The Cohort for Patient-reported Outcomes, Imaging and Trial Inclusion in Metastatic BRAin Disease (COIMBRA)

The incidence of brain metastases is expected to increase because of better treatments of primary tumours. Novel diagnostic and therapeutic techniques are continuously being developed, all of which need thorough evaluation before they can be implemented in clinical routine. Randomized Controlled Trials are the gold standard to do so, but they have shown many challenges, especially when applied in a cancer setting. .The 'cohort multiple Randomized Controlled Trial (cmRCT)' design is a promising design for multiple (simultaneous) randomized evaluations of experimental interventions, with potential for increased recruitment, comparability and long-term outcomes as a standard. This design will speed up the process of translating treatment innovations to the daily clinic.

The COIMBRA cohort is a prospective cohort, which will serve as a facility for efficient, systematic and simultaneous evaluation of new interventions and MRI sequences and prospective outcome studies (including prediction modelling). COIMBRA patients will be followed prospectively and information on survival, symptoms, QoL (patient and caregiver), cognition, toxicity and daily functioning in relation to treatment will be collected prospectively. Patients will receive the regular optimal clinical care according to the current guidelines when not participating in cmRCT's.