Clinical trial Recruiting at 120 sites Phase1; Phase2 Interventional

Treatment options for children and adults with rhabdomyosarcoma

Official title: FaR-RMS: An Overarching Study for Children and Adults With Frontline and Relapsed RhabdoMyoSarcoma

Run by University of Birmingham · NCT04625907 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing different treatment options for children and adults with rhabdomyosarcoma to see which ones work best for newly diagnosed and relapsed cases.

More Rhabdomyosarcoma trials

Quick facts

PhasePhase1; Phase2
Study typeInterventional
SexAll
Enrollment1672 (estimated)
SponsorUniversity of Birmingham
Academic / other
Drugs / interventionschemotherapy, cyclophosphamide
Locations128 sites (Brisbane and 127 other locations)
StatusRecruiting
StartedSeptember 17, 2020
Main results expectedJune 2030
Study endsJune 2030
Registry record updatedMay 23, 2024
Trial IDNCT04625907 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates include children and young adults aged 12 months to 25 years with histologically confirmed rhabdomyosarcoma, particularly those with very high-risk disease.

Probably not a fit

Patients with pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma or those who have received prior treatment for RMS 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

FaR-RMS is a comprehensive program designed for children and adults with newly diagnosed and relapsed rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS). This multi-arm, multi-stage study evaluates various treatment regimens, including the impact of new agents, maintenance therapy duration, and modifications to radiotherapy protocols. The study also aims to improve risk stratification using genetic markers and assess the prognostic value of FDG PET-CT imaging following chemotherapy. Patients can enter the study at different stages of their treatment journey, allowing for flexible participation based on individual circumstances.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could lead to improved treatment outcomes and quality of life for patients with rhabdomyosarcoma.

How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown promise in evaluating new treatment regimens for rhabdomyosarcoma, but the specific multi-arm approach of FaR-RMS is relatively novel.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria for study entry - Mandatory at first point of study entry

1. Histologically confirmed diagnosis of RMS (except pleomorphic RMS)
2. Written informed consent from the patient and/or the parent/legal guardian

Phase 1b Dose Finding - IRIVA Inclusion

1. Entered in to the FaR-RMS study at diagnosis
2. Very High Risk disease
3. Age \>12 months and ≤25 years
4. No prior treatment for RMS other than surgery
5. Medically fit to receive treatment
6. Adequate hepatic function:

   1. Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) for age, unless the patient is known to have Gilbert's syndrome
   2. ALT or AST \< 2.5 X ULN for age
7. Absolute neutrophil count ≥1.0x 109/L
8. Platelets ≥ 80 x 109/L
9. Adequate renal function: estimated or measured creatinine clearance ≥60 ml/min/1.73 m2
10. Documented negative pregnancy test for female patients of childbearing potential
11. Patient agrees to use contraception during therapy and for 12 months after last trial treatment (females) or 6 months after last trial treatment (males), where patient is sexually active
12. Written informed consent from the patient and/or the parent/legal guardian

Exclusion

1. Weight \<10kg
2. Active \> grade 2 diarrhoea
3. Prior allo- or autologous Stem Cell Transplant
4. Uncontrolled inter-current illness or active infection
5. Pre-existing medical condition precluding treatment
6. Urinary outflow obstruction that cannot be relieved prior to starting treatment
7. Active inflammation of the urinary bladder (cystitis)
8. Known hypersensitivity to any of the treatments or excipients
9. Second malignancy
10. Pregnant or breastfeeding women

Frontline chemotherapy randomisation Very High Risk - CT1a Inclusion

1. Entered in to the FaR-RMS study at diagnosis
2. Very High Risk disease
3. Age ≥ 6 months
4. Available for randomisation ≤60 days after diagnostic biopsy/surgery
5. No prior treatment for RMS other than surgery
6. Medically fit to receive treatment
7. Adequate hepatic function :

   a. Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) for age, unless the patient is known to have Gilbert's syndrome
8. Absolute neutrophil count ≥1.0x 109/L (except in patients with documented bone marrow disease)
9. Platelets ≥ 80 x 109/L (except in patients with documented bone marrow disease)
10. Fractional Shortening ≥ 28%
11. Documented negative pregnancy test for female patients of childbearing potential
12. Patient agrees to use contraception during therapy and for 12 months after last trial treatment (females) or 6 months after last trial treatment (males), where patient is sexually active
13. Written informed consent from the patient and/or the parent/legal guardian

