SuspendedNCT05351294Updated Jan 7, 2026

Assessment of Early Radiation Oncology Involvement Alongside Standard Oncologic Care in the Managemet

A Phase 3 interventional study of Questionnaires and Early Radiation Oncology Involvement Alongside Standard Oncologic Care in Radiation Therapy and Metastatic Cancer, sponsored by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Suspended at 6 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-01-07.

Sponsored by Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey · Phase 3, Interventional, and Treatment

Why this study was suspended

Interim analysis

Phase: Phase 3
Study type: Interventional
Enrollment: 156
Allocation: Randomized
Ages: 18 Years and older
Sex: All

Study summary

To determine if the experimental approach of early radiation oncology involvement alongside standard oncologic care will result in higher HRQL at 6 months compared to the control arm receiving standard oncologic care alone, based on the global subscale score of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 questionnaire.

Read the detailed description

Primary Objective To determine if the experimental approach of early radiation oncology involvement alongside standard oncologic care will result in higher HRQL at 6 months compared to the control arm receiving standard oncologic care alone, based on the global subscale score of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Secondary Objectives

To determine if early radiation oncology involvement improves other more detailed metrics of HRQL. This will be assessed using each of the 5 domains of the EORTC QLQ-C30 (physical, role, cognitive, emotional, social), each of the 5 dimensions of the EuroQol (EQ) 5D-5L (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, and anxiety/depression), and the health index score and EQ visual analogue scale. If there are significant differences in the primary endpoint, then a cost-utility analysis will be conducted using a Markov model and the EQ-5D-5L index scores.
To determine if early radiation oncology involvement will reduce the incidence of severe exacerbations/crises in cancer-induced symptoms (excluding systemic therapy-induced side effects), according to the number of emergency department visits and hospitalizations (total number of occurrences, and days admitted). These findings will be reported in the context of the number of palliative radiation therapy (PRT) courses and other invasive procedures that patients undergo, toxicities from those treatments, duration of time to initiation of tumor-directed treatment for exacerbation in symptoms, number of different lines of systemic therapy administered, and overall survival of each patient.
To determine if early radiation oncology involvement improves other metrics of quality palliative care across the disease trajectory, as assessed by rates of early Palliative and Supportive Care (PSC) referral alongside standard oncologic care, documented advance care planning (based on the percentage of patients in both arms who complete a living will, and designate a power of attorney and resuscitation preferences in the medical record), hospice referral prior to death, and aggressiveness of care within 14 days of death (defined as meetings any of the following three criteria: chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery within 14 days before death, no hospice care, or admission to hospice 3 days or fewer before death).
To assess patient/caregiver perceptions of prognosis, goals of treatment, and quality of communication with oncologists through the use of the Prognosis and Treatment Perceptions Questionnaire (PTPQ) in each arm
To assess satisfaction with information-giving, availability of care, psychological care, and physical care in patients with advanced cancer using the FAMCAREP16 questionnaire in each arm
To assess caregiver burden using the Montgomery-Borgatta Caregiver Burden Scale.

Conditions studied

Radiation Therapy
Metastatic Cancer

Browse trials for

Neoplasm Metastasis 3,517

Keywords

Quality of Life
Palliative Care and Supportive Care

In context

Neoplasm Metastasis

3,517 studies on the registry are indexed under Neoplasm Metastasis; 885 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 156 is above the median of 54 across 2,767 interventional studies indexed under Neoplasm Metastasis.

Browse Neoplasm Metastasis studies →

Lead sponsor

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey is the lead sponsor of 496 studies on the registry; 130 are open to participants now.

Of its 38 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 30 (79%) have results posted.

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

Who can participate

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

Inclusion criteria

The inclusion criteria for this study are as follows:

Age ≥ 18 years
Zubrod performance status 0-2
Pathology-proven cancer, with primary site outside of the central nervous system
Clinical (based on physical exam or imaging) or pathological diagnosis of metastatic disease, for which curative intent treatment is not feasible and treatment goals are palliative. Both patients with newly diagnosed metastatic disease, and those who have a metastatic relapse after prior curative-intent treatment for their malignancy, are eligible.
Estimated life expectancy 6-24 months. Guidelines for estimating life expectancy will be based on best available evidence, based primarily on tumor type, systemic therapy used and its expected outcome, line of systemic therapy, and in some cases patients' initial response to systemic therapy, along with the enrolling medical oncologist's judgement.
Either planned, or actively receiving, systemic therapy (chemotherapy, targeted/biologic therapy, immunotherapy, or hormonal therapy)
Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document
If a patient is actively participating in another clinical trial utilizing an investigation agent, they are still eligible for participation in this study unless radiation therapy is explicitly not allowed in that trial.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

The exclusion criteria for this study are as follows:

