Home › Liver Cancer (Hepatocellular Carcinoma) › NCT07166406
Testing Immunotherapy With or Without Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy in Patients With Advanced Liver Cancer, HELIO-RT Trial
RecruitingPhase 3
Phase III Randomized Trial of IO-Based Systemic Treatment +/- Liver SBRT in Hepatocellular Cancer With Macrovascular Invasion (HELIO-RT)
Who can join
Ages 18 and older · All sexes
Full eligibility criteria
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 potential is defined as any person who has experienced menarche and who has not undergone surgical sterilization (hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy) or who is not postmenopausal.
* Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) ≥ 1,500 cells/mm\^3.
* Platelets ≥ 60,000 cells/mm\^3.
* Hemoglobin ≥ 8g/dl (Note: The use of transfusion or other intervention to achieve hemoglobin \[Hgb\] ≥ 8g/dl is acceptable).
* Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ≤ 6 x institutional upper limit of normal (ULN).
* Total bilirubin \< 4 x institutional ULN.
* Creatinine clearance (CrCL) ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m\^2 by the Cockcroft-Gault formula.
* For treatment of HCC:
* Prior surgical resection, transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), and ablation are permitted.
* No prior systemic therapy or transarterial radioembolization (TARE) for HCC.
* No history of liver transplantation.
* For prior treatment for any malignancy:
* Prior systemic therapy for a different cancer is allowable, except for prior immunotherapy.
* No prior radiotherapy to the region of the study cancer that would result in significant overlap of radiation therapy fields that would lead to excessive cumulative toxicity at the discretion of the investigator.
* No medical contraindication to the standard of care immunotherapy.
* For patients to be treated with atezolizumab/bevacizumab:
* No history of a gastrointestinal (GI) bleed or other clinically significant bleeding event within 6 months prior to study registration.
* Systemic immunostimulatory agents (including, but not limited to, interferons and interleukin-2 \[IL-2\]) are prohibited within 4 weeks or five drug elimination half-lives (whichever is longer) prior to registration and during the study period.
* No history of allergic reaction to the systemic therapy agent(s), compounds of similar chemical or biologic composition to the systemic therapy agent(s) (or any of its excipients).
* PRIOR TO STEP 2 RANDOMIZATION:
* Obtain confirmation of payment coverage (insurance or other) for both possible treatment arms.
About the study
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.
What is being tested
- Atezolizumab (biological)
- Bevacizumab (biological)
- Biospecimen Collection (procedure)
- Computed Tomography (procedure)
- Durvalumab (biological)
- Ipilimumab (biological)
Sponsor: NRG Oncology · Participants: 226 · Started: Feb 26, 2026
Contact the study team
Official record on ClinicalTrials.gov — NCT07166406
Locations in the U.S.
| California | Alta Bates Summit Medical Center-Herrick Campus, Berkeley Sutter Cancer Centers Radiation Oncology Services-Cameron Park, Cameron Park Palo Alto Medical Foundation-Fremont, Fremont UCI Health - Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care, Irvine Palo Alto Medical Foundation-Camino Division, Mountain View UC Irvine Health/Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Orange Palo Alto Medical Foundation Health Care, Palo Alto Sutter Cancer Centers Radiation Oncology Services-Roseville, Roseville Sutter Roseville Medical Center, Roseville Sutter Medical Center Sacramento, Sacramento University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento California Pacific Medical Center-Pacific Campus, San Francisco Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation, Santa Rosa Palo Alto Medical Foundation-Sunnyvale, Sunnyvale |
| Colorado | Memorial Hospital North, Colorado Springs Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers-Penrose, Colorado Springs UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central, Colorado Springs Cancer Care and Hematology-Fort Collins, Fort Collins Poudre Valley Hospital, Fort Collins Saint Mary's Hospital and Regional Medical Center, Grand Junction UCHealth Greeley Hospital, Greeley Medical Center of the Rockies, Loveland |
| Connecticut | Smilow Cancer Hospital-Derby Care Center, Derby Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center-Fairfield, Fairfield Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center at Glastonbury, Glastonbury Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center at Greenwich, Greenwich Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center - Guilford, Guilford Smilow Cancer Hospital-Hamden Care Center, Hamden Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center at Saint Francis, Hartford Smilow Cancer Center/Yale-New Haven Hospital, New Haven Yale University, New Haven Yale-New Haven Hospital North Haven Medical Center, North Haven Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center at Long Ridge, Stamford Smilow Cancer Hospital-Torrington Care Center, Torrington Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center-Trumbull, Trumbull Smilow Cancer Hospital-Waterbury Care Center, Waterbury Smilow Cancer Hospital Care Center - Waterford, Waterford |