Exclusion

1. Active \> grade 2 diarrhoea
2. Prior allo- or autologous Stem Cell Transplant
3. Uncontrolled inter-current illness or active infection
4. Pre-existing medical condition precluding treatment
5. Urinary outflow obstruction that cannot be relieved prior to starting treatment
6. Active inflammation of the urinary bladder (cystitis)
7. Known hypersensitivity to any of the treatments or excipients
8. Second malignancy
9. Pregnant or breastfeeding women

Frontline chemotherapy randomisation High Risk - CT1b Inclusion

1. Entered in to the FaR-RMS study at diagnosis
2. High Risk disease
3. Age ≥ 6 months
4. Available for randomisation ≤60 days after diagnostic biopsy/surgery
5. No prior treatment for RMS other than surgery
6. Medically fit to receive treatment
7. Adequate hepatic function :

   a. Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN) for age, except if the patient is known to have Gilbert's syndrome
8. Absolute neutrophil count ≥1.0x 109/L
9. Platelets ≥ 80 x 109/L
10. Documented negative pregnancy test for female patients of childbearing potential
11. Patient agrees to use contraception during therapy and for 12 months after last trial treatment (females) or 6 months after last trial treatment (males), where patient is sexually active
12. Written informed consent from the patient and/or the parent/legal guardian

Exclusion

1. Active \> grade 2 diarrhoea
2. Prior allo- or autologous Stem Cell Transplant
3. Uncontrolled inter-current illness or active infection
4. Pre-existing medical condition precluding treatment
5. Urinary outflow obstruction that cannot be relieved prior to starting treatment
6. Active inflammation of the urinary bladder (cystitis)
7. Known hypersensitivity to any of the treatments or excipients
8. Second malignancy
9. Pregnant or breastfeeding women

Frontline Radiotherapy Note: eligible patients may enter multiple radiotherapy randomisations.

Radiotherapy Inclusion - for all radiotherapy randomisations

1. Entered in to the FaR-RMS study (at diagnosis or prior to radiotherapy randomisation)
2. Very High Risk, High Risk and Standard Risk disease
3. ≥ 2 years of age
4. Receiving frontline induction treatment as part of the FaR-RMS trial or with a IVA/IVADo based chemotherapy regimen patients for whom. Note that patients for whom ifosfamide has been replaced with cyclophosphamide will be eligible
5. Patient assessed as medically fit to receive the radiotherapy
6. Documented negative pregnancy test for female patients of childbearing potential
7. Patient agrees to use contraception during therapy and for 12 months after last trial treatment (females) or 6 months after last trial treatment (males), where patient is sexually active
8. Written informed consent from the patient and/or the parent/legal guardian

Radiotherapy Exclusion - for all radiotherapy randomisations

1. Prior allo- or autologous Stem Cell Transplant
2. Second malignancy
3. Pregnant or breastfeeding women
4. Receiving radiotherapy as brachytherapy

RT1a Specific Inclusion

1. Primary tumour deemed resectable (predicted R0/ R1 resection feasible) after 3 cycles of induction chemotherapy (6 cycles for metastatic disease)
2. Adjuvant radiotherapy required in addition to surgical resection (local decision).
3. Available for randomisation after cycle 3 and prior to the start of cycle 6 of induction chemotherapy for localised disease, or after cycle 6 and prior to the start of cycle 9 for metastatic disease

RT1b Specific Inclusion

1. Primary tumour deemed resectable (predicted R0/R1 resection) after 3 cycles of induction chemotherapy (6 cycles for metastatic disease).
2. Adjuvant radiotherapy required in addition to surgical resection (local decision)
3. Higher Local Failure Risk (HLFR) based on presence of either of the following criteria:

   1. Unfavourable site
   2. Age ≥ 18yrs
4. Available for randomisation after cycle 3 and prior to the start of cycle 6 of induction chemotherapy for localised disease, or after cycle 6 and prior to the start of cycle 9 for metastatic disease

RT1c Specific Inclusion

1. Primary radiotherapy indicated (local decision)
2. Higher Local Failure Risk (HLFR) based on either of the following criteria:

