Clinical trials

Palliative radiation is effective for controlling or preventing symptoms such as pain, bleeding, dyspnea, and cord compression. Recently, studies have shown that additional dose escalation may result in superior local control. The investigators propose a phase II single arm trial to evaluate a novel high-dose radiation regimen, which will be 27 Gray in 3 fractions with dose escalation within the tumour (Hi-D).

A dose-response relationship for radiation in the management of prostate cancer is well established. Local recurrence of prostate cancer after external beam radiotherapy occurs in at least 40% of patients treated because of inability to deliver sufficient dose through external beam techniques. These patients respond well to re-irradiation using brachytherapy with about 50% of selected patients remaining free of recurrence 5 years after salvage. Advanced imaging using multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging (mpMRI) allows identification of the site of recurrence, permitting partial prostate salvage brachytherapy. There is extensive literature on Low Dose Rate salvage brachytherapy but less on High Dose Rate.

Prostate cancer is a common cancer, and a significant cause of cancer death in men. There are many potentially curative treatment options for prostate cancers that have not spread. A relatively recent option is called prostate stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR). SABR is a form of external beam radiotherapy, where patients receive a small number (5-7) of treatments (also called fractions) of radiation delivered in a highly accurate and precise fashion. Standard prostate SABR is generally given in 5 fractions and has been shown to be at least as effective as conventional external beam radiotherapy. Disease control with SABR appears excellent, and it compares favorably to surgery in terms of side effects and quality of life. In theory, reducing the number of fractions from 5 to 2 may improve disease control and reduce side effects, in addition to providing added convenience for patients. Small studies suggest prostate SABR in 2 fractions may be highly effective and well tolerated. However, there is little available data comparing 2 and 5 fraction SABR head to head to tell us which is superior. Two fraction SABR involves delivery of 2 large dose fractions of radiotherapy which could result in significant side effects if proper precautions are not taken. The use of continuous tracking of the prostate gland position during treatment delivery reduces the risk of missing the prostate or overdosing organs near by. Such tracking has been shown to reduce bladder side effects. Also, the use of a rectal spacer placed between the prostate and rectum has been shown to reduce bowel side effects. Also, advanced artificial intelligence (AI)-directed computer applications could potentially improve the targeting of radiation during each treatment. The ADAPT-2 study is a randomized phase II trial comparing standard 5-fraction SABR with an experimental 2-fraction approach in men with intermediate risk prostate cancer. All treatment, whether 5 or 2-fractions, will use continuous prostate tracking (also called triggered imaging) and a rectal spacer (called Space OAR Hydrogel) to minimize side effects. The trial will also evaluate the potential of a new AI-guided dose guidance application to see if it can improve current methods of targeting SABR each day. This aspect of the study will be offline; that is, the AI application will not be used to actually target treatment for the trial patients. Rather, daily targeting of SABR will use standard conventional means, and the AI application will be studied in a simulated fashion to determine it is useful and can be incorporated into workflow. The main goal of the ADAPT-25 study is to compare the long-term side effects and quality of life between 5- and 2-fraction prostate SABR. Secondary goals will be to compare the long-term disease control between 5-and 2-fraction prostate SABR, and to evaluate whether a novel AI-directed dose guidance application can be used to better target SABR by reducing doses to neighboring organs, and whether it can be easily fit into prostate SABR workflow.

Partial Breast Irradiation (PBI) is a targeted radiation approach commonly administered post-lumpectomy, specifically targeting the tumour bed. This targeted therapy reduces the exposure to other nearby tissues such as lungs, heart, and chest wall. However, traditional PBI treatment involves lengthy multiple fraction courses which presents a burden to patients from rural and remote communities, who must travel long distances to receive high quality cancer care. The purpose of this study is to compare single fraction (SF) PBI vs. multiple fraction (MF) PBI.

Neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) are generally slow growing, but some can be aggressive and resistant to treatment. Compared to healthy cells, the surface of these tumor cells has a greater number of molecules called somatostatin receptors (SSTR) which requires specific PET scan tracers to sufficiently capture on images. The current standard of care tracer at BC Cancer for SSTRs on NETs is 68Ga-DOTATATE. This project seeks to identify if 18F-AmBF3-TATE (a tracer that has established safety from phase 1 trial results), is comparable in disease detection, no. of lesions identified, image quality, safety and overall accuracy, to 68Ga-DOTATATE.

