How alpha-particle cancer medicines and DNA repair interact

Radiobioeffect Modeling of αRPT

NIH-funded research Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11180188

This project sees whether measuring a tumor's DNA double-strand break repair ability can help predict how prostate cancer patients respond to alpha-particle radiopharmaceutical therapy.

Quick facts

Grant typeP01 program project
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionJohns Hopkins University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Baltimore, United States)
Project IDNIH-11180188 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you have prostate cancer and receive alpha-particle therapy (like Xofigo), this project looks at your tumor's ability to fix serious DNA breaks and combines that information with detailed maps of the radiation dose your tissues receive. Researchers will use laboratory models and patient samples to develop a test that quantifies DNA double-strand break repair function and link those results to estimated absorbed doses in tissues. They will then compare these combined measures to treatment outcomes to see if they predict benefit or side effects better than dose alone. The aim is to create methods that can be used in clinic to help personalize alpha-emitter treatments.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Men with prostate cancer being treated with or considered for alpha-particle radiopharmaceutical therapy (for example radium-223/Xofigo), especially those able to provide tissue or blood samples, are the best fit.

Not a fit: People with cancers not treated with alpha-emitter therapies or those unable to provide tissue or blood samples are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could help doctors predict who will benefit from alpha-particle radiopharmaceuticals and reduce unexpected toxicities by personalizing dosing.

How similar studies have performed: Prior studies indicate DNA repair defects can influence response to radium-223, but combining quantitative repair measures with absorbed-dose modeling for clinical prediction is a new approach.

Where this research is happening

Baltimore, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.