Optimizing artery-delivered ablation for liver cancer
Delivery optimization of a transarterial ablative therapy
Using mathematical models and animal tests to improve artery-delivered heat-and-chemical treatment for people with liver cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11301026 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will build detailed mathematical models of how fluids, heat, and chemical reactions move through liver tissue during a thermoembolization treatment. The models will include mass, momentum, energy conservation, exothermic reactions, and liquid-gas phase changes to predict thermal, oxygen, and pH responses in tumors. Predictions will be validated in an animal model of hepatocellular carcinoma and then used to refine delivery protocols. The goal is to understand treatment mechanisms so future procedures can be planned more safely and effectively for individual patient anatomy and tumor extent.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with hepatocellular carcinoma (primary liver cancer) who are candidates for transarterial ablation or embolization procedures would be the likely beneficiaries.
Not a fit: Patients without liver cancer, those with cancers not treatable by arterial delivery, or individuals ineligible for transarterial procedures are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make artery-delivered ablation for liver cancer more predictable and effective, improving tumor destruction while reducing side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Mathematical modeling and preclinical testing have improved other artery-delivered therapies, but thermoembolization with reactive chemistry is a newer approach with limited prior clinical testing.
Where this research is happening
Houston, United States
- University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr — Houston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fuentes, David — University of Tx Md Anderson Can Ctr
- Study coordinator: Fuentes, David
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.