New Imaging to Guide Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
Molecular Imaging of Fibrosis for Improved Treatment Planning of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
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 ID | NIH-11125951 on NIH RePORTER |
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.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma who are undergoing or considering neoadjuvant treatment might be ideal candidates for future applications of this research.
Not a fit: Patients with other types of cancer or those not undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer would likely not directly benefit from this specific imaging approach.
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 performed: 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
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Abdar Esfahani, Shadi — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Abdar Esfahani, Shadi
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.