Patients with metastatic solid tumors but life expectancy longer than 24 months will be excluded. This list includes (but is not limited to):
1. Castrate-sensitive prostate cancer (castrate-resistant prostate cancer are eligible)
2. Breast cancer responsive to hormonal therapy
3. Endometrial cancer responsive to hormonal therapy
4. Patients receiving first line systemic therapy, for whom median progression-free survival is greater than 6 months, and response to therapy has not been assessed yet.
Patients considered metastatic only due to pleural or peritoneal metastases without metastases to any other organ are excluded since palliative radiation therapy is less commonly used in these cases.
Patients with cancer considered incurable that is locally advanced but nonmetastatic.
Patients with leukemia or primary central nervous system cancers will be excluded since these patients less commonly are treated with palliative radiation therapy. Patients with lymphoma and multiple myeloma are eligible if they meet the other eligibility criteria.
Any patient for whom standard-of-care radiation oncology referral would be immediately indicated for palliative radiation therapy. The purpose of this is to ensure that patients in the control arm will not have a detriment in their care by not seeing a radiation oncologist at enrollment,
In order to avoid bias from prior standard-of-care radiation oncology involvement, patients will also be excluded if they are undergoing active follow-up with a radiation oncologist after prior palliative radiation therapy.
History of whole brain radiation therapy for brain metastases (patients who underwent one prior treatment with radiosurgery for brain metastases are eligible)
Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, adrenal insufficiency, chronic liver disease, symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.
Pregnant or breastfeeding women; Subjects who are pregnant are excluded from this study because radiation therapy has the potential for teratogenic or abortifacient effects.
Cognitively impaired adults lacking decision-making capacity or unable to consent. -

Study design

Phase: Phase 3
Primary purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel assignment
Masking: Single (Investigator)
Enrollment: 156 participants (estimated)

Study arms

Experimental
Arm 1
All enrolled patients will receive standard oncologic care at the discretion of the treating physicians, but will also complete the EORTC QLQ-C30, EQ-5D-5L, PTPQ, FAMCARE-P16 at baseline before randomization. Follow-up assessment using EORTC QLQ-C30, PTPQ, FAMCARE-P16 will occur every 3 months, and using EQ-5D-5L will occur every 1 month, for a total of 12 months. These will be administered during standard-of-care clinic or infusion center visits.
Other: Questionnaires
Experimental
Arm 2
Patients enrolled in Arm 2 will also be seen be a radiation oncologist during the course of the study. The RO will review the patient's most recently completed EQ 5D-5L questionnaires and perform a complete History and Physical evaluation to determine if there is any immediate role for PRT. Based on the patient's type of cancer and areas of spread, the RO will also discuss types of symptoms that could develop in the future, and give instructions and educational materials to the patient so he/she can better identify those symptoms early on.
Combination Product: Early Radiation Oncology Involvement Alongside Standard Oncologic Care

Interventions

OtherQuestionnaires
All patients in Arm 2 will be seen and treated by one of three ROs with an interest in participating in this study, who will be trained by the PI to perform these visits reproducibly and with rigor. These will all be "regular" ROs, who like most ROs administer a mix of curative and PRT in their clinical practice; like most cancer centers, there are no ROs who formally subspecialize in PRT at our institution. Notably, patients in Arm 1 (control arm) will always have standard-of-care RO referral available for consideration of PRT if needed for symptom relief. However, patients in Arm 1 will be seen by other ROs without any specific training for this study. Any courses of PRT administered in either arm are at the discretion of the treating RO in terms of the timing, dose, fractionation, and treatment technique.
Combination productEarly Radiation Oncology Involvement Alongside Standard Oncologic Care
Early Radiation Oncology Involvement Alongside Standard Oncologic Care

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

Measure of Health-related quality of life (HRQL) at six months
To see if early radiation oncology involvement alongside standard oncologic care will result in higher Health-related quality of life (HRQL) at six months compared to the control arm receiving standard oncologic care alone, based on the global subscale score of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer(EORTC) QLQ-C30 questionnaire.
Time frame: At Six Months

Secondary outcomes

Levels of HRQL
To measure health-related quality of life (HRQL), by seeing if early radiation oncology involvement improves other more detailed metrics of HRQL.
Time frame: 12 Months
Health Index Score
To measure the degree of severity or damage incurred by an organ or tissue.
Time frame: 12 months

Other outcomes

Vertical Visual Analogue Scale (EQ visual analogue scale)
Participants will measure the assessment of their health
Time frame: 12 months
EORTC Core Quality of Life questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30)
To measure cancer participants physical, psychological and social functions. The questionnaire is composed of multi-item scales and single items.
Time frame: 12 months

Study locations

6 sites

RWJBarnabas Health Jersey City Medical Center
Jersey City, New Jersey 07302, United States
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey
New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903, United States
RWJBarnabas Health - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
New Brunswick, New Jersey 08903, United States
Malcolm David Mattes, MD
Newark, New Jersey 07103, United States
RWJBarnabas Health - Newark Beth Israel Medical Center
Newark, New Jersey 07112, United States
RWJBarnabas Health - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Somerset, New Jersey 08873, United States

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026

No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 7, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Registry details

Key details

Study ID: NCT05351294
Lead sponsor: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Responsible party: Malcolm David Mattes, MD (Associate Professor, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey) — Principal investigator
First posted: Apr 28, 2022
Start date: Jul 13, 2023
Primary completion: Dec 30, 2026 (estimated)
Completion: Dec 30, 2027 (estimated)
Last update: Jan 7, 2026

Study contacts

Malcolm Mattes, MD

principal investigator · Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

Oversight

Data monitoring committee: Yes
FDA-regulated drug: Yes
FDA-regulated device: No

View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is suspended, as verified in Jan 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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