Stereotactic Ablative Radiation for Oligoprogressive Cancers: Results of the Randomized Phase 2 STOP Trial

Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2025 Jan 1;121(1):28-38. doi: 10.1016/j.ijrobp.2024.08.031. Epub 2024 Aug 19.

Abstract

Purpose: This trial examined if patients with ≤5 sites of oligoprogression benefit from the addition of SABR to standard of care (SOC) systemic therapy.

Methods and materials: We enrolled patients with 1 to 5 metastases progressing on systemic therapy, and after stratifying by type of systemic therapy (cytotoxic vs noncytotoxic), randomized 1:2 between continued SOC treatment versus SABR to all progressing lesions plus SOC. The trial was initially limited to non-small cell lung cancer but was expanded to include all nonhematologic malignancies to meet accrual goals. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), lesional control, quality of life, adverse events, and duration of systemic therapy postrandomization.

Results: Ninety patients with 127 oligoprogressive metastases were enrolled across 8 Canadian institutions, with 59 randomized to SABR and 31 to SOC. The median age was 67 years, and 39 (43%) were women. The most common primary sites were lung (44%), genitourinary (23%), and breast (13%). Protocol adherence in the SOC arm was suboptimal, with 11 patients (35%) either receiving high-dose/ablative therapies (conflicting with trial protocol) or withdrawing from the study. The median follow-up was 31 months. There was no difference in PFS between arms (median PFS 8.4 months in the SABR arm vs 4.3 months in the SOC arm, but curves cross and 2-year PFS was 9% vs 24%, respectively; P = .91). The median OS was 31.2 months versus 27.4 months, respectively (P = .22). Lesional control was superior with SABR (70% vs 38%, respectively; P = .0015). There were 2 (3.4%) grade 3 and no grade 4/5 adverse events attributable to SABR.

Conclusions: SABR was well-tolerated with superior lesional control but did not improve PFS or OS. Accrual to this study was difficult, and the results may have been impacted by an unwillingness to forgo ablative treatments on the SOC arm. (NCT02756793).

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial, Phase II
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Breast Neoplasms / mortality
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Breast Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / therapy
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / radiotherapy
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / therapy
  • Disease Progression*
  • Early Termination of Clinical Trials
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms* / mortality
  • Lung Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Lung Neoplasms* / radiotherapy
  • Lung Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Neoplasms / therapy
  • Progression-Free Survival
  • Quality of Life
  • Radiosurgery* / adverse effects
  • Radiosurgery* / methods
  • Standard of Care
  • Urogenital Neoplasms / radiotherapy

Associated data

  • ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT02756793