A Phase 2 interventional study of Trabectedin and Gemcitabine in Leiomyosarcoma of Ovary and Soft Tissue Sarcoma, sponsored by Italian Sarcoma Group. Recruiting at 17 sites in Italy. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-25.
Sponsored by Italian Sarcoma Group · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment
Study is aimed at evaluating the activity of Trabectedin (arm A) in advanced leiomyosarcomas, having Gemcitabine (arm B) as the comparator.
In addition to the randomized cohort, the study has also an observational prospective cohort which include patients who will refuse the randomization or for whom the investigator will not judge the randomization as an appropriate option.
In order to allow the participation of sites only to the prospective-observational (non randomized) cohort, it was introduced the possibility to participate to the study and receive the ethical approval only to the Observational Prospective Cohort In parallel an optional translational study will be performed, in both cohorts, to identify factors predictive of the activity of Trabectedin or Gemcitabine in this specific histotype.
The management of patients with leiomyosarcomas determines many difficulties. Despite patients with metastatic disease at diagnosis or who recur after initial treatment have a dismal prognosis and, except for a subset of selected patients with completely resectable disease, the median survival is less than two years.
At the advanced-disease stage, the main aim of treatment is to improve patient's quality of life, possibly survival, with the best compromise between toxicity and symptoms. Trabectedin (T) is a marine-derived cytotoxic approved by European MEdicine Agency (EMEA) and FDA.
It is indicated for the treatment of patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma, after failure of anthracyclines-based chemotherapy or who are unsuitable to receive these agents.
Among Soft Tissue Sarcoma (STS), activity has been mainly detected in synovial sarcoma, liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma. Although the response rate did not exceed 10%, T was demonstrated to provide disease control, with progression arrest rates exceeding 50% and progression-free survival rates exceeding 20% at 6 months. So far no phase II or III studies have been addressed to test the activity of T in leiomyosarcoma specifically (without differentiation between site of primary localization) in comparison with Gemcitabine.
This study is aimed at evaluating the activity of Trabectedin (arm A) in advanced leiomyosarcomas, having Gemcitabine (arm B) as the comparator. In parallel an optional translational study will be performed to identify factors predictive of the activity of Trabectedin or Gemcitabine in this specific histotype.
In addition to the randomized cohort, the study has also an observational prospective cohort which include patients who will refuse the randomization or for whom the investigator will not judge the randomization as an appropriate option.
In order to allow the participation of sites only to the prospective-observational (non randomized) cohort, it was introduced the possibility to participate to the study and receive the ethical approval only to the Observational Prospective Cohort In parallel an optional translational study will be performed, in both cohorts, to identify factors predictive of the activity of Trabectedin or Gemcitabine in this specific histotype.
1,607 studies on the registry are indexed under Sarcoma; 366 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 100 is above the median of 40 across 1,255 interventional studies indexed under Sarcoma.
Browse Sarcoma studies →Italian Sarcoma Group is the lead sponsor of 31 studies on the registry; 11 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
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.
Exclusion Criteria:
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.
The diagnosis was confirmed by looking at a sample under a microscope: tissue from a biopsy or surgery (histology), or cells from a fluid or needle sample (cytology).
Your pathology report is the document that shows this.
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
The standard rules for measuring tumours on CT or MRI scans, to tell whether a cancer is shrinking, stable or growing during treatment.
“Measurable disease per RECIST 1.1” usually means at least one tumour 10 mm or more at its longest on a CT scan, or a lymph node 15 mm or more across its short axis.
A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.
Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
The US National Cancer Institute’s scale of how severe an adverse event is — any unwanted medical event during a study, such as a symptom, an illness or an abnormal test result, whether or not a treatment caused it. Whether it did is judged separately.
“Side effects of earlier treatment resolved to grade 1 or less” means they have settled to mild or gone.
The share of blood the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) pushes out with each beat, measured by an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) or a MUGA scan. About 50–70% is normal.
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
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.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
CYP3A is a group of enzymes, mainly CYP3A4, in the liver and gut that break down many medicines. Some medicines, supplements and foods (grapefruit, St John’s wort) slow them down or speed them up, which changes how much of a study drug stays in the body.
Studies list them so they can be avoided or switched; bring a list of everything you take, including supplements.
Histologically or cytologically confirmed
The diagnosis was confirmed by looking at a sample under a microscope: tissue from a biopsy or surgery (histology), or cells from a fluid or needle sample (cytology).
Your pathology report is the document that shows this.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Metastases
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
RECIST
The standard rules for measuring tumours on CT or MRI scans, to tell whether a cancer is shrinking, stable or growing during treatment.
