Cincinnati Children’s: Global Leader in Ultra-Fast Radiation
Cincinnati Children’s is furthering its position as the global leader in FLASH Proton Therapy. In June, investigators in the Cincinnati Children’s/UC Health Proton Therapy Center launched the second clinical trial to test this ultra-fast radiation therapy in humans.
Known as FAST-02 (FeAsibility Study of FLASH therapy for the Treatment of Symptomatic Bone Metastasis), this research will evaluate treatment-related side effects, as well as the efficacy of the therapy. It is only the second such trial worldwide to be conducted in humans, and success will be determined by measuring each patient’s level of pain relief. Researchers from Cincinnati Children’s and the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center have collaborated together to lead the FAST-01 and FAST-02 clinical trials.
“This trial is a stepping stone,” says FAST-02 trial co-principal investigator Emily Daugherty, MD, a radiation oncologist at the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center. “Our results will open doors. There are many malignancies that are difficult to cure where our ability to use radiation is limited because of the side effects. Now that the safety is proven, we can potentially extend this therapy to different tumors in different places of the body.”
What FLASH Therapy Is and What FAST-02 Will Do
FLASH therapy is an investigational treatment that is possible at Cincinnati Children’s through its two state-of-the-art therapy rooms and our dedicated 300-ton research gantry that is specially equipped to deliver proton FLASH radiation The treatment delivers radiation at ultra-high dose rates to patients through a concentrated beam in less than one second in a single treatment session. It is up to 1,000 times faster than any treatments currently available in clinical settings. At present, traditional therapy delivers the same dose over minutes.
The FAST-02 trial will enroll 10 patients to test whether the ultra-fast delivery of radiation can reduce the discomfort from their painful bone metastases. The trial extends treatment to patients with bone metastases in the chest. This investigation is funded by Varian Medical Systems using a team led by Daugherty and principal investigator John Breneman, MD, medical director of the Proton Therapy Center.
The Impact of FLASH Therapy to Date
This second round of investigations comes on the heels of the first human trial to test this therapy—the FAST-01 trial. That investigation included 10 different patients with metastatic cancer that spread to the bones in the extremities.
Based on the results of the FAST-01 trial, the team found that FLASH proton therapy affects less of the healthy tissue surrounding the tumor. In addition, roughly 50% of patients treated with FLASH proton therapy had a complete response to treatment compared to only 15% of patients who underwent traditional radiation therapy.
“For patients using the existing radiation therapy, most have partial responses, but with our ultra-fast treatment, more experienced a complete response. Although our study included just 10 patients, their results are still notable and important,” Daugherty says. “Our hope is that we will one day find a better way to use radiation in general, and that we will be able to bring the degree of side effects down to extremely minimal or nothing.”
Email ProtonResearch@cchmc.org or more information about the FAST-02 clinical trial.