Enhancing liver cancer treatment with moderate-dose radiotherapy
Official title: Enhancing perfusion-driven treatments with moderate dose radiotherapy in liver cancer
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11284730 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, patient-focused study will look at how giving moderate doses of radiation to liver tumors might improve blood flow and help other treatments work better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | August 14, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $162,608 |
| NIH project number | 1R03CA307796-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11284730 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma or related liver cancers who may later benefit from combination radiotherapy and systemic treatments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with liver cancer types or disease stages not targeted by perfusion-enhancing strategies may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests whether moderate-dose external radiotherapy can temporarily boost blood flow in liver tumors, potentially making other therapies more effective. Researchers will use a mouse model of liver cancer to study how different radiation schedules change tumor blood vessels and tissue structure, with imaging and tissue analysis used to understand the effects. The work aims to lay the groundwork for larger studies that could translate into better combination treatments for people with liver cancer who cannot have surgery. While this is an early, preclinical study, findings could guide future clinical strategies to improve drug delivery and tumor control.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could enhance the effectiveness of existing liver cancer therapies by improving tumor perfusion.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work in animals and early human data suggest radiation can modulate perfusion, but detailed vascular changes in liver cancer are still being explored.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bertolet Reina, Alejandro — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Bertolet Reina, Alejandro
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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.