Merkel Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Protocol (MP3)
Merkel Cell Carcinoma
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Merkel Cell Carcinoma focused on measuring Merkel Cell Cancer, PET scanning
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria for Trial Registration:
Patients may be registered on the trial only if they meet all of the following criteria:
- Age 18 years or older
- Written informed consent to participate in the study
- Able to undergo 18-FDG PET scan (no uncontrolled diabetes mellitus or severe claustrophobia).
- Available for follow-up.
- Using adequate contraception if capable of child bearing
- Any Merkel Cell carcinoma confined to the primary and/or nodal sites
- ECOG 0-2.
- Full Blood Count (FBC) should be satisfactory ( Haemoglobin > or equal to 10g/dl, neutrophils > or equal to 2.0 x 109 /l and platelets > or equal to 100 x 109 /l) and renal function (GFR > or equal to 50 ml/min) and hepatic function ( ALT < 5 X upper limit normal, bilirubin < 1.5 X upper limit normal)
- Patients must be able to tolerate protocol treatment
Exclusion Criteria for Registration:
- Previous chemotherapy in the past 5 years or prior radiotherapy to the area of concern
- Unable to comply with treatment protocol eg dementia
- Other malignancy in the past 5 years other than non-melanoma skin cancer.
- Women who are pregnant or lactating.
- Clinical evidence of metastatic disease.
- Immunosuppression from long term steroid use or immunosuppressive drugs.
Any serious illness or medical condition that precludes the safe administration of the chemotherapy including:
- Active infection
- Uncontrolled or unstable cardiac disease including unstable angina, myocardial infarction within the last 3 months, and recurrent ventricular arrhythmias
Inclusion Criteria for Treatment Registration:
Patients may proceed to protocol treatment if they meet the following criteria:
- High risk disease with no evidence of distant spread: Biopsy proven MCC with a primary that is > 2cm (T2N0M0= Stage II) and/or regional nodes (any T, N1M0= Stage III); OR Recurrent MCC not previously treated with radiation treatment; Dermal or in-transit metastasis with or without nodes; Occult primary with involved nodes
- Patients who have no metastases on CT or PET scan OR If CT is suggestive of metastases, they must be PET negative
Sites / Locations
- Campbelltown
- Liverpool Hospital
- Royal Prince Alfred
- Calvary Mater Newcastle
- Westmead Hospital
- Radiation Oncology Services - Mater Centre
- Princess Alexandra Hospital Radiation Oncology
- Royal Brisbane Hospital
- Oncology Research Australia
- Genesis Cancer Care (previously Premion)
- Geelong Hospital
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
- Sir Charles Gairdner
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Experimental
Arm A
Conventional radical radiotherapy in this trial means that those patients with microscopic disease receive a dose of 50Gy using daily incremental fractions of 2Gy over 25 fractions and those with macroscopic disease receive 54Gy in 27 fractions.