PET scan using F‑AraG to find early heart damage from chemotherapy and immune therapy
[18F]F-AraG as an imaging biomarker for early diagnosis and monitoring of cardiotoxicity related to doxorubicin and immune check point inhibitor therapy
['FUNDING_R01'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · NIH-11243479
This uses a PET imaging tracer called F‑AraG to spot early heart injury in people getting doxorubicin or immune checkpoint inhibitor cancer treatments.
Quick facts
| Phase | ['FUNDING_R01'] |
|---|---|
| Study type | Nih_funding |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO (nih funded) |
| Locations | 1 site (SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES) |
| Trial ID | NIH-11243479 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this research studies
You would have PET scans with a radioactive tracer (F‑AraG) that highlights early signs of heart inflammation or immune activity. Scans would be done around the time you receive doxorubicin or immune checkpoint inhibitors, and researchers would compare the F‑AraG images with standard heart tests and blood markers. The work aims to detect subtle, pre-symptomatic heart damage that current imaging often misses. If the tracer reliably shows early injury, doctors could intervene sooner to reduce long-term heart problems.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people receiving doxorubicin (an anthracycline) or immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, including those getting both treatments.
Not a fit: People not receiving these cancer therapies or those with advanced, already symptomatic heart failure are unlikely to benefit from this early‑detection imaging approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could let doctors find and treat cancer‑therapy–related heart injury earlier, lowering the risk of long-term heart damage.
How similar studies have performed: Immune‑cell–targeted PET imaging is an emerging approach with promising early results, but using F‑AraG specifically for treatment‑related heart damage is relatively new and not yet widely proven.
Where this research is happening
SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES
- UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO — SAN FRANCISCO, UNITED STATES (ACTIVE)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: SEO, YOUNGHO — UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- Study coordinator: SEO, YOUNGHO
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.