Creating a digital model for rectal cancer to improve radiotherapy
Official title: A Digital Twin for rectal cancer to guide adaptive radiotherapy
Funded at Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ · NIH-11059810 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking for patients with rectal cancer to help create a digital model that can personalize and improve radiotherapy treatments by examining how their immune system responds to radiation therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $246,001 |
| NIH project number | 3U54CA274291-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11059810 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with rectal cancer who are scheduled to undergo preoperative short course radiotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with rectal cancer who are not eligible for preoperative short course radiotherapy may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research aims to develop a digital twin model for rectal cancer that can help personalize and enhance radiotherapy treatments. By collecting and analyzing tumor biopsies, blood samples, and other biological data from patients undergoing preoperative short course radiotherapy, the study will explore how the immune system interacts with radiation therapy. Patients will participate in a clinical trial where their samples will be used to understand the effects of radiation on cancer and surrounding tissues, potentially leading to more effective treatment strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more tailored and effective radiotherapy treatments for rectal cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using digital models and biological data to enhance cancer treatment, indicating that this approach could be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Formenti, Silvia C. — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Formenti, Silvia C.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Early response to radiotherapy and immunotherapy in rectal cancer
A new approach combines short-course radiation, chemotherapy, and an immune therapy antibody to try to shrink rectal cancers before surgery or avoid surgery altogether.
-
Personalized Rectal Cancer Radiotherapy Using Multimodal Signatures
A study aims to tailor radiotherapy choices for rectal cancer patients by using multiple biological and imaging signals to guide treatment decisions.
-
Improving early treatment response in rectal cancer with radiation plus immune therapy
People with locally advanced rectal cancer will get short-course radiation and chemotherapy, and some will also receive the immune-activating drug sotigalimab to help the tumor shrink and lower the chance it spreads.
-
Investigating new treatment combinations for rectal cancer using radiation and immunotherapy
This study is looking for ways to help people with locally advanced rectal cancer by testing a new treatment that combines radiation, chemotherapy, and an innovative immune-boosting drug called αCD40, with the hope of improving outcomes and possibly avoiding surgery.
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AI-powered radiotherapy planning for cervical and head-and-neck cancer
A computer program helps plan radiation therapy for cervical and head-and-neck cancer patients to make treatments faster and more accurate.
-
AI-powered radiotherapy planning for cervical and head-and-neck cancer
A United Kingdom study is testing AI software that helps plan radiotherapy for cervical and head-and-neck cancer patients to save time and reduce the workload for clinicians in low-resource settings.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.