A Phase 2 interventional study of Doxorubicin and Ifosfamide in Sarcoma,Soft Tissue, sponsored by Swiss Cancer Institute. Recruiting at 8 sites in Switzerland. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2025-12-30.
Sponsored by Swiss Cancer Institute · Phase 2, Interventional, and Treatment
Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are rare cancers with a 5-year survival rate of 60%, and there is no standard treatment for high-risk extremity and trunk STSs (eSTS). A phase III trial suggests that adding moderate regional hyperthermia (HT) to anthracycline-based chemotherapy, followed by surgery and radiotherapy (RT), can improve 10-year overall survival by 10%. This trial aims to optimize treatment by combining the most effective regimens from chemotherapy, HT, RT, and surgery, and will evaluate the feasibility of this new total neoadjuvant treatment (TNT) approach.
Soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are rare cancers with a 5-year survival rate of only 60%. There is no international standard treatment for high-risk extremity and trunk STSs (eSTS). Current evidence from a phase III trial suggests that adding moderate regional hyperthermia (HT) to anthracycline-based chemotherapy followed by surgery and radiotherapy (RT) can improve survival rates, showing a 10% improvement in 10-year overall survival.
The aim of this trial is to optimize the treatment for this high-risk group. To achieve this, the assumed most effective treatment regimens from each treatment modality (chemotherapy, HT, RT, and surgery) were identified and combined into an optimized treatment protocol. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy in this population is not yet broadly accepted as standard of care. Furthermore, this new total neoadjuvant treatment (TNT) approach has not yet been investigated prospectively and in addition, the patients have to get their HT treatment potentially in a hospital distant from their domicile. Therefore, we will evaluate in this trial the feasibility of this new treatment schedule as primary endpoint.
Trial treatment consists of 3 neoadjuvant cycles of doxorubicin with either ifosfamide or dacarbazine (the latter only in case of leiomyosarcoma) combined with HT, followed by RT and surgery. Each chemotherapy cycle will last 3 weeks. Trial treatment will last approximately 20 weeks. After surgery, a follow-up period of 36 months per patient is foreseen.
1,607 studies on the registry are indexed under Sarcoma; 366 are open to participants now.
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Main Inclusion Criteria:
Main 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.
The amount of disease can be tracked with a defined measurement, so the study can see whether it shrinks or grows. It might be a tumour measured on a scan or, in some blood cancers such as myeloma, a marker measured in blood or urine.
The criteria or the study team say which measurement counts — having no tumour visible on a scan does not by itself rule you out.
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 biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
Cancer that has spread from where it began to other parts of the body. “Metastatic” cancer is cancer that has spread this way.
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.
The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.
Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.
On an ECG, the QT interval is the time the heart’s lower chambers take to activate electrically and recover in each beat. QTc is that time adjusted for heart rate (QTcF by Fridericia’s formula, QTcB by Bazett’s). Some medicines lengthen it, and a long QTc can raise the risk of a dangerous heart rhythm.
The study may name a correction formula and a limit in milliseconds, often around 450–480.
Vaccines made with a weakened form of the germ, such as measles–mumps–rubella (MMR), chickenpox and yellow fever. They can be risky when the immune system is weakened. Flu injections are not live; the nasal flu spray is.
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.
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.
Measurable disease
The amount of disease can be tracked with a defined measurement, so the study can see whether it shrinks or grows. It might be a tumour measured on a scan or, in some blood cancers such as myeloma, a marker measured in blood or urine.
The criteria or the study team say which measurement counts — having no tumour visible on a scan does not by itself rule you out.
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.
Biopsy and archival tissue
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
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.
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.
NYHA class (heart failure)
The New York Heart Association’s four classes of how much heart failure limits physical activity.
Studies set their own limit — many outside heart failure leave out class III–IV, while heart failure studies may ask for a particular class. Check the class this study names.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
QT and QTc
On an ECG, the QT interval is the time the heart’s lower chambers take to activate electrically and recover in each beat. QTc is that time adjusted for heart rate (QTcF by Fridericia’s formula, QTcB by Bazett’s). Some medicines lengthen it, and a long QTc can raise the risk of a dangerous heart rhythm.
The study may name a correction formula and a limit in milliseconds, often around 450–480.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Live vaccines
Vaccines made with a weakened form of the germ, such as measles–mumps–rubella (MMR), chickenpox and yellow fever. They can be risky when the immune system is weakened. Flu injections are not live; the nasal flu spray is.
