18F-DOPA-PET in Finding Tumors in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Gliomas Undergoing Radiation Therapy

This phase II trial studies how well fluorine F 18 fluorodopa (18F-DOPA)-positron emission tomography (PET) works in finding tumors in patients with newly diagnosed gliomas undergoing radiation therapy. Comparing results of diagnostic procedures done before and during radiation therapy may help doctors predict a patient's response to treatment and help plan the best treatment.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Compare confirmed-progression free survival at 6 months for grade IV MGMT unmethylated glioma patients after radiation therapy targeting volumes designed with both 18F-DOPA PET and conventional magnetic resonance (MR) image information with historical controls from Mayo Clinic Rochester patients, including those treated on North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG) clinical trials.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Compare progression free survival at 12 months for grade III patients after radiation therapy targeting volumes designed with both 18F-DOPA PET and conventional MR image information with historical controls from Mayo Clinic Rochester patients, including those on NCCTG clinical trials.

II. Compare patient overall survival after radiation therapy targeting volumes designed with both 18F-DOPA PET and conventional MR image information with historical controls from Mayo Clinic Rochester patients, including those on NCCTG clinical trials.

III. Evaluate quality of life after radiotherapy treatment targeting dose escalated volumes defined to include high 18F-DOPA PET uptake.

IV. Determine acute and late effect toxicity after radiotherapy treatment targeting dose escalated volumes defined to include high 18F-DOPA PET uptake.

V. Compare confirmed-progression free survival at 12 months for grade IV MGMT methylated patients after radiation therapy targeting volumes designed with both 18F-DOPA PET and conventional MR image information with historical controls from Mayo Clinic Rochester patients, including those on NCCTG clinical trials.

VI. Compare confirmed-progression free survival in grade IV MGMT un-methylated patients with similar historical controls from Mayo Clinic Rochester patients, including those on NCCTG clinical trials.

VII. Compare confirmed-progression free survival in grade IV MGMT methylated patients with similar historical controls from Mayo Clinic Rochester patients, including those on NCCTG clinical trials.

TERTIARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Compare radiation therapy (RT) treatment volumes defined by MR only with RT treatment volumes defined with both PET and MR information for grade IV glioma patients.

II. Compare timing of accurate identification of progression defined by 18F-DOPA PET, perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (pMRI) and conventional MRI for grade IV glioma patients.

III. Compare patterns of failure after radiation therapy targeting volumes defined with target volumes designed to with both 18F-DOPA PET and conventional MR image information with patterns of failure for historical controls from Mayo Clinic Rochester patients, including those on NCCTG clinical trials.

IV. Compare RT treatment volumes defined by MR only with RT treatment volumes defined with both PET and MR information for grade III glioma patients.

V. Evaluate intra- and inter-observer variability with vs. without the addition of 18F-DOPA PET uptake for radiotherapy target volume delineation.

VI. Compare timing of accurate identification of progression defined by 18F-DOPA PET, pMRI and conventional MRI for grade III glioma patients.

VII. Compare predictive capabilities of 18F-DOPA PET, pMRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) for localization of recurrences for patients treated with 18F-DOPA PET-guided RT dose escalation.

OUTLINE:

Patients undergo 18F DOPA-PET, pMRI, and DTI within 14 days before radiation therapy, 3-6 weeks after radiation therapy, and during follow-up. Patients also undergo intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) over 30 fractions and receive temozolomide.

After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up periodically for up to 5 years.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* Histologically confirmed newly diagnosed grade IV malignant glioma; Note: grade III patients are no longer being enrolled
* Computed tomography (CT) simulation, immobilization, MRI and PET imaging, treatment planning, and all follow-up MRI and PET scans to be performed at Mayo Clinic Rochester; Note: the actual radiation therapy treatments and follow-up other than imaging can be performed at Mayo Clinic Rochester, Northfield, LaCrosse, Mankato, Eau Claire, or Albert Lea
* Provide written informed consent
* Ability to complete questionnaire(s) by themselves or with assistance

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients diagnosed with anaplastic oligodendroglioma
* Unable to undergo MRI scans with contrast (e.g. cardiac pacemaker, defibrillator, kidney failure)
* Unable to undergo an 18F-DOPA PET scan (e.g. Parkinson's disease, taking anti-dopaminergic, or dopamine agonist medication or less than 6 half-lives from discontinuance of dopamine agonists); NOTE: other potentially interfering drugs consist of: amoxapine, amphetamine, benztropine, bupropion, buspirone, cocaine, mazindol, methamphetamine, methylphenidate, norephedrine, phentermine, phenylpropanolamine, selegiline, paroxetine, citalopram, and sertraline; if a patient is on any of these drugs, list which ones on the on-study form
* Any of the following:

  * Pregnant women
  * Nursing women
  * Men or women of childbearing potential who are unwilling to employ adequate contraception