Low-Dose Radiotherapy for Alzheimer's Disease (NCT07693140) | Clinical Trial Compass
RecruitingPhase 1/2
Low-Dose Radiotherapy for Alzheimer's Disease
United States50 participantsStarted 2026-07-15
Plain-language summary
To evaluate the safety and tolerability of low-dose whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) delivered as an induction course of 0.3 Gy × 10 fractions (3.0 Gy total) followed by 12 months of monthly maintenance LDRT (0.3 Gy × 10 fractions; 3.0 Gy total) in patients with Alzheimer's disease or dementia with inflammatory components
Who can participate
Age range
50 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
. Age ≥50 years at time of enrollment
. Externally confirmed diagnosis by a neurologist or geriatric psychiatrist (at Renaissance Institute, collaborating neurologist Dr. Sherif Makar, MD of Charis Neurology is available for diagnostic consultation) of one of the following: a. Alzheimer's disease (per NIA-AA 2011 or 2018 criteria) b. Frontotemporal dementia with documented inflammatory features c. Dementia with Lewy bodies with elevated inflammatory CSF markers d. Other neurodegenerative dementia with confirmed inflammatory component (elevated CSF IL-6, IL-1β, or TNF-α; or neuroimaging evidence of neuroinflammation)
. Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) ≥60 or ECOG Performance Status ≤2
. Medically stable and capable of receiving radiation therapy as assessed by the treating radiation oncologist
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
Safety, As Measured By Incidence of Grade 3 or Higher Treatment-Related Adverse Events
Timeframe: From the first induction radiotherapy fraction through 30 days after the final monthly maintenance fraction (acute monitoring period), approximately 13 to 15 months
. Reliable caregiver or informant able to accompany the patient to ≥80% of scheduled visits
. Written informed consent from patient (if decision-making capacity is preserved) and/or legally authorized representative (LAR); caregiver co-consent required
. Life expectancy ≥18 months in the opinion of the treating physician
Exclusion criteria
. Prior whole brain or partial brain radiotherapy of any dose at any time
. Active systemic malignancy requiring concurrent oncologic treatment
. Implanted device contraindicated with radiation therapy (pacemaker, cochlear implant, deep brain stimulator, or equivalent)
. Brain MRI demonstrating any of the following: (a) more than 4 cerebral microhemorrhages on susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) or gradient echo (GRE) sequences; (b) more than 1 area of superficial cortical siderosis; (c) severe white matter disease (Fazekas grade 3); or (d) any macrohemorrhage or hemosiderin-stained lesion \>10 mm. These thresholds are adapted from established AD trial imaging exclusion criteria to minimize enrollment of patients with advanced cerebrovascular disease or pre-existing hemorrhagic risk factors.
. Known active cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation (CAA-ri) or amyloid-related beta-angiitis (ABRA), whether confirmed by biopsy, CSF analysis, or neuroimaging features consistent with active leptomeningeal or parenchymal amyloid-related inflammation
. Active autoimmune encephalitis in acute phase (patients in stable chronic phase are eligible)
. Uncontrolled systemic infection or active sepsis at enrollment
. Severe psychiatric comorbidity (active psychosis, active suicidal ideation) impairing protocol compliance or safety assessment