Full Title
Phase III Randomized Trial of Pleurectomy/Decortication Plus Systemic Therapy With or Without Adjuvant Hemithoracic Intensity-Modulated Pleural Radiation Therapy (IMPRINT) for Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma (MPM) (NRG LU006) (CIRB)Purpose
One treatment for some patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma is surgery to remove the cancerous lining of the affected lung and all visible tumors, but not the lung itself. This operation is called “pleurectomy/decortication.” Patients also receive chemotherapy.
In this study, researchers want to see if adding radiation therapy to the lung lining in addition to surgery and chemotherapy is more effective than surgery and chemotherapy alone. Targeted radiation therapy, such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy or “pencil beam” scanning, uses high-energy rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Giving targeted radiation therapy in addition to surgery and chemotherapy may work better than surgery and chemotherapy alone for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma.
All patients in this study will have pleurectomy/decortication followed by chemotherapy with the drugs pemetrexed and either cisplatin or carboplatin. Patients will then be randomly assigned to no further treatment or to six weeks of radiation therapy to the lung lining.
Who Can Join
To be eligible for this study, patients must meet several criteria, including but not limited to the following:
- Patients must be newly diagnosed with stage I-IIIA malignant pleural mesothelioma that can be treated with surgery.
- Patients must be physically well enough that they are fully ambulatory, capable of all self-care, and capable of all but physically strenuous activities. As an example, patients must be well enough that they would be able to carry out office work or light housework.
- This study is for patients ages 18-80.
For more information about this study and to inquire about eligibility, please contact Dr. Andreas Rimner at 646-608-2449.