Addition of Metastasis-Directed Therapy to Standard of Care for Oligometastatic Disease: Primary Aggregated Analysis of All Baskets from the Phase II Randomized EXTEND Trial

A Alexander D. Sherry (Noah S. Meimoun, BA, Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; Alexander D. Sherry, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Ethan B. Ludmir, MD, Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; and Timothy A. Lin, MD, MBA, Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) C Cara Haymaker S Shuqi Wang S Suyu Liu (3Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) T Tharakeswara K. Bathala M Marina N. Medina-Rosales (Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) A Aaron Seo (Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) K Kieko Hara (Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) J Jay Reddy (University of Nebrsaka-Lincoln) S Stephen G. Chun (Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) L Lauren L. Mayo (Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) G Gary Walker S Shubham Pant (M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston) D Dan Zhao C Craig A. Kovitz (Department of General Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) D David Ramirez (Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) C Chul S. Ha (Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX) B Benjamin D. Smith (Department of Physics, University of Alberta 1 , Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1,) D Daniel Gomez L Lorenzo Cohen A Albert C. Koong (Department of Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) A Alexandre Reuben N Nizar Tannir (Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) P Paul G. Corn (Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) P Phuoc T. Tran B Bilal A. Siddiqui S Sumit K. Subudhi P Pavlos Msaouel E Ethan B. Ludmir (Noah S. Meimoun, BA, Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; Alexander D. Sherry, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Ethan B. Ludmir, MD, Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; and Timothy A. Lin, MD, MBA, Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX) C Chad Tang (Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston Texas USA)

Abstract

PURPOSE We tested the hypothesis that adding metastasis-directed therapy (MDT) to standard-of-care (SOC) systemic therapy improves progression-free survival (PFS) among patients with oligometastatic disease. METHODS EXTEND was a multicenter randomized phase II trial. Patients with 1-5 metastases were randomly assigned to MDT + SOC versus SOC in one of the six baskets (breast, pancreas, kidney, two prostate baskets, and an other basket) with basket-specific stratification and powering. PFS, the primary end point, was prespecified in the per-protocol set within each basket, across all baskets, and across all baskets excluding the prostate baskets. Exploratory end points included circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and immune profiling. RESULTS From 2018 through 2023, 521 patients were screened, 350 were randomly assigned, and 334 were analyzed per protocol (MDT + SOC, n = 166; SOC, n = 168). Radiotherapy was used as MDT for 98% of metastases (370/379). Overall, after a median follow-up of 53 months, PFS was improved with MDT + SOC (hazard ratio [HR], 0.54 [95% CI, 0.41 to 0.72], P < .001). Similarly, PFS was improved when excluding the prostate baskets (HR, 0.60 [95% CI, 0.40 to 0.89]). Within each basket, PFS superiority was identified for the pancreas, prostate, and other baskets, whereas the breast and kidney baskets were inconclusive. At enrollment, detectable ctDNA correlated with shorter PFS and survival; by contrast, ctDNA clearance 3 months postenrollment correlated with improved survival. MDT + SOC-induced systemic immune activation was most pronounced among baskets demonstrating PFS superiority. CONCLUSION The phase II EXTEND trial supports the addition of MDT to SOC for oligometastatic disease. Histology-specific efficacy signals were identified for phase III testing. Translational insights suggest the potential for optimizing the definition of oligometastasis using ctDNA and point to systemic immune responses as a possible mechanism of benefit from MDT.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 1, Issue 1
Published May 16, 2026
ISSN 0732-183X
Publisher Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Journal Info

Journal of Clinical Oncology

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

ISSN: 0732-183X Health Sciences

Authors (30)

A

Alexander D. Sherry

Noah S. Meimoun, BA, Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; Alexander D. Sherry, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Ethan B. Ludmir, MD, Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; and Timothy A. Lin, MD, MBA, Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

C

Cara Haymaker

S

Shuqi Wang

S

Suyu Liu

3Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

T

Tharakeswara K. Bathala

M

Marina N. Medina-Rosales

Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

A

Aaron Seo

Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

K

Kieko Hara

Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

J

Jay Reddy

University of Nebrsaka-Lincoln

S

Stephen G. Chun

Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

L

Lauren L. Mayo

Department of Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

G

Gary Walker

S

Shubham Pant

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston

D

Dan Zhao

C

Craig A. Kovitz

Department of General Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

D

David Ramirez

Department of Breast Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

C

Chul S. Ha

Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX

B

Benjamin D. Smith

Department of Physics, University of Alberta 1 , Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1,

D

Daniel Gomez

L

Lorenzo Cohen

A

Albert C. Koong

Department of Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology, Division of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

A

Alexandre Reuben

N

Nizar Tannir

Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

P

Paul G. Corn

Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

P

Phuoc T. Tran

B

Bilal A. Siddiqui

S

Sumit K. Subudhi

P

Pavlos Msaouel

E

Ethan B. Ludmir

Noah S. Meimoun, BA, Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; Alexander D. Sherry, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN; Ethan B. Ludmir, MD, Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Gastrointestinal Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; and Timothy A. Lin, MD, MBA, Division of Radiation Oncology, Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

C

Chad Tang

Department of Genitourinary Medical Oncology The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center Houston Texas USA