Role of Twice-Daily Thoracic Radiotherapy in Limited-Stage SCLC in the Immunotherapy Era
Official title: Defining the Role of Twice-Daily Thoracic Radiotherapy in Limited-Stage SCLC in the Immunotherapy Era: A Trial Integration Approach
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11464739 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether giving twice-daily radiotherapy for limited-stage small cell lung cancer still helps patients today who are also getting immunotherapy.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | August 5, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $407,868 |
| NIH project number | 1R21CA318798-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11464739 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with limited-stage small cell lung cancer who are considered for thoracic radiotherapy in the immunotherapy era.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose treatment plan favors once-daily radiotherapy or who do not receive concurrent/systemic immunotherapy may not benefit from BID scheduling.
What this research studies
Limited-stage small cell lung cancer has unclear best radiotherapy timing and schedule. This study will analyze real-world data from recent trials to see if twice-daily radiotherapy provides a benefit in patients treated with modern immunotherapy and delivery techniques. Researchers will use advanced causal inference and machine-learning methods to compare schedules across contemporary populations and settings. The goal is to understand for whom BID radiotherapy might still be advantageous and under what conditions. The work leverages existing datasets from multiple trials to harmonize results and inform future treatment decisions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could clarify when BID radiotherapy is most beneficial, potentially informing personalized treatment plans for LS-SCLC patients.
How similar studies have gone: Past trials established BID benefits in older cohorts, but recent data suggest the benefit is context-dependent; this study integrates newer era data to reassess.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hu, Chen — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Hu, Chen
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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.