New radiation technique aims to fight brain metastases while protecting memory

NCT ID NCT06518057

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: University of Washington Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase 2 trial is testing a type of radiation called craniospinal irradiation that avoids the hippocampus, a brain area key for memory. It is for people with breast or lung cancer that has spread to the fluid and lining around the brain and spinal cord. The goal is to see if this approach can control the cancer longer than standard radiation while causing fewer thinking and memory side effects.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: craniospinal irradiation with hippocampal avoidance (proton therapy or VMAT)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a way to control cancer spread in the brain and spine while reducing memory and thinking problems from radiation.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial with only 22 participants, so results may not apply widely. The treatment may still cause side effects or fail to improve survival.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

breast cancer breast carcinoma breast neoplasm lung cancer lung neoplasm Meningeal Carcinomatosis neoplastic meningitis non-small cell lung carcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ANATOMIC STAGE IV BREAST CANCER AJCC V8 METASTATIC BREAST CARCINOMA METASTATIC LUNG NON-SMALL CELL CARCINOMA METASTATIC MALIGNANT NEOPLASM IN THE LEPTOMENINGES STAGE IV LUNG CANCER AJCC V8

Contacts and locations

Locations

Fred Hutch/University of Washington Cancer Consortium
RECRUITING

Seattle, Washington, 98109, United States
Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center at NYU Langone
RECRUITING

New York, New York, 10016, United States
University of California San Francisco
NOT_YET_RECRUITING

San Francisco, California, 94143, United States

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