“Measurable disease per RECIST 1.1” usually means at least one tumour 10 mm or more at its longest on a CT scan, or a lymph node 15 mm or more across its short axis.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
ECOG performance status
A scale of how much an illness limits everyday activity. For people being assessed to join a study, scores run from 0 (fully active) to 4; lower is more active.
Studies most often ask for 0–1 or 0–2. Your doctor gives the score; the WHO scale uses the same steps. The full scale also has 5, which records death.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Clinically significant
Judged by the study doctor to matter for your health or for the study. It is a doctor’s decision, so ask the study team if you are unsure whether something counts.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
CTCAE grade
The US National Cancer Institute’s scale of how severe an adverse event is — any unwanted medical event during a study, such as a symptom, an illness or an abnormal test result, whether or not a treatment caused it. Whether it did is judged separately.
“Side effects of earlier treatment resolved to grade 1 or less” means they have settled to mild or gone.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
LVEF (left ventricular ejection fraction)
The share of blood the heart’s main pumping chamber (the left ventricle) pushes out with each beat, measured by an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) or a MUGA scan. About 50–70% is normal.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Childbearing potential
Able to become pregnant: from the first period until menopause, unless permanently unable to through surgery (removal of the womb, or of both ovaries or both fallopian tubes).
Criteria for people of childbearing potential usually ask for a negative pregnancy test and for contraception during the study and for a time after it.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Excipients
The other ingredients in a medicine besides the active drug, such as fillers, colours or preservatives.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Immunosuppression
A weakened immune system. It can come from an illness, such as HIV or some blood cancers, or from medicines that turn the immune system down, for example after an organ transplant or for an autoimmune disease; steroids at higher doses count.
Read whether the line is about a condition or about medicines, and which medicines and doses it means.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
CYP3A (CYP3A4) inhibitors and inducers
CYP3A is a group of enzymes, mainly CYP3A4, in the liver and gut that break down many medicines. Some medicines, supplements and foods (grapefruit, St John’s wort) slow them down or speed them up, which changes how much of a study drug stays in the body.
Studies list them so they can be avoided or switched; bring a list of everything you take, including supplements.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Trabectedin at the dose of 1.5 mg/m2-1.3 mg/m2 with a top-dose of 2.6 total mg per cycle (according the clinical practice in pretreated patients and in all our ISG studies) will be administered via a central venous catheter as a 24-hour infusion on day 1 of 21-days treatment cycles
Drug: Trabectedin
Gemcitabine 800-1000 mg/m2 will be administered via a central venous catheter on days 1,8 every 21 days
Drug: Gemcitabine
Treatmen according clinical practice (not defined in advance). The patient who will refuse randomization between Arm A and B can choose to participate to the observational cohort to the study, where they will be treated according clinical practice
Drug: No Intervention: Observational Cohort
Trabectedin in monotherapy
Also known as: Trabectedin arm
Gemcitabine, control arm
Also known as: Gemcitabine arm
Treatment according clinical practice
Compare the Growth Modulation Index (GMI) in patients treated with Trabectedin or Gemcitabine in second line
Ratio of Time To Progression with the nth line (TTPn) of therapy to the TTPn-1 with the n-1th line.
Time frame: Week 6, week 12, week 18, week 27, week 36 and week 45
Overall Response Rate
Overall response rate according Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1
Time frame: Week 6, week 12, week 18, week 27, week 36 and week 45
Overall Survival (OS)
Survival from the first dose treatment to death for any cause
Time frame: 3 years and 5 years
Progression free Survival (PFS)
Survival without disease progression
Time frame: 6 months
Duration of response
Duration of tumor control according Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1
Time frame: Week 6, week 12, week 18, week 27, week 36 and week 45
Adverse events related to the treatment
Safety in term of adverse event is evaluate from the first treatment dose throughout the study according to CTCAE 5.0
Time frame: Week 3, week 6, week 9, week 12, week 18, week 27, week 36, week 45
Compare the Growth Modulation Index (GMI) in patients treated with Trabectedin or Gemcitabine after second line
Ratio of Time To Progression with the Mth line (TTPn) of therapy to the TTPn-1 with the n-1th line.
Time frame: Week 6, week 12, week 18, week 27, week 36 and week 45
Exploratory objectives
Identify gene mutations that may be associated to response/resistance to the treatment and to clinical outcomes parameters.
Time frame: week 6, and at up to week 53
Plan to share: No — Not applicable no plan to share IPD
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
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Studies of the drug tested here: Trabectedin
Italian Sarcoma Group