This study is looking at whether adding targeted radiation therapy to standard immunotherapy can improve outcomes for people with advanced melanoma that has spread to a small number of places in the body.
Immunotherapy is already a standard treatment for advanced melanoma. Radiation therapy is also commonly used, but these treatments are usually given at different times. This study is testing whether giving them together works better than immunotherapy on its own.
The type of radiation therapy used in this study is called stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). SBRT uses high‑dose X‑rays aimed very precisely at melanoma deposits and this precision helps protect nearby healthy tissue. The radiation damages the cancer cells so they break down and die. Treatment is usually given over a few sessions (called fractions) across several days, depending on how many tumours there are and where they are located.
Who can participate?
This trial is recruiting people:
- a first diagnosis of stage IV melanoma
- the melanoma has spread to 1-5 places outside of the brain (called extracranial metastases)
- who have not received prior treatment for your advanced disease
Study details
Eligible participants will be randomly assigned (by chance) to receive either:
- standard of care immunotherapy, or
- immunotherapy plus SBRT given early in treatment.
People will be randomised on a 1:2 ratio, meaning more people will receive the combination treatment than immunotherapy alone. This helps researchers learn more about how safe and effective the combined treatment is, while still ensuring everyone receives standard care.
What is the aim of the study?
Researchers want to find out whether:
- Adding SBRT to immunotherapy is safe
- The combination helps people live longer
- The immune system responds more strongly to treatment