might vary considerably according to the specific domains which are selected to be measured. Early neurocognitive decline occurs within the first 1 - 4 months after WBRT for brain metastases. The domains of early neurocognitive decline principally involve verbal and short-term memory recall.

Since several decades ago, it has been understood that hippocampus plays an essential role in memory function. Not little evidence supports that radiation-induced damage to hippocampus should be strongly associated with NCF impairment. Furthermore, several studies have shown that isodose distribution in hippocampus is closely related to neurocognitive function in patients with benign or low-grade brain tumors. As a consequence, it is hypothesized that conformal hippocampal sparing during the course of WBRT (HS-WBRT) might provide significant preservation in terms of cognitive function.

This prospective cohort study aims to explore and evaluate the impact of the delivery of HS-WBRT on the pattern of NCF change and the extent of NCF decline in patients receiving prophylactic or therapeutic WBRT. As compared with previous related and relevant studies, it will also be investigated whether neurocognitive functional preservation can be achieved via the integration of hippocampal sparing with the course of WBRT.

A Prospective Study of the Impact of Hippocampal Avoidance During Whole Brain Radiotherapy on Neurocognitive Function Decline

Neurocognitive assessment: including memory, executive functions, and psychomotor speed. This neurocognitive outcome was delayed recall, as determined by the change/decline in either verbal memory \[Wechsler Memory Scale - 3rd edition (WMS III) - Word List score\] or non-verbal memory (WMS III- Visual Reproduction score) from the baseline assessment to 4 months after the start of the course of WBRT with hippocampus sparing (HS-WBRT). Additionally, the follow-up of neurocognitive assessment will also be administered at 12 months and up to 18 months after the start of HS-WBRT.

Disease Progression

Anti-Dyskinesia Agents

All Drugs and Chemicals

Neuroprotective Agents

Cardiotonic Agents

Memantine

Antiparkinson Agents

Dopamine

Dopamine Agents

Neurotransmitter Agents

Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists

RT techniques and the dose schemes in the cohort of Hypofractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy (HF-SRT)

The course of hippocampus-sparing whole-brain radiotherapy (HS-WBRT) combined with the synergic use of the neuroprotective agent, memantine

The administered dose-fractionation schemes range between 30 and 35 Gy delivered within two weeks with a dose per fractionation ranging from 6 to 7 Gy.

Hypofractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy (HF-SRT)

* The prescribed dose is 30 Gy delivered in 12 fractions for therapeutic or adjuvant WBRT.
* The prescription of memantine for finally twice-daily dosing will be prescribed as follows:

  * During the first 3 weeks concurrent with the delivery of hippocampus-sparing WBRT, 5-mg morning dose will be initially prescribed \[Week 1 -3\]
  * 5-mg twice a day in the following week \[Week 4\]
  * A morning dose of 10 mg and an evening dose of 5 mg in the following week \[Week 5\]
  * 10-mg twice a day for the subsequent weeks up to Week 24 \[Week 6 - 24\]

Hippocampus-Sparing Whole-Brain Radiotherapy (HS-WBRT) plus memantine

Din-Li Tsan, M.D.

\[Background\] For newly-diagnosed patients with brain metastases (BMs), conventional whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) might still remain a common palliative management. However, WBRT-related late consequences, particularly a decline in neurocognitive functions (NCFs), are a major concern. Actually, WBRT-related neurocognitive dysfunction is usually characterized as deterioration involving learning and memory, in which the extremely radiosensitive hippocampus indeed plays a critical role.

To postpone the occurrence and mitigate neurocognitive impairments associated with conventional WBRT, there have been some strategies in the clinical practice of radiation oncology. Among them, the technology/technique of highly precise/accurate stereotactic radiosurgery or stereotactic radiotherapy (i.e., hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy, HS-SRT) might have been widely administered in irradiating exclusively the focal brain metastatic lesions, particularly in cancer patients with a limited number of brain metastases. By contrast, the planning strategy of hippocampus avoidance during the course of whole-brain irradiation has also been well-established in preserving NCFs.

