Prophylactic Anti-Seizure Medication vs No Anti-Seizure Medication for Patients With Primary Motor Cortex Brain Metastases
A Phase II Randomized Open-Label Trial of Levetiracetam for Prevention of Seizures in Patients With Brain Metastases in Primary Motor Cortex
Who can join
Ages 18 and older · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Participants must have a biopsy proven solid malignancy with at least one intracranial lesion radiographically consistent with or pathologically proven to be a brain metastasis located in the primary motor cortex measuring 0.5 cm or larger in maximal unidimensional size 2. Age of at least 18 years 3. Karnofsky performance status of at least 60 4. Estimated survival of at least 3-6 months in the opinion of the enrolling clinician and/or study PI 5. Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document by either ink on paper or a DF/HCC approved eConsent medium Exclusion Criteria: 1. Participants with prior seizures as this is a study for seizure naïve patients 2. Participants with an allergy to levetiracetam as levetiracetam is the prophylactic anti-seizure medication under study 3. Participants concurrently taking (i.e. at enrollment) an ASM for non-seizure indications at clinically relevant doses (gabapentin 1800 mg/day or higher, pregabalin 300 mg/ day or higher, lamotrigine 150 mg/ day or higher, valproic acid 1000 mg/ day or higher, topiramate 200 mg/ day or higher, carbamazepine 200 mg/ day or higher, oxcarbazepine 300 mg/ day or higher, primidone 100 mg/day or higher) because use of these medications could bias the study toward the null 4. Participants who cannot tolerate a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study of the brain, which is required to determine the presence of and follow the course of brain metastases under study 5. Participants who cannot receive gadolinium as MRI of the brain with contrast is required 6. Participants with end stage renal disease due to risk of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis in this patient population after exposure to gadolinium-based contrast agents 7. Participants with widespread, definitive leptomeningeal disease given that leptomeningeal disease and brain metastases are different entities 8. Pregnant women are excluded from this study because levetiracetam crosses the placenta. In addition, the potential deleterious effects of gadolinium on the developing fetus are not completely known 9. Women who are breastfeeding are excluded from this study because levetiracetam enters breast milk. In addition, the potential deleterious effects of gadolinium in breast milk remain unknown
About the study
This is a randomized trial for patients with brain metastases in the primary motor cortex who have not had seizures to receive either the prophylactic anti-seizure medication levetiracetam (also known by its trade name Keppra) or proceed with standard of care management, which does not currently include prophylactic levetiracetam. Patients who enroll to this trial will be randomized to receive prophylactic levetiracetam or not receive prophylactic levetiracetam.
What is being tested
- Levetiracetam (Keppra) (drug)
Sponsor: Ayal A. Aizer, MD · Participants: 150 · Started: Dec 23, 2025
Contact the study team
- Ayal A Aizer, MD, MHS · Phone: (617) 732-7560
- Marciana F Johnson, MPH · Phone: (617) 582-8335
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07130786
Locations in the U.S.
| Massachusetts | Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 29, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.