   1. Unfavourable site
   2. Age ≥ 18yrs
3. Available for randomisation after cycle 3 and prior to the start of cycle 6 of induction chemotherapy for localised disease, or after cycle 6 and prior to the start of cycle 9 for metastatic disease

RT2

1. Available for randomisation after cycle 6 and before the start of cycle 9 of induction chemotherapy.
2. Unfavourable metastatic disease, defined as Modified Oberlin Prognostic Score 2-4

   * Note: Definition of metastatic lesions for RT2 eligibility

Modified Oberlin Prognostic Score (1 point for each adverse factor):

* Age ≥10y
* Extremity, Other, Unidentified Primary Site
* Bone and/ or Bone Marrow involvement
* ≥3 metastatic sites

Unfavourable metastatic disease: 2- 4 adverse factors Favourable metastatic disease: 0-1 adverse factors

Maintenance chemotherapy (Very High Risk) - CT2a Inclusion Randomisation must take place during the 12th cycle of maintenance chemotherapy.

1. Entered in to the FaR-RMS study (at diagnosis or at any subsequent time point)
2. Very High Risk disease
3. Received frontline induction chemotherapy as part of the FaR-RMS trial or with a IVA/IVADo based chemotherapy regimen

   a. Patients for whom ifosfamide has been replaced with cyclophosphamide will be eligible
4. Completed 11 cycles of VnC maintenance treatment (either oral or IV regimens)
5. No evidence of progressive disease
6. Absence of severe vincristine neuropathy - i.e requiring discontinuation of vincristine treatment)
7. Medically fit to continue to receive treatment
8. Patient agrees to use contraception during therapy and for 12 months after last trial treatment (females) or 6 months after last trial treatment (males), where patient is sexually active
9. Written informed consent from the patient and/or the parent/legal guardian

Exclusion

1. Prior allo- or autologous Stem Cell Transplant
2. Uncontrolled intercurrent illness or active infection
3. Urinary outflow obstruction that cannot be relieved prior to starting treatment
4. Active inflammation of the urinary bladder (cystitis)
5. Second malignancy
6. Pregnant or breastfeeding women

Maintenance chemotherapy (High Risk) - CT2b Randomisation must take place during the 6th cycle of maintenance chemotherapy. Inclusion

1. Entered in to the FaR-RMS study (at diagnosis or at any subsequent time point)
2. High Risk disease
3. Received frontline induction chemotherapy as part of the FaR-RMS trial or with a IVA based chemotherapy regimen. Note that patients for whom ifosfamide has been replaced with cyclophosphamide will be eligible
4. Completed 5 cycles of VnC maintenance treatment
5. No evidence of progressive disease
6. Absence of severe vincristine neuropathy i.e. requiring discontinuation of vincristine treatment
7. Medically fit to continue to receive treatment
8. Patient agrees to use contraception during therapy and for 12 months after last trial treatment (females) or 6 months after last trial treatment (males), where patient is sexually active
9. Written informed consent from the patient and/or the parent/legal guardian

Exclusion

1. Prior allo- or autologous Stem Cell Transplant
2. Uncontrolled inter current illness or active infection
3. Urinary outflow obstruction that cannot be relieved prior to starting treatment
4. Active inflammation of the urinary bladder (cystitis)
5. Second malignancy
6. Pregnant or breastfeeding women

CT3 Relapsed Chemotherapy

Inclusion:

1. Entered in to the FaR-RMS study (at diagnosis or at any subsequent time point)
2. First or subsequent relapse of histologically verified RMS
3. Age ≥ 6 months
4. Measurable or evaluable disease
5. No cytotoxic chemotherapy or other investigational medicinal product (IMP) within previous three weeks: within two weeks for vinorelbine and cyclophosphamide maintenance chemotherapy
6. Medically fit to receive trial treatment
7. Documented negative pregnancy test for female patients of childbearing potential within 7 days of planned randomisation
8. Patient agrees to use contraception during therapy and for 12 months after last trial treatment (females) or 6 months after last trial treatment (males), where patient is sexually active
9. Written informed consent from the patient and/or the parent/legal guardian

Exclusion:

