MRI and blood tests to predict prostate cancer outcomes after radiation
Longitudinal Imaging and Liquid Biopsy Markers of Prostate Cancer Radiotherapy Outcomes
This project uses repeated MRI scans and blood-based tumor markers to find early signs that predict how men with intermediate or high-risk prostate cancer do after radiation and hormone therapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Miami School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Coral Gables, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11308340 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have intermediate or high-risk prostate cancer and are treated with radiation (with or without hormone therapy), this effort will follow you over time with detailed MRI scans and blood draws. The team will use a computerized MRI "habitat" map that looks at small regions of the tumor and combine that with circulating tumor cell (CTC) measurements from blood. Imaging and blood tests will be collected before, during, and after treatment to spot patterns linked to early treatment response or future progression. The work is done at the University of Miami with an outside radiotherapy group in an NCI validation cohort to confirm findings across centers.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Men with intermediate or high-risk nonmetastatic prostate cancer who are planning to receive or are receiving radiotherapy, with or without androgen deprivation therapy, are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Men with low-risk prostate cancer, those with widespread metastatic disease at diagnosis, or anyone unwilling/unable to attend repeated MRI scans and blood draws are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could personalize how much treatment each man needs, helping prevent progression while avoiding unnecessary extra therapy.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has shown that MRI features and circulating tumor cells can signal higher risk, but combining automated MRI habitat maps with longitudinal blood markers for radiation outcomes is relatively new and still being validated.
Where this research is happening
Coral Gables, United States
- University of Miami School of Medicine — Coral Gables, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Pollack, Alan — University of Miami School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Pollack, Alan
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.