New Imaging to Guide Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
Official title: Molecular Imaging of Fibrosis for Improved Treatment Planning of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11125951 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks for a better way to see how pancreatic cancer responds to treatment using a special imaging scan.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $267,629 |
| NIH project number | 5K08CA259626-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11125951 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who are undergoing or considering neoadjuvant treatment might be ideal candidates for future applications of this research.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other types of cancer or those not undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer would likely not directly benefit from this specific imaging approach.
What this research studies
Pancreatic cancer is a very aggressive disease, and current imaging methods don't always show how well treatments are working, often requiring invasive procedures like biopsies. This project is developing a new type of scan that can specifically find the scar tissue, called fibrosis, which is common in pancreatic tumors. By using this new scan, doctors hope to get a clearer picture of the tumor's size and how it's reacting to therapies like chemotherapy and radiation. This could lead to more precise treatment plans and fewer invasive procedures for patients.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this new imaging method could provide a non-invasive and more accurate way to guide treatment decisions, potentially improving outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer.
How similar studies have gone: This project builds on existing knowledge about fibrosis in pancreatic cancer but proposes a novel specific PET imaging probe for this purpose.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Abdar Esfahani, Shadi — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Abdar Esfahani, Shadi
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Collagen-targeted PET imaging to guide pancreatic cancer treatment planning
A doctor-scientist at a major hospital is testing a new PET imaging probe to better map fibrosis in pancreatic cancer so treatments can be planned more accurately.
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Improving imaging techniques for pancreatic cancer treatment planning
This study is testing a new imaging technique that uses a special PET scan to help doctors see how well treatments are working for patients with pancreatic cancer, making it easier to track the disease without needing invasive procedures like biopsies.
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Fibrin-rich tumor stroma as a new driver of immune response in pancreatic cancer
This grant explores how fibrin-involved tumor surroundings in pancreatic cancer might affect immune therapy, with the goal of making treatments work better for patients.
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Researchers are studying immune cells in liver metastases from pancreatic cancer to understand how they influence the cancer’s spread and more effective treatments.
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Protein S could slow pancreatic cancer and blood clots
A potential treatment study looks at restoring a natural blood protein, Protein S, to help people with pancreatic cancer by slowing tumor growth and reducing dangerous clots.
-
In vivo B7-H3 CAR-T cells for pancreatic cancer therapy
A patient-friendly look at a new approach that aims to produce CAR-T cells directly inside the body to target pancreatic cancer.
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.