| Delaware | Christiana Care Health System-Christiana Hospital, Newark Helen F Graham Cancer Center, Newark Medical Oncology Hematology Consultants PA, Newark Christiana Care Health System-Wilmington Hospital, Wilmington |
| Georgia | Emory Proton Therapy Center, Atlanta Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital, Atlanta Emory University Hospital Midtown, Atlanta Emory University Hospital/Winship Cancer Institute, Atlanta Grady Health System, Atlanta |
| Illinois | University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chicago University of Illinois, Chicago Carle at The Riverfront, Danville Carle Physician Group-Effingham, Effingham Carle Physician Group-Mattoon/Charleston, Mattoon UC Comprehensive Cancer Center at Silver Cross, New Lenox University of Chicago Medicine-Orland Park, Orland Park Memorial Hospital East, Shiloh Carle Cancer Center, Urbana |
| Indiana | UChicago Medicine Northwest Indiana, Crown Point |
| Iowa | UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - Ankeny Clinic, Ankeny Mercy Cancer Center-West Lakes, Clive UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - West Des Moines Clinic, Clive Greater Regional Medical Center, Creston Iowa Methodist Medical Center, Des Moines Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines, Des Moines UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - Des Moines Clinic, Des Moines UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - Laurel Clinic, Des Moines UI Health Care Mission Cancer and Blood - Waukee Clinic, Waukee Mercy Medical Center-West Lakes, West Des Moines The Iowa Clinic PC, West Des Moines |
| Kentucky | University of Kentucky/Markey Cancer Center, Lexington |
| Massachusetts | Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston |
| Michigan | Henry Ford Cancer Institute-Downriver, Brownstown Henry Ford Medical Center-Fairlane, Dearborn Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit Allegiance Health, Jackson Henry Ford Medical Center-Columbus, Novi Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital, West Bloomfield Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital, Wyandotte |
| Minnesota | Essentia Health Saint Joseph's Medical Center, Brainerd Essentia Health - Deer River Clinic, Deer River Essentia Health Cancer Center, Duluth Essentia Health Saint Mary's Medical Center, Duluth Miller-Dwan Hospital, Duluth Essentia Health Hibbing Clinic, Hibbing Essentia Health Sandstone, Sandstone Essentia Health Virginia Clinic, Virginia |
| Missouri | Siteman Cancer Center at Saint Peters Hospital, City of Saint Peters Siteman Cancer Center at West County Hospital, Creve Coeur Siteman Cancer Center at Christian Hospital, St Louis Siteman Cancer Center-South County, St Louis Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis |
| Nebraska | Nebraska Medicine-Bellevue, Bellevue Nebraska Medicine-Village Pointe, Omaha University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha |
| New Hampshire | Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center/Dartmouth Cancer Center, Lebanon |
| New Mexico | University of New Mexico Cancer Center, Albuquerque |
| New York | Northwell Health/Center for Advanced Medicine, Lake Success Mount Sinai Hospital, New York Montefiore Medical Center - Moses Campus, The Bronx Montefiore Medical Center-Einstein Campus, The Bronx |
| North Carolina | Duke University Medical Center, Durham Duke Cancer Center Raleigh, Raleigh |
| Ohio | UH Seidman Cancer Center at UH Avon Health Center, Avon UHHS-Chagrin Highlands Medical Center, Beachwood Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbus UH Seidman Cancer Center at Lake Health Mentor Campus, Mentor |
| Oregon | Clackamas Radiation Oncology Center, Clackamas Providence Newberg Medical Center, Newberg Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center, Oregon City Providence Portland Medical Center, Portland Providence Saint Vincent Medical Center, Portland |
| Pennsylvania | Christiana Care Health System-Concord Health Center, Chadds Ford Geisinger Medical Center, Danville Geisinger Cancer Center Dickson City, Dickson City Geisinger Medical Oncology-Lewisburg, Lewisburg Geisinger Wyoming Valley/Henry Cancer Center, Wilkes-Barre |
| Virginia | Inova Alexandria Hospital, Alexandria Inova Fair Oaks Hospital, Fairfax Inova Schar Cancer Institute, Fairfax Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church Inova Loudoun Hospital, Leesburg |
| Wisconsin | Duluth Clinic Ashland, Ashland Northwest Wisconsin Cancer Center, Ashland Marshfield Medical Center-EC Cancer Center, Eau Claire Essentia Health-Hayward Clinic, Hayward Marshfield Medical Center-Marshfield, Marshfield Froedtert Menomonee Falls Hospital, Menomonee Falls Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee ProHealth D N Greenwald Center, Mukwonago Froedtert and MCW Moorland Reserve Health Center, New Berlin Drexel Town Square Health Center, Oak Creek ProHealth Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, Oconomowoc Marshfield Medical Center-Rice Lake, Rice Lake Essentia Health-Spooner Clinic, Spooner Marshfield Medical Center-River Region at Stevens Point, Stevens Point Essentia Health Saint Mary's Hospital - Superior, Superior UW Cancer Center at ProHealth Care, Waukesha Froedtert West Bend Hospital/Kraemer Cancer Center, West Bend Marshfield Medical Center - Weston, Weston |
Conditions
From ClinicalTrials.gov, data retrieved Sep 30, 2026. Each study sets its own eligibility; the study team decides who can join.