Actively Recruiting
Is Radiation-before-pathology a Feasible Approach in the Palliative Oncology Setting? A Pragmatic Clinical Trial
Led by David Palma · Updated on 2025-07-25
48
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
166 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
When a doctor suspects cancer, often a biopsy is taken for testing to confirm if cancer is present. Usually, doctors would wait for the results of a biopsy before delivering radiation, but this may lead to a patient having to wait for a treatment that he or she urgently needs. With long wait times for biopsies in Canada, this may lead to symptoms and risks of complications from cancer in the meantime. Therefore, this study is being done to answer the following question: Is it safe and feasible to deliver radiation before obtaining a biopsy in a carefully selected group of patients who urgently need radiation treatment.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Is Radiation-before-pathology a Feasible Approach in the Palliative Oncology Setting? A Pragmatic Clinical Trial
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Age 18 years or older
- Willing to provide informed consent
- Receiving palliative treatment for metastatic or incurable locally advanced cancer
- Tissue diagnosis not required to decide radiation dose and schedule
- Recent cross-sectional imaging of the treatment area done within the past 3 months
- Treating physician estimates greater than 95% chance of cancer based on clinical and imaging findings
- At least one site of cancer suitable for biopsy
- Radiation considered urgent due to symptoms or risk of complications such as spinal cord compression, brain metastases, bleeding, or impending fracture
- Careful consideration and documentation if only one site available for biopsy, especially if systemic therapy may be indicated
You will not qualify if you...
- Potential eligibility for curative treatment
- Clinical suspicion of lymphoma, including symptoms like fever or night sweats or imaging showing well-defined lymphadenopathy
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
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Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre
London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5W9
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
D
David Palma, MD
CONTACT
S
Sympascho Young, MD
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Masking
N/A
Allocation
N/A
Model
N/A
Primary Purpose
N/A
Number of Arms
0
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