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Updated May 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov

RECRUITINGPhase 1 / Phase 2INTERVENTIONAL

Proton-Spatially Fractionated Radiotherapy and Standard Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Retroperitoneal Soft Tissue Sarcoma

First-in-Human Phase I and II Study to Determine Safety and Efficacy of Proton-Spatially Fractionated Radiotherapy (P-SFRT) in Retroperitoneal Soft Tissue Sarcoma

Proton-Spatially Fractionated Radiotherapy and Standard Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Newly Diagnosed Retroperitoneal Soft Tissue Sarcoma (NCT06327477) is a Phase 1 / Phase 2 interventional studying Retroperitoneal Sarcoma, sponsored by Northwestern University. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.

Important: This information is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

About This Trial

This phase I/II trial studies the side effects and best dose of proton-spatially fractionated radiotherapy (P-SFRT) and to see how well it works with standard radiation therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Standard spatially fractionated radiotherapy (SFRT) refers to how the radiation is delivered to the tumor. SFRT means that different parts of the tumor are receiving different doses of radiation (fractionation) through beams that allow areas of higher and lower (peaks and valleys) of doses of the radiation. This spatial fractionation allows an overall high-dose radiation to be given in the peaks and those areas of the tumor may release cells and substances that may help with killing tumor cells, reducing tumor symptoms and shrinking tumors. Proton therapy is a type of radiation therapy that can overcome some of the barriers of standard SFRT. Protons are tiny radioactive particles that can be controlled in a beam to travel up to the tumor and, compared to the particles used in standard radiotherapy, proton therapy can deliver higher doses to the tumor because smaller doses of radiation are delivered to tissues away from the tumor. This allows radiation therapy dose-escalated (continuously increasing the dose of radiation) treatment to tumors even though the tumor is near radiation sensitive organs like the colon. Giving P-SFRT with standard radiation therapy may work better in treating patients with newly diagnosed retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma.

What Stage of Research Is This?

Phase 1 trials test a new treatment for the first time in humans, focusing on safety, dosing, and how the body processes the drug. For Retroperitoneal Sarcoma, a Phase 1 study typically enrolls a small number of participants — often healthy volunteers or patients who have exhausted standard treatment options. Phase 1 results determine whether a treatment moves into larger Phase 2 efficacy studies.

This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.

With a target enrollment of 28 participants, this is a small study — typical of early-phase research, rare-disease trials, or pilot studies designed to generate preliminary signal before a larger study is launched.

Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)

Who May Qualify: - Patients must have newly diagnosed, diagnosed by tissue sample (biopsy-confirmed), untreated retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma - The soft-tissue sarcoma tumor must be at least 3 cm in diameter - Patients must have measurable disease according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version (v) 1.1. - Patients must be age ≥ 18 years on day of signing any willing to sign a consent form documents - Patients must exhibit a performance status of 0 or 1 on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance scale or \>70% on the Karnofsky Scale - Leukocytes (white blood cells \[WBC\]) ≥ 3,000/mcL - Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500/mcL - Note: growth factor/transfusion is not permitted prior to these measurements being taken - Hemoglobin (Hgb) ≥ 9 g/d - Platelets (PLT) ≥ 100,000/mcL - Total bilirubin \< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) (or direct bilirubin \< ULN) - Aspartate Transferase (AST) ( serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\]) ≤ 2.5 x institutional ULN - Alanine transaminase (ALT) (serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase \[SGPT\]) ≤ 2.5 x institutional ULN - Creatinine ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) - kidney function (creatinine clearance) at least 50mL/min - International normalized ratio (INR) (or prothrombin time \[PT\] or partial thromboplastin time \[PTT\]; one will be used) \< 1.5 x ULN (unless subject is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or partial thromboplastin time (PTT) is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants \[within 10 days of treatment initiation\]) - Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) \< 1.5 X ULN (unless subject is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or PTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants \[within 10 days of treatment initiation\]) ...See full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov Always talk to your doctor about whether this trial is right for you.

These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.

