Monitoring brain tumor treatment with blood tests and special MRI
Integrating circulating tumor DNA assay and protein-based MRI to accurately monitor glioma therapy
This research aims to find better ways to track how well glioblastoma brain tumors respond to treatment using blood tests and advanced MRI scans.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11117025 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
For patients with glioblastoma, it's hard to know if treatment is working or if the tumor is growing back without invasive procedures. This project is developing a new, non-invasive way to monitor brain tumors by combining two advanced techniques. One method, called a "liquid biopsy," looks for tiny fragments of tumor DNA in blood or spinal fluid. The other uses a special type of MRI, called APT MRI, to identify tumor tissue and its characteristics. By putting these two powerful tools together, we hope to get a clearer picture of how the tumor is responding to therapy.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with glioblastoma undergoing or having recently completed chemo-radiotherapy would be the ideal candidates for this type of monitoring.
Not a fit: Patients without glioblastoma or those not undergoing active treatment for this specific brain tumor would not directly benefit from this monitoring approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a real-time, non-invasive method to accurately tell if glioblastoma treatment is working or if the tumor is progressing, potentially guiding more timely care decisions.
How similar studies have performed: Liquid biopsies and specialized MRI techniques have shown promise individually in cancer monitoring, but their combined use for distinguishing glioblastoma treatment effects from progression is a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Jiang, Shanshan — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Jiang, Shanshan
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 below.