Current
Clinical Trials

Can we use advanced imaging to simultaneously intensify radiotherapy to prostate cancer tumors while sparing nearby organs better than ever before?

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Advanced MRI and PSMA PET scans allow doctors to see precisely where aggressive prostate cancers are within the prostate, something that was not possible in the decades that prostate radiation therapy was based only on older CT scans.

 

As it is now possible to target the tumor itself, we are testing whether we can spare nearby normal organs (e.g., bladder, urethra, rectum, and the nerves and blood vessels that control urination and sexual function) by using a lower dose to the parts of the prostate that do not appear cancerous on MRI or PET. Patients with prostate cancer are randomly assigned to either standard treatment or the new, tumor-focused approach. 

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Link for more information: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06990542 

 

This trial needs help with funding. Please consider donating. ​

Is targeted radiation therapy helpful for cancer that has spread to other parts of the body?​

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The primary treatment for patients whose cancer has spread from the original tumor to other parts of the body is usually medication of some kind (e.g., chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or hormone therapy). If there are a limited number of tumors in the body, it is also possible to use a precise radiation therapy called Stereotactic ABlative Radiotherapy (SABR) to target all visible tumors. We are testing whether SABR to visible tumors benefits these patients.

 

Link for more information: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06587490?cond=NCT06587490&rank=1 

 

This trial needs help with funding. Please consider donating. 

Is filling the bladder before pelvic radiation treatments helpful for reducing side effects?

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Patients with cancer in the pelvic area often receive radiation therapy as a vital part of their cancer treatment. Typically, they are asked to fill their bladder for a planning session and each of 5 to 40 daily treatments. The thought is that filling the bladder could reduce side effects from radiation therapy. However, filling the bladder to the same level every day is very challenging and can be uncomfortable for many patients.

 

Several small studies suggest filling the bladder might not help reduce side effects at all and could make some side effects (like frequent urination) worse than treatment with an empty bladder.

 

We are testing whether filling or emptying the bladder before treatment is best for patient comfort in the short and long term.

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Link for more information: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06651697?cond=NCT06651697&rank=1 

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This trial needs help with funding. Please consider donating.

Can advanced MRI measure prostate cancer response to hormone therapy and radiation therapy? 

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Patients with prostate cancer undergoing radiation therapy with hormone therapy frequently ask whether the treatment is working well. Our typical approach is to wait 3-6 months after radiation therapy is over and then check a blood test (PSA) every 6 months to see whether the treatment has worked.

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We have developed an advanced type of MRI called Restriction Spectrum Imaging (RSI) that better spotlights prostate cancer than conventional MRI.

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We are testing whether we can accurately measure the tumor’s response to treatment immediately after radiation therapy.

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Link for more information: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04349501?cond=NCT04349501&rank=1 

Does advanced prostate MRI help radiologists more accurately detect prostate cancer?

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Patients who might have prostate cancer typically undergo an MRI scan to help decide whether to have a biopsy and to show their doctors where to point the needles for the biopsy. Radiologists look at the images from the scan and search for suspicious spots in the prostate.

 

Unfortunately, if multiple radiologists look at the same patient’s scan, they will often give different answers. It takes radiologists years of practice to become an expert at prostate MRI, and not every center has an expert.

 

We are testing whether using state-of-the-art scanners and an advanced type of MRI called Restriction Spectrum Imaging (RSI) helps non-expert radiologists perform as well as experts. We are also testing whether we can reduce the time for a prostate MRI to only a few minutes.

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Link for more information: 

https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06579417?cond=NCT06579417&rank=1 

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Can attach pdf to full manuscript

Can use ART-Pro logo or Figure 1 as image for this trial​​​​

Can we use genetic tests to guide prostate cancer screening?

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Most men will eventually develop some kind of prostate cancer if they live long enough. Many of those prostate cancers are harmless or nearly harmless, but others are aggressive and even fatal.

 

We can use genetic markers (and family history) to estimate a given person’s risk of aggressive prostate cancer.

 

ProGRESS is a nationwide clinical trial for patients in the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system. Participants are randomly assigned to either (1) routine care or (2) genetic testing with personalized recommendations for prostate cancer screening.

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Link for more information: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05926102?cond=NCT05926102&rank=1

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Logo in Dropbox.​​