\[Methods\] Newly-diagnosed cancer patients harboring 1 - 4 brain metastatic lesions are eligible if they still have fair/good performance status. Eligible and enrolled should receive baseline brain MRI examination and pre-WBRT neurocognitive assessment. Although non-randomized, this phase II trial comprises two prospective (radiotherapeutic) cohorts with individually different planning techniques and prescription schedules. Cohort I represents patients referred for arranging partial-brain irradiation; namely, a course of hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (HF-SRT) is delivered within 2 weeks with a cumulative dose of 3000 - 3500 cGy in 5 fractions. By contrast, Cohort II stands for patients referred for arranging the course of hippocampus-sparing WBRT (HS-WBRT), delivered within 3 weeks with a cumulative dose of 3000 cGy in 12 fractions, during which the planning technique of simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) is employed to focally escalate the dose irradiating the brain metastatic foci. Besides, adhering to several international clinical practice guidelines, the synergic use of the neuroprotective agent (memantine) will be routinely applied in the treatment Cohort II (HS-WBRT). In both treatment cohorts, a battery of neuropsychological measures, which includes 7 standardized neuropsychological tests (e.g., executive functions, verbal and non-verbal memory, working memory, and psychomotor speed), is used to evaluate neurocognitive functions.

The primary outcome measure is the median time of CNS progression-free survival (CNS-PFS). Secondary outcome measures encompass both neuro-oncological endpoints and neurocognitive endpoints, among which there is cognitive-deterioration-free survival (CD-free survival). CD-free survival is defined mainly as the time from enrollment to a NCF decline of exceeding than 1 SD away from the baseline involving at least one of the assessed NCF tests. Additionally, patients who expire before 6 months or are alive but fail to undergo all the neurocognitive testing administered would also be defined as suffering from cognitive deterioration.

\[Expected results\] This prospective observational study aims to examine thoroughly and analyze the comparatively between the two radiotherapeutic cohorts (HF-SRT versus HS-WBRT), addressing both CNS tumor control and neurocognitive functional outcomes. It is expected that the patterns of (CNS) failure and individual time to progression will be clearly demonstrated in this prospective observational study encompassing two distinct radiotherapeutic cohorts.

HF-SRT vs. HS-WBRT in Treating Patients With Brain Oligometastases

Hypofractionated Stereotactic Radiotherapy Versus Hippocampus-sparing Whole-brain Radiotherapy in Treating Cancer Patients With Brain Oligometastases: A Phase II Parallel Non-randomized and Prospective Observational Study

The median CNS progression-free survival (CNS-PFS), which is a time-dependent endpoint, defined as the time from study enrollment to CNS disease progression of death from any cause.

The time from enrollment to a cognitive decline of exceeding more than 1SD away from the baseline in at least one of the assessed NCF tests. Furthermore, regarding cognitive-deterioration-free survival, patients who expire before 6 months or are alive but do not undergo all the neurocognitive testing administered or even fail to receive MMSE evaluation would be assumed reasonably that they suffer cognitive deterioration at the time of death or at the time point, or they fail to receive their first neurocognitive assessment follow-up as long as there are no subsequent NCF assessments.

Three patterns of central nervous system (CNS) failure were classified particularly when the CNS progression in the corresponding patient manifests for the first time after the course of HF-SRT: intracranial local failure (LF), distant brain parenchymal failure (DPF), and development of leptomeningeal disease (LMD).

Intracranial PFS or CNS progression-free survival; CNS progression-free survival

Study title	NCT ID	Conditions	Interventions	Eligibility	Organization
Cognition-preserving Brain Irradiation for Treating Patients With Intracranial Meningioma in the Era of Modern Radiotherapeutic Techniques Including Proton Beam Therapy - a Prospective Study Focusing on Radiological Outcomes and Neurocognitive Endpoints	NCT05832099	Intracranial Me...	Radiation	18 Years - 85 Years	Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
A Prospective Study of the Impact of Hippocampal Avoidance During Whole Brain Radiotherapy on Neurocognitive Function Decline	NCT02504788	Brain Metastasi... Brain Metastase...	hippocampal-spa...	18 Years - 84 Years	Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
HF-SRT vs. HS-WBRT in Treating Patients With Brain Oligometastases	NCT05807165	Brain Oligometa...	Hypofractionate... Hippocampus-Spa...	20 Years - 85 Years	Chang Gung Memorial Hospital

Spots Global Cancer Trial Database for neurocognitive functions (ncfs)