Stereotactic MRI-guided adaptive radiotherapy shows promise for the treatment of pancreatic cancer

Stereotactic MRI-guided adaptive radiotherapy shows promise for the treatment of pancreatic cancer

Results from a recent prospective study demonstrate promising safety and patient outcome data for the treatment of locally advanced and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer with ablative stereotactic MRI-guided adaptive on-table radiotherapy, also known as SMART. Approximately 25% of study participants were patients treated at the Henry Ford Pancreatic Cancer Center (HFPCC).

This study, entitled “Stereotactic MRI-guided On-Table Adaptive Radiation Therapy (SMART) for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer,” was the first prospective international multi-institutional Phase II study to administer ablative doses of radiation to patients with pancreatic cancer.

As a pioneering institution in the field of MRI-guided adaptive radiation therapy, Henry Ford Health is pleased to have led this novel study, which was the world's largest international study of ablative radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer. Henry Ford became the first in the world to treat a patient with the MRIdian MRI-guided radiation therapy system in 2017. Since then, we have treated many cancer patients with MRI-guided radiation therapy.”

Ben Movsas, MD, medical director of Henry Ford Health Cancer and chair of radiation oncology

The study's primary endpoint results were presented at the 64th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) by Parag Parikh, MD, the study's principal investigator and director of GI radiation oncology and MR-guided radiation therapy at Henry Ford Cancer.

“In this study, 136 patients were treated with ablative MRIdian SMART at 13 international centers,” said Dr. Parikh. "The study's primary endpoint measured grade 3 or higher gastrointestinal toxicity, such as nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain, in the first 90 days after treatment. The study's primary safety objective was met, with a definitive incidence of grade 3 or higher acute gastrointestinal toxicity associated with SMART treatment."

The study's secondary measures include overall survival, local control, distant progression-free survival and changes in patient-reported quality of life, explained Dr. Parikh. While study patients are still early in the follow-up phase, preliminary clinical outcome data of one-year local control (i.e., stopping cancer growth) and progressive progression-free survival (i.e., the amount of time during and after treatment that a patient lives with the disease but does not get worse) were 82.9% and 50.6%, respectively. Overall survival at one year from diagnosis was 93.9%.

“Our HFPCC is committed to scientific breakthroughs that have the potential to change the paradigm of pancreatic cancer, which currently has one of the highest mortality rates compared to other cancers,” said David Kwon, MD, HFPCC Clinical Director. "As tireless advocates for our patients, we offer the most advanced evidence-based therapeutic options available today. We firmly believe that outcomes for pancreatic cancer patients will improve through global collaboration and important research initiatives such as this study."

Henry Ford Health Cancer is one of the largest cancer programs in Michigan, providing care in five hospitals, 11 outpatient facilities and hundreds of physician offices throughout southeast and southern Michigan. Cancer experts at Henry Ford communicate seamlessly across the company's multiple cancer care locations.

In total, almost 27,000 patients were treated with MRIdian. There are currently 54 MRIdian systems installed at sites around the world, where they are used to treat a variety of solid tumors and are the focus of numerous ongoing research efforts.

Source:

Henry Ford's health

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