Clinical trial Recruiting at 15 sites Phase 2 Interventional Ages 18 and up

Radiotherapy for bladder cancer patients with limited metastases after initial treatment

Official title: Consolidative Radiotherapy for Metastatic Urothelial Bladder Cancer Patients Without Progression and With no More Than Three Residual Metastatic Lesions Following First Line Systemic Therapy: a Prospective Randomized Comparative Phase II Trial

Run by Institut Claudius Regaud · NCT04428554 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing if adding local radiotherapy to standard care can help bladder cancer patients with a few remaining metastatic spots live longer after their initial treatment.

More Bladder (Urothelial, Transitional Cell) Cancer trials

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
Enrollment130 (estimated)
SponsorInstitut Claudius Regaud
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionschemotherapy, immunotherapy
Locations20 sites (Albi and 19 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedJune 30, 2020
Main results expectedJuly 2031
Study endsJuly 2031
Registry record updatedNovember 18, 2025
Trial IDNCT04428554 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older with histologically proven metastatic urothelial bladder cancer who have completed initial systemic therapy without disease progression.

Probably not a fit

Patients with extensive metastatic disease or those who have experienced disease progression after initial treatment may not benefit from this study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This Phase II multicenter trial evaluates the effectiveness of local consolidative radiotherapy combined with standard care for patients with metastatic urothelial bladder cancer who have no disease progression and up to three remaining metastatic lesions after first-line systemic therapy. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the experimental treatment or standard care alone. The study aims to determine if the addition of radiotherapy can improve overall survival rates. Patients will be monitored for four years following randomization.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly improve survival outcomes for patients with metastatic urothelial bladder cancer.

How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown promising results with similar approaches in treating metastatic cancers, suggesting potential for success in this trial.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Age ≥ 18 years
2. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status ≤ 2
3. Urothelial bladder cancer histologically proven (both pure urothelial cancers and mixed histologic features are allowed)
4. Metastatic patients to regional nodes (Tx,N1-N3,M0) and/or distant sites (Tx,Nx,M1a-M1b) documented with contrast-enhanced CT-scanner of the chest, abdomen and pelvis, either de novo or presenting first regional/distant relapse following cystectomy (with no local recurrence in the cystectomy bed)
5. Completion of the initial phase (4-6 cycles) of 1st line metastatic treatment (systemic therapy by chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy by immune check-point inhibitor according to standard recommendations). Patients having started maintenance therapy are eligible.
6. No disease progression after the initial phase of first-line metastatic systemic therapy according to RECIST v1.1
7. No more than 3 residual distant metastatic lesions following the initial phase of first-line metastatic systemic therapy:

   1. Regional nodes (below aortic bifurcation) are not included in the count of distant metastatic lesions
   2. The number of distant residual lesions is determined on the basis of the imaging modality for tumor response assessment performed after systemic treatment according to local habits (CT-scan or 18FDG PET-CT if performed):

      In case of response assessment by CT-scanner only: residual lesions are all remaining visible lesions In case of response assessment by additional 18FDG PET-CT: residual lesions are only the lesions with residual hyperfixation
   3. Regarding distant lymph nodes metastases:

      * If evaluation is performed by CT-scanner only, residual lymph nodes are considered pathological according to one or several criteria among: Short axis ≥ 1cm/Central necrosis/Heterogeneous contrast enhancement
      * Residual para-aortic nodes involvement accounts for one lesion, even if several para-aortic nodes are involved.
      * Other nodes: each involved node accounts for one lesion.
8. Residual distant metastases (if applicable) eligible for SBRT in terms of dose constraints to the organs at risk, with no prior radiotherapy interfering with SBRT
9. 8 weeks or less between last cycle of the initial phase of systemic treatment and randomization
10. No contraindication to pelvic radiotherapy
11. Signed informed consent
12. Patient able to participate and willing to give informed consent prior performance of any study-related procedures and to comply with the study protocol
13. Patient affiliated to a Social Health Insurance in France

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Non-transitional cell histology (Squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma or neuroendocrine carcinoma of the bladder)
2. Brain metastases before systemic treatment
3. Liver metastases before systemic treatment
4. Absence of target to be irradiated (i.e. previous cystectomy + no residual distant lesions following systemic treatment + no pelvic or para-aortic nodes at metastatic presentation)
5. Patient with relapse following definitive chemoradiation of the bladder
6. Local recurrence in the cystectomy bed following cystectomy
7. Previous pelvic irradiation
8. Prior radiotherapy near the residual metastatic lesions precluding ablative SBRT
9. Active inflammatory bowel disease
10. Contraindication to SBRT of a lesion due to organ dysfunction; in particular, patients with lung lesions and documented or suspected interstitial lung disease should not be included
11. History of scleroderma
12. Current or past history of second neoplasm diagnosed within the last 5 years (except basocellular carcinoma and prostate cancer incidentally discovered during previous cystoprostatetectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection and with a good prognosis \[T stage \<pT3b and Gleason \<8 and pN- and post-operative PSA \<0.1 ng/mL\])
13. Pregnancy or breast feeding or inadequate contraceptive measures
14. Known psychiatric or substance abuse disorders that would interfere with cooperation with the requirements of the trial.
15. Any psychological, familial, geographic or social situation, according to the judgment of investigator, potentially preventing the provision of informed consent or compliance to study procedure
16. Patient who has forfeited his/her freedom by administrative or legal award or who is under legal protection (curatorship and guardianship, protection of justice).
17. Concurrent enrolment in another interventional therapeutic clinical study

Where it's running

  • Clinique Claude Bernard
    Albi, France
    Recruiting
  • Institut de Cancerologie de L'Ouest
    Angers, France
    Recruiting
  • CHU Besançon
    Besançon, France
    Recruiting
  • Institut Bergonie
    Bordeaux, France
    Recruiting
  • CHRU Brest
    Brest, France
    Recruiting
  • Clinique Pasteur-Lanroze
    Brest, France
    Recruiting
Show 14 more locations
  • Centre Francois Baclesse
    Caen, France
    Recruiting
  • Institut Andrée Dutreix
    Dunkirk, France
    Recruiting
  • Institut Paoli-Calmettes
    Marseille, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Antoine Lacassagne
    Nice, France
    Recruiting
  • Institut Curie
    Paris, France
    Recruiting
  • Institut de Cancerologie de L'Ouest
    Saint-Herblain, France
    Recruiting
  • HIA Bégin
    Saint-Mandé, France
    Recruiting
  • Institut Universitaire du Cancer Toulouse Oncopole
    Toulouse, France
    Recruiting
  • Institut Gustave Roussy
    Villejuif, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Jean Perrin
    Clermont-Ferrand, France
    Withdrawn
  • Centre Oscar Lambret
    Lille, France
    Withdrawn
  • Groupe Hospitalier Paris Saint-Joseph
    Paris, France
    Not yet recruiting
  • Groupement de Radiothérapie et d'Oncologie des Pyrénées
    Pau, France
    Withdrawn
  • Institut de Cancerologie Lucien Neuwirth
    Saint-Priest-en-Jarez, France
    Not yet recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.