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CompletedNCT02104271Updated Aug 27, 2015

Comparison Between Two Different Parameters of Argon Plasma Coagulation in the Treatment of Chronic Radiation Proctitis: Historical Control Trial.

A Phase 2 interventional study of Argon Plasma Coagulation and Historical control in Radiation Injuries, Telangiectasis and Rectal Bleeding, sponsored by Barretos Cancer Hospital. Completed at 1 site in Brazil. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2015-08-27.

Sponsored by Barretos Cancer Hospital · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
41
Allocation
Non-randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

There is a wide variability of options for treatment of chronic radiation proctitis. However, studies are still limited, usually case reports from a single center and few are comparative studies between methods. Therefore, the choice of treatment is determined by availability and local expertise for each method. The variability of treatment options range from anti-inflammatory medical treatment, sucralfate, short chain fatty acids, antioxidants and hyperbaric oxygen to such endoscopic and surgical treatments. Surgery is usually the last therapeutic option due to the high morbidity and mortalityassociated. Various endoscopic treatment modalities have been reported. Formalin topic is effective in up to 48% of patients with chronic radiation proctitis.

The endoscopic treatment with argon plasma (APC) is low cost, easy to apply and transportation, safe and effective in the treatment of rectal bleeding in patients with chronic radiation proctitis. Currently, the APC is the preferred endoscopic modality.

Most studies on the use of APC in radiation proctitis showed benefit. The APC controls the mild to moderate rectal bleeding in 80% to 90% of cases and improves symptoms of urgency, diarrhea and tenesmus in 60% to 75% of cases.

Read the detailed description

APC is usually applied with a power of 40-60W and 1.2-2.5 L/min of gas flow by using a electrosugical generator coupled with an argon delivery unit. However, high gas flow have been associated to high rates of complication such as rectal stenosis and deep rectal ulcer.

In this context, the present study aims to compare the effectiveness and safety between two different paramenters of argon plasma coagulation (40-50W and 2.0 L/min of gas flow vs 40W and 1.2 L/min of gas flow) in the treatment of patients with symptomatic chronic radiation proctitis.

02

Conditions studied

  • Radiation Injuries
  • Telangiectasis
  • Rectal Bleeding

Keywords

  • chronic radiation proctitis
  • argon plasma coagulation
  • rectal bleeding
03

In context

Radiation Injuries

328 studies on the registry are indexed under Radiation Injuries; 96 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 41 is below the median of 72 across 216 interventional studies indexed under Radiation Injuries.

Browse Radiation Injuries studies →

Lead sponsor

Barretos Cancer Hospital is the lead sponsor of 49 studies on the registry; 5 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • > 18 years of age
  • endoscopic diagnosis of chronic radiation proctitis
  • previous pelvic radiotherapy
  • presence of colonic or rectal telangiectasias
  • patients must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written document.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • other causes of rectal bleeding besides chronic radiation proctitis diagnosed by complete colonoscopy , such as colorectal cancer , inflammatory bowel disease and polyps larger than 1 cm
  • use of oral anticoagulants
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

Informed consent

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You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
41 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Argon Plasma Coagulation

    Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC) treatment will be delivered using a "spray-painting" technique, with short applications at 40W power and argon gas flow of 1.2 L/min. The APC equipment consists of a high frequency electrosurgical generator combined with a source of argon gas (Argon + SS601MC 4 , WEM Electronic Equipment Ltda , Ribeirão Preto , Brazil ). A flexible catheter of 2.3 mm diameter ( WEM ) Teflon coated and with a hint of heat resistant ceramic is inserted through the working channel of the colonoscope and connected to the current generator and the gas source for APC implementation.

    Procedure: Argon Plasma Coagulation

  • Active comparator
    Historical control

    Argon Plasma Coagulation (APC) treatment was delivered using a "spray-painting" technique, with short applications at 40-50W power and argon gas flow of 2.0 - 2.5 L/min. The APC equipment consists of a high frequency electrosurgical generator combined with a source of argon gas (Argon + SS601MC 4 , WEM Electronic Equipment Ltda , Ribeirão Preto , Brazil ). A flexible catheter of 2.3 mm diameter ( WEM ) Teflon coated and with a hint of heat resistant ceramic is inserted through the working channel of the colonoscope and connected to the current generator and the gas source for APC implementation.

    Procedure: Historical control

Interventions

  • ProcedureArgon Plasma Coagulation

    APC was performed during sigmoidoscopy exam. Bowel preparation begins on the eve of the exam associated with waste liquid diet without oral intake of 10mg of bisacodyl (5mg/dragee) at 14 o'clock and 18pm and 130ml of phosfoenema (16g of sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate and 6g of sodium phosphate dibasic heptahydrate per 100ml) diluted in 100ml of orange juice or lemon to 19h. On the day of the exam is administered 130ml of phosfoenema rectally immediately before the exam. All patients were previously sedated with fentanyl (0.05mg/ml), midazolam (5mg/5ml) and propofol (10mg/ml) and have intravenous introduction of the flexible colonoscope to the transverse colon to the exchange of gases following the routine of the Department of Endoscopy, Cancer Hospital Barretos.

    Also known as: Argon gas

  • ProcedureHistorical control

    APC was performed during sigmoidoscopy exam. Bowel preparation begins on the eve of the exam associated with waste liquid diet without oral intake of 10mg of bisacodyl (5mg/dragee) at 14 o'clock and 18pm and 130ml of phosfoenema (16g of sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate and 6g of sodium phosphate dibasic heptahydrate per 100ml) diluted in 100ml of orange juice or lemon to 19h. On the day of the exam is administered 130ml of phosfoenema rectally immediately before the exam. All patients were previously sedated with fentanyl (0.05mg/ml), midazolam (5mg/5ml) and propofol (10mg/ml) and have intravenous introduction of the flexible colonoscope to the transverse colon to the exchange of gases following the routine of the Department of Endoscopy, Cancer Hospital Barretos.

    Also known as: Argon gas

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Rectal bleeding rates

    The proportion of patients with Complete Response at Week 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 defined as absence of bleeding.

    Time frame: Up to four weeks after the administration of the first dose of APC and every four weeks after that up to 24 weeks

  2. Occurrence of rectal ulcers

    Presence of detectable rectal ulcers (\>10mm size or deep ulcers) on endoscopy.

    Time frame: Up to four weeks after the administration of the first dose of APC and every four weeks after that up to 24 weeks.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Recurrence of rectal bleeding

    Abscence or recurrence of rectal bleeding.

    Time frame: 6 and 12 months after the administration of the last dose of APC

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Barretos Cancer Hospital
    Barretos, São Paulo 14784400, Brazil
08

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
Not marked actual or estimatedDates not marked actual or estimated

The record gives a start of Jan 2013, a primary completion of Dec 2014 and a completion of Aug 2015. It does not say whether these dates are actual or estimated.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Mar 13, 2014
First posted
Apr 4, 2014
Start
Jan 2013
Primary completionActual
Dec 2014
CompletionActual
Aug 2015
Last update
Aug 27, 2015
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 27, 2015, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02104271
Lead sponsor
Barretos Cancer Hospital
Responsible party
Denise Peixoto Guimarães (MD, PhD, Barretos Cancer Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Apr 4, 2014
Start date
Jan 2013
Primary completion
Dec 2014
Completion
Aug 2015
Last update
Aug 27, 2015

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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