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.
Trial treatment consists of 3 neoadjuvant cycles of doxorubicin with either ifosfamide or dacarbazine (the latter only in case of leiomyosarcoma) combined with hyperthermia (HT), followed by radiotherapy (RT) and surgery. Each chemotherapy cycle will last 3 weeks. Trial treatment will last approximately 20 weeks. After surgery, a follow-up period of 36 months per patient is foreseen.
Drug: Doxorubicin · Drug: Ifosfamide · Drug: Dacarbazine · Other: Hyperthermia · Radiation: Radiotherapy · Procedure: Surgery
Trial treatment consists of 3 neoadjuvant cycles of doxorubicin with either ifosfamide or dacarbazine (the latter only in case of leiomyosarcoma). Doxorubicin will be given at a dose of 75 mg/m2 Body surface area (BSA) on day 1 of each cycle as a intravenous infusion over 15 minutes.
Trial treatment consists of 3 neoadjuvant cycles of doxorubicin with either ifosfamide or dacarbazine (the latter only in case of leiomyosarcoma). Ifosfamide will be given at a dose of 3 g/m2 BSA on days 1 to 3 of each cycle, for a total dose per cycle of 9 g/m2 BSA, as an intravenous infusion of 3 g/m2 daily over 4 hours.
Trial treatment consists of 3 neoadjuvant cycles of doxorubicin with either ifosfamide or dacarbazine (the latter only in case of leiomyosarcoma). Dacarbazine will be given at a daily dose of 300 mg/m2 BSA on days 1 to 3 of each cycle, for a total dose per cycle of 900 mg/m2 BSA, as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes.
Hyperthermia (HT) sessions are scheduled on days 1 and 3 of each chemotherapy cycle. The duration of the preheating phase is always 30 minutes. Together with the treatment phase of 60 minutes, the duration of a HT session is uniformly 90 minutes (Total treatment time). On days 2, chemotherapy will be applied without HT.
Radiotherapy (RT) treatment should start ideally 19 days after last chemotherapy dose received (range -4 / +7), preferably on a Monday to omit that the last RT fractions will be applied directly after the weekend. Start of RT can be postponed up to 14 days due to medical reasons without violating treatment protocol. Patients will preferably receive normofractionated RT to a total dose of 50 Gy in 25 fractions of 2 Gy over 5 weeks23. Alternatively, patients can receive a moderate hypofractionated RT to either a total dose of 42.75 Gy in 15 fractions of 2.85 Gy over 3 weeks or a total dose of 42 Gy in 14 fractions of 3 Gy over 2 weeks and four days41. The respective total treatment time changes respectively. The RT treatment should be delivered once daily except on weekends.
Standard of care surgical resection must be done by an experienced sarcoma surgeon. All lesions of the trunk and extremities will be resected after total neoadjuvant treatment with chemotherapy, HT and RT. Surgery will take place preferentially 6 weeks (+/- 2 weeks) after end of radiation.
Protocol feasibility rate
PFR defined as percentage of patients who are able to finish the following planned trial treatment parts according to protocol
Time frame: End of treatment approx. 20 weeks after registration
Disease-free survival (DFS)
DFS defined as * time from registration until local or distant relapse, * or, if tumor has not been operated, time from registration until progression according to RECIST v1.1, * or death from any cause, whichever occurs first.
Time frame: From the date of registration until the date of local or distant relapse, progressive disease according to RECIST v1.1 or death, whichever occurs first, assessed up to 3 years after registration
Objective response rate (ORR)
ORR assessed by the independent response reviewer and defined as proportion of patients achieving complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) according to RECIST v1.1 during trial treatment and before surgery.
Time frame: From the date of registration until the date of progressive disease according to RECIST v1.1 or death, whichever occurs first, assessed up to 3 years after registration
Pathologic complete response (pCR)
pCR rate, assessed by the central pathologist and defined as proportion of patients with ≤ 10% viable cells (equivalent to EORTC-STBSG response grade A-C43) in the resection specimen. pCR rate will be evaluated in resected patients only.
Time frame: End of treatment approx. 20 weeks after registration
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Studies of the drugs tested here: Doxorubicin · Ifosfamide · Dacarbazine
Swiss Cancer Institute