We will investigate whether ultrahypofractionation using stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) or brachytherapy is as well-tolerated as moderately hypofractionated external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) for treating the prostate in patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer. Secondary aims include assessment of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) as well as cost-effectiveness. We hypothesize that ultrahypofractionation will maintain favorable toxicity profiles and quality of life while achieving comparable or better efficacy, thereby providing a convenient and cost-effective alternative to moderately hypofractionated EBRT.

This is a phase I dose-finding trial of an autologous CD22 targeting chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell product, called CLIC-2201, for participants with relapsed/refractory B cell malignancies. In the proposed trial, eligible enrolled participants will undergo leukapheresis for autologous T cell collection to enable CLIC-2201 manufacturing, followed by lymphodepletion with cyclophosphamide and fludarabine, then intravenous infusion of the autologous CLIC-2201 product. The trial will use the 3+3 design to escalate or de-escalate the dose level of CLIC-2201 administered. Participants will be monitored for safety and tolerability up to day 365 following CLIC-2201 infusion. The primary objective is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of CLIC-2201 and estimate the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of CLIC-2201 in B-cell malignancies. The secondary objectives are to evaluate the (i) feasibility; (ii) anti-tumour activity of CLIC-2201; (iii) and characterize the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of CLIC-2201. Exploratory objectives will include: i) characterizing the cellular and humoral immune responses against CLIC-2201 up to 1 year following infusion of CLIC-2201; (ii) characterizing the phenotype and gene expression profile of CLIC-2201 cells; (iii) evaluating immune and tumour cells at baseline and relapse for biomarkers of response or toxicity; (iv) evaluating serum cytokines, circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) and B cell aplasia as biomarkers of clinical outcomes; and (v) assessing the quality of life.

Typically, PET scans involve an IV injection of 18F-FDG that helps identify cancer. Patients are scanned 60 minutes after injecting 18F-FDG. This study aims to assess the feasibility of a different method of administration - oral ingestion (rather than IV) of 18F-FDG through delayed imaging to identify the optimal time for scanning after consuming the drug. The study will aim to recruit 15-24 individuals who will receive two PET scans - one using delayed oral 18F-FDG imaging and a second regular 18F-FDG. The analysis will focus on establishing a suitable protocol for this administration route while considering patient preference and image quality.

Vulvar cancer affects the external genitalia of women. This type of cancer is uncommon, arising mostly in older women and has been neglected in research and clinical trials. Over the recent years, investigators have learned that the most common type of vulvar cancer; vulvar squamous cell carcinoma (VSCC) develops from pre-cancerous lesions via different pathways. One pathway is associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, and another is related to chronic inflammatory skin conditions (and not HPV). The VSCCs arising from these two principal pathways; HPV- associated (HPV A) and HPV-independent (HPV I), behave differently with different risks of recurrence, and different response to treatments. HPV-I VSCC are further defined by mutations in TP53 (Tumor Protein 53), which identify a group of patients with aggressive disease. Currently treatment is the same for all women with vulvar cancer, and consequently many women may be overtreated, and many women are not treated enough. Given evolving knowledge of this disease, this 'one size fits all' approach may no longer be appropriate. The investigators aim in this study is to see if personalizing surgical therapy for patients with vulvar cancer based on HPV and TP53 status will improve outcomes.

This is an observational single-center trial for patients with localized prostate cancer suitable for High Dose Rate (HDR) brachytherapy as monotherapy. This study takes a multi-omics approach to study the mechanism of action of HDR brachytherapy through metabolomics, immunological, transcriptomics, and spectroscopic profiling. The results of this study will clarify the optimal dose for HDR prostate brachytherapy by documenting the dose-response relationship seen in the changing tumor metabolites after HDR brachytherapy and investigate the immunogenicity of HDR brachytherapy.

The goal of this study is to learn if the genetic information and proteins from tumours can help treat pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is it feasible to obtain genetic test results within a timeframe that can help inform treatment decisions for individuals with PDAC? * Can the genetic test results provide information about how a tumour will respond to or resist treatment? Participants will: * Receive standard chemotherapy to treat their cancer. * Provide samples of their blood, tissue, and fluid for genetic testing. * Visit the clinic every 4 weeks for check-ups and tests. * Complete questionnaires every 12 weeks.