1. Progression during frontline therapy without previous response (=Refractory to first line treatment)
2. Prior regorafenib or temozolomide
3. Active \> grade 1 diarrhoea
4. ALT or AST \>3.0 x upper limit normal (ULN)
5. Bilirubin, Total \>1.5 x ULN; total bilirubin is allowed up to 3 x ULN if Gilbert's syndrome is documented
6. Patients with unstable angina or new onset angina (within 3 months of planned date of randomisation), recent myocardial infarction (within 6 months of randomisation) and those with cardiac failure New York Heart Association (NYHA) Classification 2 or higher Cardiac abnormalities such as congestive heart failure (Modified Ross Heart Failure Classification for Children = class 2) and cardiac arrhythmias requiring antiarrhythmic therapy (beta blockers or digoxin are permitted)
7. Uncontrolled hypertension \> 95th centile for age and gender
8. Prior allo- or autologous Stem Cell Transplant
9. Uncontrolled inter-current illness or active infection
10. Pre-existing medical condition precluding treatment
11. Known hypersensitivity to any of the treatments or excipients
12. Second malignancy
13. Pregnant or breastfeeding women

Where it's running

  • Queensland Children's Hospital
    Brisbane, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Chris O'brien Lifehouse
    Camperdown, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Monash Children's Hospital
    Clayton, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Peter Maccallum Cancer Centre
    Melbourne, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Royal Childrens Hospital Melbourne
    Melbourne, Australia
    Recruiting
  • John Hunter Children's Hospital
    New Lambton Heights, Australia
    Recruiting
Show 44 more locations
  • Perth Children's Hospital
    Perth, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Sydney Children's Hospital
    Sydney, Australia
    Recruiting
  • The Childrens Hospital At Westmead
    Sydney, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Westmead Hospital
    Westmead, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Princess Alexandra Hospital
    Woolloongabba, Australia
    Recruiting
  • Kepler University Clinic Linz
    Linz, Austria
    Recruiting
  • St Anna Childrens Hospital
    Vienna, Austria
    Recruiting
  • Cliniques Universitaires Saint Luc
    Brussels, Belgium
    Recruiting
  • Hopital Universitaire Des Enfants Reine Fabiola
    Brussels, Belgium
    Recruiting
  • Universitair Ziekenhuis Gent
    Ghent, Belgium
    Recruiting
  • Uz Leuven Campus Gasthuisberg
    Leuven, Belgium
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Regional De La Citadelle
    Liège, Belgium
    Recruiting
  • Clinique Chc Montlegia
    Liège, Belgium
    Recruiting
  • Masaryk University Hospital Brno
    Brno, Czechia
    Recruiting
  • Aarhus University Hospital
    Aarhus, Denmark
    Recruiting
  • University Hospital Rigshospitalet
    Copenhagen, Denmark
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire D'angers
    Angers, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire Besancon - Hopital Jean Minjoz
    Besançon, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Bordeaux - Hopital Pellegrin
    Bordeaux, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire Brest - Hopital Morvan
    Brest, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Francois Baclesse
    Caen, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Caen
    Caen, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Dijon Bourgogne - Hopital D'enfants
    Dijon, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Grenoble
    Grenoble, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire La Reunion
    La Réunion, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Oscar Lambret
    Lille, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Leon Berard
    Lyon, France
    Recruiting
  • Hopital De La Timone (ap-hm)
    Marseille, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Nancy
    Nancy, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Nantes
    Nantes, France
    Recruiting
  • Hopital Armand Trousseau
    Paris, France
    Recruiting
  • Institut Curie
    Paris, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Haut Levque
    Pessac, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Poitiers
    Poitiers, France
    Recruiting
  • Chu De Reims
    Reims, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Eugne Marquis De Rennes
    Rennes, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Rennes - Hopital Pontchaillou
    Rennes, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Rouen
    Rouen, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Saint-etienne
    Saint-Etienne, France
    Recruiting
  • Strasbourg Hautepierre
    Strasbourg, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Universitaire De Toulouse - Hopital Des Enfants
    Toulouse, France
    Recruiting
  • Centre Hospitalier Regional Universitaire De Tours - Hopital Clocheville
    Tours, France
    Recruiting
  • Gustave Roussy
    Villejuif, France
    Recruiting
  • Children's General Hospital P and A Kyriakou
    Athens, Greece
    Recruiting

+78 more sites. See ClinicalTrials.gov for the full list.

Study contacts

Similar studies

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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.