Testing Immunotherapy With or Without Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy in Patients With Advanc… (NCT07166406) | Clinical Trial Compass
RecruitingPhase 3
Testing Immunotherapy With or Without Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy in Patients With Advanced Liver Cancer, HELIO-RT Trial
United States, Canada226 participantsStarted 2026-02-26
Plain-language summary
This phase III trial compares the effect of immunotherapy (IO) with stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) to IO alone in treating patients with liver cancer (hepatocellular cancer) that may have spread from where it first started to nearby tissue, lymph nodes, or distant parts of the body (advanced). The usual approach is treatment with IO-based drug combinations, such as atezolizumab and bevacizumab, durvalumab and tremelimumab, or ipilimumab and nivolumab. IO with monoclonal antibodies, such as durvalumab, tremelimumab, atezolizumab, nivolumab and ipilimumab, may help the body's immune system attack the tumor, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Bevacizumab is in a class of medications called antiangiogenic agents. It works by stopping the formation of blood vessels that bring oxygen and nutrients to tumor. This may slow the growth and spread of tumor cells. Radiation therapy uses high energy x-rays, particles, or radioactive seeds to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. SBRT is a type of external radiation therapy that uses special equipment to position a patient and precisely deliver radiation to tumors in the body (except the brain). The total dose of radiation is divided into smaller doses given over several days. This type of radiation therapy helps spare normal tissue. Giving IO with SBRT may be more effective than IO alone in helping patients with advanced hepatocellular cancer live longer.
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion Criteria:
* PRIOR TO STEP 1 REGISTRATION:
* Diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by at least 1 criterion listed below:
* Pathologically (histologically or cytologically) proven diagnosis of HCC (strongly recommended)
* Radiographically proven (American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases \[AASLD\] criteria) diagnosis of HCC by multiphasic MRI and/or CT scan is allowed.
* For patients with a prior or concurrent malignancy, pathologic confirmation of hepatocellular cancer is required.
* HCC macrovascular invasion, defined as enhancing vascular thrombosis demonstrating arterial enhancement and venous or delayed venous washout on multiphasic MRI and/or CT is required.
* Presence of extrahepatic metastatic disease on CT chest and CT or MRI pelvis, or PET/CT chest/abdomen/pelvis is permitted.
* 5 or fewer discrete intrahepatic parenchymal foci of HCC.
* Total maximal sum of hepatocellular carcinoma tumors, as a single conglomerate, multiple lesions, or infiltrative HCC \< 20 cm in total summed diameter.
* No direct primary tumor extension into the stomach, duodenum, small bowel, or large bowel.
* No known fibrolamellar HCC, sarcomatoid HCC, or biphenotypic HCC.
* Child-Pugh class A or B7 liver function.
* Age ≥ 18.
* Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-2.
* Not pregnant and not nursing
* Negative urine or serum pregnancy test (in persons of childbearing potential) within 30 days prior to registration. Childbearing po…
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Overall survival (OS)
Timeframe: From the date of randomization to the date of death or last follow-up, assessed up to 5 years