ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT05838391Updated Feb 3, 2026

Adaptive Radiation in Anal Cancer

An interventional study of Artificial Intelligence Guided Daily Radiotherapy Treatment Planning and Delivery and Mitomycin-C in Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma, sponsored by Columbia University. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-02-03.

Sponsored by Columbia University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other

From the registry’s dates

  • Started May 2023; still recruiting 3 years 5 months later.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
20
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This is a 20 patient pilot study to examine the feasibility of dose-adapted radiation therapy for the treatment of locally advanced anal squamous cell cancer. The tumor and a patient's anatomy may change during radiation treatment and daily adaption of the radiation plan (i.e., a new daily plan based on the anatomy of the day) may help to maximize the dose to the tumor and minimize the radiation dose to the normal surrounding organs.

Read the detailed description

The standard treatment for Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)-positive locally advanced anal cancer (described as a tumor that is greater than 4 cm in size, or with positive lymph nodes) is 54 Gy of radiation treatment to the anal canal and primary tumor planning total volume (PTV), 50.4-54 Gy to positive nodal PTV and 45 Gy to elective lymph node PTV with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and mitomycin-C chemotherapy administered at the same time as radiation in 30 fraction (treatments) delivery. During the six week course of radiotherapy, there is often a notable decrease in volume of the tumor (both primary and regional nodes), as early as one week into treatment, detected on weekly on-board Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT), which is a scan done on the treatment machine while patients receive radiation to ensure that the tumor is being treated and normal tissue is not. However, CT simulation (a CT scan used to plan radiation treatment) and re-planning of the treatment to account for the tumor shrinkage are not routinely performed due to time, patient inconvenience and staffing resources. As such, daily adaptive radiation, which can generate a new CT-based plan using the anatomy of the day, may be a time efficient method to both plan and treat the patient.

02

Conditions studied

  • Anal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

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Keywords

  • Anal cancer
  • Adaptive radiation
  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiotherapy
03

In context

Anus Neoplasms

297 studies on the registry are indexed under Anus Neoplasms; 74 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 20 is below the median of 66 across 211 interventional studies indexed under Anus Neoplasms.

Browse Anus Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

Columbia University is the lead sponsor of 1,136 studies on the registry; 195 are open to participants now.

Of its 180 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 148 (82%) have results posted.

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

  • proven, invasive primary squamous, basaloid or cloacogenic carcinoma of the anal canal.
  • American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 8th edition stage T2 > 4 cm, T3-4 or N1.
  • Age ≥18 years.
  • (ECOG) performance status ≤2 ( ≥60%).
  • of greater than 12 months.
  • Patients must have normal organ and marrow function as defined below:
  • leukocytes greater than or equal to 3,000/microliter
  • greater than or equal to 1,500/microliter
  • greater than or equal to 100,000/microliter
  • total within normal institutional limits
  • (AST)(SGOT)/Alanine transaminase (ALT)(SGPT) ≤ 2.5 × institutional
  • creatinine within normal institutional limits OR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m2 for patients with creatinine levels above institutional normal.
  • Females of and males must agree to use adequate (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) prior to study entry, for the duration of study participation, and for 6 months after completion of study therapy. All pregnancies must be reported.
  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written document.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Prior or co-existing invasive (except non-melanomatous skin cancer) unless disease free ≥ 2 years.
  • Prior chemotherapy or radiation for anal cancer.
  • Patients who have undergone complete surgical resection.
  • Presence of recurrent/ disease.
  • Prior allergic reaction to 5-Fluorouracil or mitomycin C.
  • Artificial organ prosthetics, pacemakers or other implantable devices.
  • Prior radiotherapy to the pelvis that would result in overlap of radiation therapy fields.
  • Uncontrolled inter-current illness including but not limited to known history of with cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) count less than 200 or symptomatic cardiac disease.
  • Women who are pregnant or lactating.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(16)

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.

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.

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.

0
Fully active, no restrictions.
1
Limited in strenuous activity, but walking and able to do light work, such as housework or office work.
2
Walking and able to look after yourself, but unable to work; up and about more than half of waking hours.
3
Able to look after yourself only in part; in bed or a chair more than half of waking hours.
4
Unable to look after yourself at all; in bed or a chair all day.

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.

Karnofsky performance status (KPS)

A 0–100 scale of how well someone can carry out everyday activities. 100 is no complaints and no signs of illness; 70 is able to look after yourself but not to work or keep up normal activity; 50 is needing considerable help and frequent medical care.

Studies often ask for 60 or 70 and above. Your doctor gives the score.

Life expectancy

The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.

