CURRENT CLINICAL TRIAL DETAILS
A clinical trial for people with breast cancer that has spread to the brain
BEAT-Breast is a UK clinical trial exploring a new approach to radiotherapy for people with brain metastases from breast cancer who are not suitable for stereotactic radiotherapy.
The trial is investigating a technique called Dose Escalated internal PTV (DE-iPTV), which aims to deliver a higher dose of radiotherapy to the tumours while reducing the dose received by healthy brain tissue. Researchers are looking at whether this approach can be delivered effectively, as well as its impact on quality of life, tumour control and steroid use.
Who isn't the trial suitable for?
The trial has specific eligibility criteria. It is not suitable for people with leptomeningeal disease, more than 15 brain metastases, cystic metastases or those who have previously received whole or partial brain radiotherapy. Other exclusion criteria also apply, so eligibility will need to be discussed with the trial team.
BEAT-Breast
A clinical trial exploring the role of a viral-based immunotherapy in patients with newly diagnosed and recurrent GBM
The ADEPT trial is exploring the role of a new viral therapy for brain tumour patients. The virus is engineered to both kill cells and stimulate and immune response.
There is a phase 1 part, then moving on to a phase 2 component.
Patients need to be due to have surgery for their GBM. The treatment is delivered before patients have surgery, using implantable catheters in the brain to deliver the virus into the tumour. Patients then wait 2 weeks, and have surgery as planned.
The phase 1 part is only recruiting from patients in Scotland; the phase 2 will recruit patients from across the UK.
Who isn't the trial suitable for?
This trial is a very complex trial, involving delivering a virus into the brain tumour before patients have surgery. Because of this, patients need to be very well, and to have a tumour that is suitable for surgery. As ever, entry in phase 1 trials is difficult, and needs to be discussed in detail with your local clinical team.
ADEPT trial (TROGENIX)
A clinical trial for people with first recurrence of GBM
Sonodynamic therapy using focused ultrasound in glioblastomas (ISRCTN14636207) is a UK trial looking at the use of focused ultrasound (FUS) and 5-ALA ("pink drink") in patients with newly diagnosed or recurrent GBM who are about to undergo surgery.
Patients need to be due to undergo surgery as part of their standard of care. If they take part in the trial, they then have a dose of 5-ALA (taken as a drink) and 4-6 hours later, undergo focused ultrasound. 5-ALA is taken up by GBM, and FUS activates the 5-ALA in the tumour. Patients then undergo surgery as planned approximately 5 days later; surgery must take place at Charing Cross Hospital.
The main aim is to establish safety and tolerability of the treatment. There is linked work looking at the tissue that is taken at the time of surgery and blood samples taken before and after the treatment.
Who isn't the trial suitable for?
The trial has specific eligibility criteria. Patients have to be suitable for surgery for a GBM, and suitable to take part in the trial. This is a phase 1 clinical trial, and so entry criteria are quite strict.
FUS trial with 5-ala
A clinical trial for people with GBM using CAR-T cells
The CARGO trial is exploring the use of engineered immune cells - known as CAR-T cells - to treatment patients with GBM. The cells are designed to target a particular target in GBM (the EGFRvIII) mutation, and so tumours MUST have this mutation for patients to enter the tumour.
Patients undergo chemotherapy and have an infusion of the CAR-T cells into the fluid space in the brain (the ventricles); this is done by the insertion of an Omaya reservoir.
It was originally designed for patients with recurrent GBM
The CARGO trial is currently closed
Who isn't the trial suitable for?
The trial involves the insertion of an Omaya reservoir to allow delivery of the cells; this involves a surgical procedure to insert it.
Patients tumours MUST have the EGFRvIII mutation for trial entry
This is a phase 1 trial, and so trial entry is likely to be restricted to patients who are very well,
cargo trial
A clinical trial for people with GBM who have had Whole-Genome Sequencing
The 5G trial is a platform study for patients with GBM. There are a number of different arms to the trial, each one based on a different molecular profile of the tumour. Because of this, patient MUST have had Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) in order to be considered for the trial. Because there are multiple different arms, and these arms can "fill up", and new arms can be added, the exact criteria for who is eligible for which arm will change over time.
Patients who have had WGS can be discussed that the 5G Genomics board to ensure that they meet entry criteria for the trial. Most of the different arms recruit patients at the point of relapse, but - at present one - arm (PEARL) recruits patients with MGMT-unmethylated GBM and specific PTEN mutations at the point of diagnosis.
The key element is that patients must have had WGS to be considered for the trial, and need to have the results of that discussed at the 5G genomics board. This needs to be led by the local clinical team.
Who isn't the trial suitable for?
The trial has specific eligibility criteria. Patients have to have had Whole Genome Sequencing, and be fit enough for further treatment. Furthermore, their tumour must have one of the mutations that meets the criteria for one of the arms of the trial. his is a phase 1 clinical trial, and so entry criteria are quite strict.
5G trial
Patients family
Access to a website like this would have been a breath of fresh air during the chaos and confusion that followed my husband’s diagnosis. Having clear, specialist-led information in one place would have helped us better understand what was happening, what options existed and how to navigate decisions with more confidence. At a time when everything felt overwhelming, clarity and compassion in how information was presented would have made a real difference. I’m really glad that this website now exists for others facing a similar situation.
Patients family
Tackling a GBM diagnosis is extraordinarily overwhelming, the stats bulldoze you & researching treatment options online is sole destroying. Having one consolidated place to connect with other patients, understand additional treatment options & potential trials & follow others journeys is incredibly comforting and very much needed. Thank you. It’s a tough journey and we only get through it by all sharing our discoveries to make each others experiences that little bit easier.
Thank you for putting the time aside for this website. Being a caregiver to a 10months in GBM patient I can honestly say that this website will benefit future patients enormously.
Patient
When everything changed, I didn’t want medical jargon or endless links. I just wanted clear, honest information I could actually understand.
Having it all in one place helped. Finding the information together was a huge relief. We could stop Googling and start getting a clearer picture of what was going on.
I could come back when I was ready. Some days I read a lot. Some days I couldn’t read anything at all. Knowing I could come back without pressure really helped.
Knowing more made things feel less chaotic. Understanding my options didn’t fix everything, but it helped things feel a little less out of control.
This was about more than treatment. This affected my whole life - not just my health. Seeing emotional and practical support included made me feel like that was understood. I didn’t feel like I was doing this alone. It felt like someone had already done the hard work of pulling this all together for me - and that meant a lot!
This website is an independent resource, developed by the Horizons in Neuro-Oncology (HINO) team in the UK. Initial development was supported by Dr Matt Williams and Lillie Pakzad-Shahabi, with grant funding from Novocure to support ongoing work.
HINO maintains editorial independence. While the team collaborates with a range of healthcare organisations and receives grant support from Novocure, all content is created and reviewed by the HINO team and reflects their combined clinical expertise, professional experience, and lived experience as patients and caregivers. HINO retains full editorial control over the content of the website and that Novocure’s financial support does not imply any involvement in, or approval of, its editorial content.
While content is based on UK clinical practice, much of the information may be relevant to international readers. It is provided for general guidance and should not replace medical advice from your own healthcare team.
Please use this information to support discussions with your local oncology team, or see our advice on obtaining a second opinion.
