Spine Laser Therapy to Treat Metastases
Official title: Spine Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy
Funded at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic · NIH-11449345 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to use a minimally invasive laser therapy to treat spinal metastases and reduce pain, recovery time, and disruption to other cancer treatments.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lebanon, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $633,819 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA307001-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11449345 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with spinal metastases who are candidates for Minimally Invasive LITT and able to tolerate MRI-based procedures.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not eligible for LITT or without spinal metastases may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This project focuses on using Laser Interstitial Thermal Therapy (LITT) as a less invasive option for spinal metastases. Researchers will refine MRI-based temperature monitoring to cope with movement during breathing and heartbeat, and improve how the laser fiber is placed with better tissue contrast. By validating these improvements, the goal is to make LITT safer and more reliable for patients needing spinal tumor treatment. The study will involve technological development and clinical testing in patients suffering from spinal metastases at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic. If successful, this could lead to fewer blood losses, shorter hospital stays, and smoother continuation of systemic cancer therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients with spinal metastases could experience less invasiveness, fewer complications, and faster return to daily life and cancer treatment.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests LITT can control tumors with less morbidity, though spinal-specific, MRI-motion compensation, and targeting improvements are still being tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic
Lebanon, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Evans, Linton T. — Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic
- Study coordinator: Evans, Linton T.
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.