Preventing Sarcoma from Returning After Surgery

Supratherapeutic PTX Buttresses Reduce Locoregional Recurrence Rates Following Surgery for Soft Tissue Sarcomas

NIH-funded research Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11138456

This project is developing a special implant to deliver chemotherapy directly to the surgical area, aiming to stop soft tissue sarcomas from coming back after surgery.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBrigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Boston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11138456 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

Soft tissue sarcomas, especially those in the abdomen and pelvis, often return even after surgery because it's hard to remove all cancer cells. This can lead to serious health problems and is a major cause of death for these patients. Researchers are creating a new type of surgically implantable material that can release high doses of a chemotherapy drug called paclitaxel right where the tumor was removed. The goal is to target any remaining cancer cells directly and prevent the cancer from growing back in that specific area.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Patients who have undergone surgery for retroperitoneal, abdominal, or pelvic soft tissue sarcomas might eventually benefit from this type of localized treatment.

Not a fit: Patients with sarcomas that have already spread widely throughout the body or those not undergoing surgical removal of their tumor may not directly benefit from this specific local treatment.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly lower the chance of soft tissue sarcomas returning after surgery, potentially improving patient survival.

How similar studies have performed: Previous attempts using radiation or systemic chemotherapy to prevent recurrence in these difficult-to-treat sarcomas have not shown success, making this a novel and untested approach.

Where this research is happening

Boston, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Anti-Cancer Agents
Last reviewed 2026-06-09 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.