Original Eligibility Criteria

View original clinical language
Inclusion Criteria: * Patients must have newly diagnosed, histologically or cytologically confirmed, untreated retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma * The soft-tissue sarcoma tumor must be at least 3 cm in diameter * Patients must have measurable disease according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version (v) 1.1. * Patients must be age ≥ 18 years on day of signing any informed consent documents * Patients must exhibit a performance status of 0 or 1 on the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance scale or \>70% on the Karnofsky Scale * Leukocytes (white blood cells \[WBC\]) ≥ 3,000/mcL * Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500/mcL * Note: growth factor/transfusion is not permitted prior to these measurements being taken * Hemoglobin (Hgb) ≥ 9 g/d * Platelets (PLT) ≥ 100,000/mcL * Total bilirubin \< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) (or direct bilirubin \< ULN) * Aspartate Transferase (AST) ( serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase \[SGOT\]) ≤ 2.5 x institutional ULN * Alanine transaminase (ALT) (serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase \[SGPT\]) ≤ 2.5 x institutional ULN * Creatinine ≤ 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN) * Creatinine clearance ≥ 50mL/min * International normalized ratio (INR) (or prothrombin time \[PT\] or partial thromboplastin time \[PTT\]; one will be used) \< 1.5 x ULN (unless subject is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or partial thromboplastin time (PTT) is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants \[within 10 days of treatment initiation\]) * Activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) \< 1.5 X ULN (unless subject is receiving anticoagulant therapy as long as PT or PTT is within therapeutic range of intended use of anticoagulants \[within 10 days of treatment initiation\]) * Patients with a prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatment does not have the potential to interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen are eligible for this trial * Patients of child-bearing potential (POCBP) must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control, abstinence) from time of informed consent and for the duration of study participation. Patients who can impregnate their partners must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control, abstinence) from time of informed consent and for the duration of study participation. Should a patient become pregnant or suspect they are pregnant while they or their partner is participating in this study, they should inform their treating physician immediately. * Note: At the discretion of the investigator, acceptable methods of contraception may include total abstinence in cases where the lifestyle of the patient ensures compliance. (Periodic abstinence \[e.g., calendar, ovulation, symptothermal, postovulation methods\] and withdrawal are not acceptable methods of contraception.) * Note: A POCBP is any person with an egg-producing reproductive tract (regardless of sexual orientation, having undergone a tubal ligation, or remaining celibate by choice) who meets the following criteria: * Has not undergone a hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy * Has had menses at any time in the preceding 12 consecutive months (and therefore has not been naturally postmenopausal for \> 12 months) * POCBP must have a negative urine pregnancy test within 72 hours prior to undergoing CT simulation for P-SFRT. If a urine pregnancy test is positive or cannot be confirmed negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required * POCBP must be willing and able to use an adequate method of contraception * Patients with sperm-producing reproductive capacity (PWSPRC) must agree to use adequate contraception (hormonal or barrier method of birth control; abstinence) from time of informed consent, for the duration of study participation, and for 120 days following completion of therapy. PWSPRC treated or enrolled on this protocol must also agree to refrain from donating sperm from time of informed consent for the duration of study participation and for 120 days following completion of therapy * Patients must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document * Patients must be medically fit to undergo surgery * Patients must have plans to undergo neoadjuvant radiation therapy and surgery with curative intent Exclusion Criteria: * Patients who have had one of the following soft tissue sarcoma subtypes where neoadjuvant chemotherapy is established as standard-of-care: * Extra-skeletal Ewing sarcoma * Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma * Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma * Desmoplastic small round cell tumor * Patients who have had any prior radiation therapy to the affected area * Patients who have had chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or other antineoplastic agents ≤ 28 days (6 weeks for nitrosureas or mitomycin C) prior to planned treatment start date * Patients who have not recovered from adverse events due to prior anti-cancer therapy (i.e., have residual toxicities \> grade 1) with the exception of alopecia * Patients who have taken steroid therapy or any other immunosuppressive therapy within 7 days of first dose prior to trial treatment * Patients with a known history of active tuberculosis (TB) (Bacillus tuberculosis) * Patients with a known history of active hepatitis B (e.g., hepatitis B surface antigen \[HBsAg\] reactive) or hepatitis C (e.g., hepatitis C virus \[HCV\] ribonucleic acid \[RNA\] \[qualitative\] is detected) infection * Patients with current or a history of any distant metastatic disease (including brain). Note: an isolated or oligo-metastatic regional occurrence may be allowed if all other criteria have been met and curative attempt is being pursued * Patients with a known history of (non-infectious) pneumonitis that required steroids or had evidence of current pneumonitis * Patients who have received a live vaccine within 30 days of planned start of study therapy. Note: Seasonal influenza vaccines for injection are generally killed virus vaccines, and as such, patients who have received these vaccines are not excluded; however, intranasal influenza vaccines are live attenuated vaccines and are not allowed * Patients who have had an allogenic tissue/solid organ transplant * Patients with a history of inflammatory bowel disorders (i.e., ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease) or rheumatologic disorders (i.e., Sjogren's, scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis) that serve as a contraindication to retroperitoneal radiation therapy * Patients who have an uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to any of the following, are not eligible: * Hypertension that is not controlled on medication * Ongoing or active infection requiring systemic treatment * Symptomatic congestive heart failure * Unstable angina pectoris * Cardiac arrhythmia * Major surgery within 30 days of registration * Any other illness or condition that the treating investigator feels would interfere with study compliance or would compromise the patient¡¦s safety or study endpoints * Patients with psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements * Patients who are pregnant (positive urine pregnancy test within 72 hours prior to enrollment) or nursing. If a urine pregnancy test is positive or cannot be confirmed negative, a serum pregnancy test will be required * Patients who are expecting to become pregnant or impregnate their partner within the projected duration of the trial, starting with the pre-screening or screening visit through 120 days after the last dose of trial treatment * Patients who are currently participating in or have participated in a study of an investigational agent or has used an investigational device within 4 weeks prior to the first dose of study intervention * Other study specific or disease criteria for exclusion (e.g., certain disease sub-types that are not eligible, patients who are unable to swallow oral medication if the study involves oral agents, etc.)

Treatments Being Tested

PROCEDURE

Biopsy

Undergo biopsy

PROCEDURE

Biospecimen Collection

Undergo blood sample collection

PROCEDURE

Computed Tomography

Undergo CT

RADIATION

Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy

Undergo IG-IMRT

PROCEDURE

Resection

Undergo surgical resection

RADIATION

Spatially-fractionated Radiation Therapy

Undergo P-SFRT

Locations (1)

Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.

Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois, United States

How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial

Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT06327477), the sponsor (Northwestern University), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.

Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.

Authoritative Sources

The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the NCT06327477 clinical trial studying?

This phase I/II trial studies the side effects and best dose of proton-spatially fractionated radiotherapy (P-SFRT) and to see how well it works with standard radiation therapy in treating patients with newly diagnosed retroperitoneal soft tissue sarcoma. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Standard spatially fractionated radiotherapy (SFRT) refers to how the radiation is delivered to the tumor. SFRT means that different parts of the tumor are receiving different doses of radiation (fractionation) through beams that… The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.

Who can participate in NCT06327477?

Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.

How do I contact the trial site for NCT06327477?

Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.

Is participating in a clinical trial safe?

Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.

Where can I verify the data on this page?

Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.

How This Page Is Built

Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT06327477. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT06327477. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."

Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.

Last updated 2026-05-08 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.