Absolute neutrophil count (ANC)

The number of neutrophils, white blood cells that help fight infection, in a given amount of blood. Too few raises the risk of infection.

It is a count, not a percentage of the white cells. Limits are written in units that mean the same: ≥ 1.5 × 10⁹/L is ≥ 1,500 per mm³ (µL). Each lab has its own reference range.

Platelets

Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.

Bilirubin

A yellow substance made when red blood cells are broken down, which the liver clears. A high level can mean a problem with the liver or the bile ducts.

Criteria often allow more for people with Gilbert’s syndrome, a harmless inherited condition that raises bilirubin.

ALT and AST (liver enzymes)

Two enzymes measured in a routine blood test of the liver. Higher levels can mean the liver is under strain or damaged. SGPT and SGOT are older names for ALT and AST.

Criteria usually give a limit as a multiple of the upper limit of normal (ULN), often higher when cancer has spread to the liver.

ULN (upper limit of normal)

The top of the normal range for a blood test, as set by the laboratory that runs it. Each lab prints its own range next to your result.

“≤ 2.5 × ULN” means the result can be up to two and a half times that top value.

Creatinine clearance (CrCl)

How quickly the kidneys clear creatinine, a waste product, from the blood. A study may estimate it from a blood test with age, weight and sex (often by the Cockcroft–Gault formula), or measure it using blood and urine collected over a set time. Given in mL/min; higher is better.

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.

Contraception

Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.

Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.

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.

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.

Metastases

Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.

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.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Other
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
20 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Chemotherapy and Adaptive Radiation Treatment Planning

    Subjects will receive concurrent chemotherapy and radiation as part of their treatment for anal cancer. Subjects will receive standard of care 54 Gy of radiation, 5 days a week for 6 weeks. In addition, subjects will receive standard of care chemotherapy, with mitomycin C (10mg/meters squared IV on Day 1) and 5-Fluorouracil (1000mg/meters squared via IV on days 1-4 and 29-32) or capecitabine (825 mg/meters squared in two divided doses by mouth on days of radiotherapy).

    Radiation: Artificial Intelligence Guided Daily Radiotherapy Treatment Planning and Delivery · Drug: Mitomycin-C · Drug: 5-Fluorouracil · Drug: Capecitabine

Interventions

  • RadiationArtificial Intelligence Guided Daily Radiotherapy Treatment Planning and Delivery

    Subjects will receive 54 Gy of radiation delivered 5 day a week for 6 weeks, 30 radiation treatments total. Intensity-Modulated photon radiation therapy will be delivered on a Varian Ethos linear accelerator. Daily image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) is required. All treatments will have artificial-intelligence (AI) daily adaptations of the radiation plan to optimize the radiation dose to the targeted area and minimize radiation dose to the normal surrounding organs such as the bowel.

    Also known as: Adaptive RT Planning and Delivery

  • As part of the subjects' treatment, 10 mg/meters squared of Mitomycin C will be administered intravenously (IV-into the vein) on Day 1 and Day 29.

  • As part of the subjects' treatment, 1g/meters squared/day for 4 days of 5-Fluorouracil will be administered by continuous infusion on Days 1-4 (for 96 hours) and Days 29-32 (for 96 hours). 5-Fluorouracil or capecitabine will be administered per the physician's discretion.

    Also known as: 5-FU

  • As part of the subjects' treatment, 825 mg/meters squared per day, divided into 2 daily doses, will be taken on days of radiotherapy. Capecitabine or 5-FU will be administered per the physician's discretion.

    Also known as: Xeloda

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Time to plan and deliver treatment fractions.

    This is defined by the time the first cone beam computed tomography to the end of treatment delivery for each treatment.

    Time frame: Up to 6 weeks

Secondary outcomes

  1. Acute Treatment Toxicity

    Toxicity of treatment will be analyzed using NCI-CTCAE v5.0.

    Time frame: Up to 1 month post-treatment

  2. Complete Clinical Response Rate

    Complete response to treatment (CR) is defined as absence of detectable cancer.

    Time frame: 6 months following the completion of chemoradiation

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Feb 3, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05838391
Responsible party
Lisa A. Kachnic (Chu H. Chang Professor of Radiation Oncology; Chair, Department of Radiation Oncology, Columbia University) — Principal investigator
First posted
May 1, 2023
Start date
May 18, 2023
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 31, 2028 (estimated)
Last update
Feb 3, 2026

Study contacts

Christina Chesnakov
Contact
cc4047@cumc.columbia.edu
646-317-4244
Lisa Kachnic, MD
principal investigator · Principal Investigator

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Studies of the drugs tested here: Mitomycin · Fluorouracil · Capecitabine

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