INSPIRE: Innovative SABR for Prostate cancer all Ireland
What is the INSPIRE trial?
- INSPIRE is a clinical research study for people with prostate cancer which has not spread beyond the prostate.
- It uses an advanced form of radiotherapy called SABR, delivered in 5 treatment sessions.
- Tiny markers and a temporary rectal spacer help the treatment team target the prostate accurately while reducing radiation to nearby healthy tissue.
- The aim is to maintain the excellent cancer control associated with SABR, while reducing the risk of urinary, bowel and sexual side effects.
Meet the INSPIRE Team
INSPIRE is a truly all-island initiative, bringing together patients with experience of prostate cancer, radiation oncologists, radiotherapists and physicists from across Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Patient Voices Shaping this Research
Patients have been at the heart of INSPIRE from the very beginning, with people with lived experience of prostate cancer contributing to the development of the trial from its earliest stages.
This photo shows patient contributors Martin Sweeney and Ken McBride speaking at the trial launch about why they believe INSPIRE is an important clinical trial for men with prostate cancer.
Radiation Oncologists Championing INSPIRE
Professor Brian O’Neill (Dublin), Professor Suneil Jain (Belfast) and Professor Paul Kelly (Cork) have led the development of the study, supported by a multidisciplinary team from across the island.
Together, they have combined years of experience treating prostate cancer with the latest research and advances in radiotherapy to develop INSPIRE.
Patients treated on INSPIRE will be treated with a next-generation approach to delivering prostate radiotherapy in just five sessions, while aiming to minimise bladder, bowel and sexual side effects.
Cancer Trials Ireland -Our Study Sponsor
Cancer Trials Ireland have been integral to the development and opening of INSPIRE across Ireland.
As the sponsor of the majority of radiotherapy studies in Ireland, Cancer Trials Ireland play a vital role in making sure radiotherapy research is conducted to the highest standards.
As sponsor, they oversee the study to ensure it is run safely, ethically and in the best interests of patients.
Where is the Trial Open?
A key driver for developing INSPIRE was to enable radiotherapy departments across the country to offer high quality prostate SABR.
In line with IRROG’s ethos that all patients should have access to high-quality research and clinical trials, INSPIRE is opening across the island of Ireland, helping to broaden access to this advanced treatment approach.
The trial is currently open at:
- Bon Secours UPMC Cork
- UPMC Whitfield Hospital in Waterford
It will also open shortly at:
- St. Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network
- University Hospital Galway
- Belfast City Hospital (Belfast Health and Social Care Trust)
- North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin Area Hospital, Derry
- The Beacon Hospital, Dublin
- The Mater Private Hospital, Dublin
- The Mater Private Hospital, Limerick
Consenting to the Trial
- If you are interested in taking part, the study team will explain the trial in detail and give you ample time to read information about the trial.
- The study team and your doctor will answer your questions, and ask you to sign a consent form.
- Taking part is completely voluntary, and you can withdraw at any time without affecting your usual care.
Preparation Before Treatment Begins
- A key step in the treatment preparation involves tiny markers, called fiducial markers, being inserted into the prostate gland.
- These help to ensure the accuracy of SABR treatment, as they can be seen on imaging by the radiation therapists delivering the treatment.
- A gel device called a rectal spacer will also be placed in between the prostate and rectum to help protect the rectum. The fiducial markers and gel rectal spacer are inserted in theatre under a local or general anaesthetic, and this is an essential part of the study preparation.
- Patients will also need to have a CT-planning and MRI scan as a standard part of the treatment preparation.
- Planning and delivery techniques will be chosen to minimise the dose to your bladder and rectum.
SABR Treatment
- The SABR radiotherapy treatment for this study will be given in 5 treatments, or fractions.
- The fractions will be administered on alternating days (with a break at weekends) over the course of around 2 weeks.
- The radiation therapists will advise you about bowel and bladder preparation which you will need to do everyday before treatment.
- Staying hydrated by drinking water will help to ensure your bladder preparation is effective.
After Treatment/Follow-Up
- The study team will collect information as part of your follow-up care for approximately 5 years after your SABR treatment is completed.
- One of the known benefits of taking part in clinical trial is the careful level of monitoring you will receive from the study team.