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Chemotherapy

Chemoradiation + Radiation Boost for Rectal Cancer (Morpheus Trial)

Phase 2 & 3
Recruiting
Led By Te Vuong, MD
Research Sponsored by Sir Mortimer B. Davis - Jewish General Hospital
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
No metastatic lesion
Lumen accessible for colonoscopy
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up 5 years post treatment
Awards & highlights

Morpheus Trial Summary

This trial is studying two different types of radiation therapy for rectal cancer.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for adults over 18 with early-stage rectal cancer that hasn't spread, can be seen via colonoscopy, and is within 10 cm of the anal verge. The tumor must be less than 5 cm, occupy less than half the circumference of the rectum, and not have penetrated deeply into surrounding fat. Participants need to use effective birth control if applicable.Check my eligibility
What is being tested?
The study compares two treatments after standard chemoradiation for rectal cancer: one group receives an external beam radiation boost (EBRT), while another gets a high-dose-rate brachytherapy boost (HDRBT). Patients are randomly assigned to either treatment arm.See study design
What are the potential side effects?
Potential side effects include those from radiation like skin irritation, fatigue, bowel issues; chemotherapy may cause nausea, low blood counts leading to infection risk or bleeding problems; brachytherapy might add localized pain or discomfort.

Morpheus Trial Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
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My cancer has not spread to other parts of my body.
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My colon can be examined with a colonoscopy.
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My rectal cancer has not spread to nearby lymph nodes.
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My tumor is smaller than 5 cm.
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I am older than 18 years.
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My tumor is within 10 cm of the anal opening.
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My cancer has spread less than 5 mm into the fat around my rectum.
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My tumor can be reached for internal radiation treatment.
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My rectal cancer is at an early but invasive stage.
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My rectal tumor affects less than half of the rectum's circumference.

Morpheus Trial Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~5 years post treatment
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 5 years post treatment for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Outcome measures can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary outcome measures
TME-free survival
Secondary outcome measures
Disease-free survival
Local Recurrence
Overall Quality of life
+1 more

Morpheus Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Chemoradiation + HDRBT BoostExperimental Treatment2 Interventions
standard chemoradiation (45 Gy in 25 with concomitant 5-FU or Xeloda chemotherapy) and followed by a brachytherapy boost of 30 Gy in 3 fractions; Complete responders and Non-complete responders
Group II: Chemoradiation + EBRT BoostExperimental Treatment2 Interventions
standard chemoradiation (45 Gy in 25 with concomitant 5-FU or Xeloda chemotherapy) and an external beam boost of 9 Gy in 5; Complete responders and Non-complete responders

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

Sir Mortimer B. Davis - Jewish General HospitalLead Sponsor
55 Previous Clinical Trials
21,015 Total Patients Enrolled
Te Vuong, MDPrincipal InvestigatorSir Mortimer Jewish General Hospital
6 Previous Clinical Trials
292 Total Patients Enrolled

Media Library

5-FU (Chemotherapy) 2023 Treatment Timeline for Medical Study. Trial Name: NCT03051464 — Phase 2 & 3
Rectal Cancer Clinical Trial 2023: 5-FU Highlights & Side Effects. Trial Name: NCT03051464 — Phase 2 & 3

Frequently Asked Questions

These questions and answers are submitted by anonymous patients, and have not been verified by our internal team.

Is this study only recruiting patients who are 45 years or older?

"This particular trial is meant for patients aged 18 to 80. However, there are 11 other trials for patients who are underage and 315 trials for patients that are elderly."

Answered by AI

Who meets the screening requirements for this particular research study?

"This study is looking for 145 individuals over the age of 18 who have rectal carcinoma. The most crucial inclusion criteria are as follows: The tumor cannot be located more than 10 cm away from the anal verge, the rectal cancer must be clinically staged as a T2 or T3 by MRI or endoscopic/trans-rectal ultrasound, the rectal cancer must be staged as an N0 by MRI or EUS/TRUS, there cannot be any metastatic lesions, the rectal tumor cannot occupy more than half the circumference, the tumor cannot be larger than 5 cm on its largest dimension, the tumor penetration in the"

Answered by AI

What are the benefits that patients might experience from participating in this clinical trial?

"The primary endpoint for this study will be TME-free survival rates two years after treatment. Additionally, the research team will also be measuring for overall survival, local recurrence, and changes in quality of life over time."

Answered by AI
~28 spots leftby Jan 2026