Pinpoint radiation may spare the brain in lung cancer that spreads
NCT ID NCT03391362
First seen Jul 14, 2026 · Last updated Jul 15, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether using highly focused radiation on each individual brain tumor, instead of radiating the whole brain, can control cancer spread while protecting memory and thinking. It enrolls people with small cell lung cancer who have 1 to 10 brain metastases. Researchers will track survival, quality of life, and brain function over time.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- stereotactic radiation (focused, pinpoint radiation that targets each individual tumor but not the surrounding brain)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could become a standard treatment option that controls brain metastases while avoiding the memory and thinking problems often caused by whole-brain radiation.
- What could go wrong
- This is a single-arm, phase II trial with no comparison group, so results may not prove superiority over whole-brain radiation. Some patients may still experience neurologic decline or new metastases.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
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Locations
-
Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States
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