Using stereotactic radiosurgery to treat essential tremor

Stereotactic Radiosurgery in the Treatment of Tremor in Patients with Essential Tremor - a Randomized Phase II Study

Phase 2 Interventional Maria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology · NCT06821906

This study is testing whether a special type of radiation treatment can help adults over 50 with essential tremor who haven't found relief from medications.

Quick facts

PhasePhase 2
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment42 (estimated)
Ages50 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorMaria Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology Academic / other
Locations1 site (Gliwice)
Trial IDNCT06821906 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This interventional study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of stereotactic radiosurgery in adult patients diagnosed with essential tremor who have not achieved sufficient tremor control with pharmacotherapy. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either a higher or lower dose of radiation using the CyberKnife system. The study will assess both the effectiveness of the treatment and its impact on patients' quality of life, while also monitoring for safety and potential complications. Eligible patients are those over 50 years old with a diagnosis of essential tremor lasting more than five years.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults over 50 with essential tremor who have not responded to medication and are not suitable for deep brain stimulation.

Not a fit: Patients under 50, those with other causes of tremor, or those with serious comorbidities may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this treatment could significantly improve tremor control and quality of life for patients with essential tremor.

How similar studies have performed: While stereotactic radiosurgery is a well-established technique for other conditions, its application for essential tremor is still being explored, making this approach relatively novel.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Essential tremor diagnosed, Parkinson's disease and other causes of tremor excluded.
* Insufficient tremor control despite the use of available pharmacotherapy methods.
* Disqualification from the Deeply Brain Stimualtion procedure/lack of consent to perform it on the side qualified for Stereotactic Radiosurgery
* Consent to participate in a clinical trial.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Age under 50
* Pregnancy
* Duration of the disease less than 5 years
* Dementia, psychosis or other condition that prevents giving informed consent to participate in the study
* Poor general condition, serious comorbidities
* Structural changes in the basal ganglia or major atrophic changes
* Previous radiotherapy to the brain covering the potential treatment area
* Medical contraindications to magnetic resonance imaging

Where this trial is running

Gliwice

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions Essential Tremortremorstereotactic radiosurgeryframeless radiosurgeryessenstial tremorCyberKnife
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.