FLASH radiotherapy to protect spinal nerves during re-irradiation for vertebral metastases
Official title: Assessing FLASH irradiation for late-responding tissue protection: A translational approach to re-irradiation of spinal metastases
Funded at Ut Southwestern Medical Center · NIH-11449287 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-focused look at using ultra-fast radiotherapy to reduce long-term spinal cord damage when repeating radiation for metastatic cancer near the spine.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project start | July 21, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $680,394 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA307552-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11449287 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with vertebral metastases requiring palliative re-irradiation near the spinal cord.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without vertebral metastases or those not needing re-irradiation near the spinal cord may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project explores whether delivering radiation at an ultra-high dose rate (FLASH-RT) can keep spinal cord damage low while still controlling cancer in patients needing a second round of radiation for vertebral metastases. It combines modeling, animal or cell studies, and plans for early clinical protocol work to translate promising lab results into patient care. The team will examine dose limits near the spinal cord, aiming to minimize late-responding tissue injury during re-irradiation. If successful, this approach could expand options for pain relief and local control without increasing the risk of myelopathy. The work emphasizes safety, recalibrating dose and delivery to protect normal tissue while targeting tumors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive re-irradiation near the spine with less risk of late nerve injury while maintaining tumor control.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical data suggest FLASH can reduce normal tissue damage; translation to late-responding tissues and re-irradiation is still being established.
Where this research is happening
-
Ut Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Ken Kang-Hsin — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Wang, Ken Kang-Hsin
Related research
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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.