STOP-2 is a phase III multi-institutional double-blind randomized trial. 194 participants will be enrolled in this trial. Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio between the Control Arm vs. the Experimental Arm. Participants, enrolling oncologists, and the statistician will be blinded to trial arm assignment. In the control arm, radiotherapy will consist of 8 Gy in 1 fraction to all sites of oligoprogression, and the experimental arm will consist of SABR treatment to all sites of oligoprogression. Primary Objectives * To assess the impact of SABR, compared to palliative conventional radiotherapy, on Progression-free survival on next line systemic therapy (PFS-NEST), oncologic outcomes, and Quality of Life (QOL) in participants with 1-5 oligoprogressing lesions. * To assess the feasibility of the clinical trial in terms of accrual and success of double-blinding. Secondary Objectives * To evaluate and compare the impact of SABR and palliative radiation therapy on the overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), polymetastatic progression-free survival (PPFS); * To assess and compare the proportion of participants receiving additional radiation therapy and other metastasis-directed interventions during follow-up between both arms; * To compare the impact of SABR and palliative radiation therapy on the time to initiation of the next line of systemic therapy; * To identify and compare the anatomic sites of disease progression between the experimental (SABR) and control (palliative radiation) arms; * To compare the treatment related toxicity among participants in each arm; * To evaluate and compare the quality of life among participants in each arm; * To assess the cost-effectiveness of the experimental arm compared to the control arm.

The goal of this clinical trial is to measure hand grip strength in adults with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is it feasible to measure hand grip strength as part of a clinic visit? * Are changes in hand grip strength related to changes in body composition? * Is hand grip strength related to a person's well-being? * Is hand grip strength related to how a tumour responds to treatment? Participants will squeeze a device with their hand to measure their hand grip strength and complete questionnaires about their well-being when they are seen in clinic for their regular medical care for PDAC.

Current standard RT doses (24-25Gy) provide excellent disease control for patients with indolent B-cell orbital lymphoma, but can cause significant late toxicities. Ultra-low dose RT (4Gy in 2 fractions) has minimal toxicity but lower disease control, requiring intensive follow-up to salvage persistent tumors. Some centers are moving towards this dose as the new standard. A recent study using 12Gy in 4 fractions to any body site showed early data suggesting high disease control rates with minimal toxicity. This study assesses 12Gy in 6 fractions, aiming to enhance disease control over 4Gy while reducing toxicity compared to 24Gy.

This pilot clinical trial aims to assess the real world quality of life and survival of patients treated with therapy that has preliminary evidence of efficacy but uncertainty of the magnitude of clinical benefit or cost effectiveness in subjects with cancer. The goal of this study is to collect real world evidence with respect to quality of life and outcomes to support decision making.

This pilot clinical trial aims to assess the real world quality of life and survival of patients treated with targeted therapy that has preliminary evidence of efficacy in subjects with advanced rare cancers or cancer harbouring rare molecular aberrations. The treatment has been granted conditional or full approved by Health Canada (HC) as effective and safe. Due to the rarity of the cancer or molecular aberration the uncertainty level of the health technology assessment (HTA) by the pan Canadian Oncology Review (pCODR) was too high for consideration of funding or it was not submitted for consideration. Consequently, the goal of this study is to generate real world evidence to support HTA decision making throughout the life cycle of the product.

This study will investigate whether or not it is feasible to closely monitor and manage glucose levels in people with pancreatic cancer. It will also investigate what impact glucose management may have on pancreatic cancer. This is a pilot study that will use continuous glucose monitors (CGM) to monitor glucose levels in approximately 50 participants with pancreatic cancer. Participants will receive standard chemotherapy with a combination of up to four drugs to treat their pancreatic cancer: oxaliplatin, irinotecan, 5-fluorouracil, and leucovorin (FOLFIRINOX). To treat high glucose levels, participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group 1 will receive anti-hyperglycemic treatment as guided by an endocrinologist with the aim of maintaining glucose levels between 4 and 10 mmol/L; Group 2 will receive anti-hyperglycemic treatment if their glucose levels are above 15 mmol/L, which is standard care. Participants in both Groups 1 and 2 will receive standard anti-hyperglycemic treatments: metformin, insulin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, sodium glucose co-transporter (SGLT2) inhibitors, and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4) inhibitors. After 4 cycles of FOLFIRINOX, the CGM will be removed but any anti-hyperglycemic treatments will continue as needed. If participants discontinue treatment with FOLFIRINOX, they will continue to be followed for survival and subsequent anti-cancer therapy and will continue follow-up for glucose-related concerns at the discretion of their endocrinologist and/or medical oncologist.

This study will investigate the effects of atezolizumab on select cancer types in people whose analysis of tumour DNA and RNA indicates they may be sensitive to atezolizumab. This study aims to determine if the information from the cancer genome analysis corresponds with the effects of atezolizumab on individuals and their cancer. This is a Phase 2 study, which is undertaken after preliminary safety testing on a drug is completed, and will involve approximately 200 participants. Participants are assigned to one of 8 cohorts based on their primary tumour type: breast, lung, gastrointestinal (GI), primary unknown, genitourinary (GU), sarcoma, gynecological, and 'other' cancer types. Participants in all cohorts will receive the same dose of atezolizumab (1200 mg every 3 weeks). In the first stage for each cohort, 8 participants will be enrolled and if no participants respond to treatment, enrollment to that cohort will be closed. If 1 or more participants respond to treatment, up to 16 additional participants will be enrolled to that cohort. Participants continue on treatment until they no longer may benefit from the treatment or they decide to stop treatment.

Researchers are looking for better ways of understanding and treating pancreatic cancer. The purpose of this study is to see how useful it is to look for changes and characteristics in your genes (molecules that contain instructions for the development and functioning of the cells) and the genes within the tumour. These characteristics may be useful in choosing treatments for patients in the future. Changes (mutations) in genes have been shown to be an important characteristic in cancers. Looking at differences in genes in patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas and comparing this information with response to their initial chemotherapy treatment may help to learn which treatments may be better for certain patients after initial treatment.

The genomic heterogeneity of cancers implies that to effectively use targeted therapies the investigators will need to assess each individual cancer and match it to a biologically relevant targeted therapy. The investigators will use full genome sequencing to try to identify cancer "drivers" and corresponding drugs that may inhibit these pathways.

Advanced hormone positive (HR+), HER2 negative breast cancer continues to pose a challenge when patients have progressed on CDK4/6 inhibitor and endocrine therapy leaving limited treatment options. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) such as sacituzumab govitecan (SG) and trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) have changed practice due to significant improvement in progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) seen in this disease setting. There is a genuine interest to use SG sequentially after T-DXd, however there is no current prospectively curated evidence to support this strategy. Though the epitope is different, the payload are both topoisomerase I inhibitors. Thus, evidence is needed of both clinical efficacy and identification of mechanisms of sensitivity and resistance to sequential ADCs in HER-2 low MBC. It is hypothesized that performing whole genome and whole transcriptome sequencing in fresh tumour biopsies post progression of T-DXd and prior to SG in ER+/HER2 low metastatic breast cancer (MBC) will provide mechanistic insights into identifying biomarkers, and thus patients, sensitive to sequential SG.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if time restricted eating (TRE), a form of intermittent fasting, can impact health outcomes in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The main questions it aims to answer are: * In patients with CLL, is there a decrease or stabilization in cancer cell counts associated with TRE compared to baseline? * Is there a decrease in immune cell autophagy (a cellular recycling process) activity associated with TRE compared to baseline? * Does adherence to a TRE regimen improve patient experience and quality of life? Immune cell autophagy activity in cancer patients will be compared to a subset of control participants without cancer. Participants will: * Adhere to a 16/8 fasting regimen, which involves eating as normal for 8 hours per day and fasting (only consuming water, black coffee or black tea) for the remaining 16 hours. They will follow this intervention for their choice of either 3 or 6 months. * Complete monthly blood collections * Complete weekly journal entries to record weekly weight and timing of first and last daily meals * Complete weekly safety check-ins with a study team member for the first 4 weeks of the study and then bi-weekly thereafter * Complete 3 quality of life questionnaires * Provide 3 stool samples (optional component of study) * Complete an end of study interview (optional component of study)

The study is being done to determine if stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) can control tumour growth for patients with metastatic breast cancer. Secondary objectives will be overall survival, progression-free survival and time to switch of next line of systemic therapy. Radiation-related adverse events will be assess, with a specific focus on dermatitis, lymphedema and brachial plexopathy. The exploratory objective is to correlate toxicities and outcomes with peripheral blood biomarkers and circulating tumor DNA to potentially help predict responses in future patients receiving combined therapy.

68Ga-DOTATATE-based radionuclides are a novel modality in the diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system meningioma. DOTATATE is a ligand for the SSTR (somatostatin receptor), which is expressed in meningioma but not in normal brain or bone. It is also more effective than MRI in delineating tumor, which is the current imaging standard for assessing meningioma. For radiation planning, it can help to reduce the risk of geometrical miss, identify area that require dose-escalation, and reduce dose to normal tissue. The purpose of the study is to compare the radiation therapy (RT) contouring and planning for meningioma with and without the use of 68Ga-DOTATATE-PET

The aim of the study is to show that rapid, simple targeted radiotherapy to brain metastases with 8 Gy / 1 is non-inferior to 20 Gy / 5 in terms of overall survival for patients with poor prognosis.