Using radiation and your own immune cells to boost immunotherapy for intrahepatic bile-duct (liver) cancer
Radiation and dendritic cell combination to improve immunotherapy response in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
This approach combines focused liver radiation, injections of your own dendritic immune cells, and two immune drugs to try to help people with unresectable intrahepatic bile-duct cancer live longer without the disease getting worse.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Mayo Clinic Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11142663 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you have intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma that cannot be removed by surgery, doctors would give high‑dose targeted radiation to the liver tumor to cause tumor cells to release antigens. Right after radiation, your own dendritic immune cells would be injected into the tumor to help the immune system capture and present those tumor antigens. You would also receive two immune drugs (atezolizumab and tiragolumab) that block PD‑L1 and TIGIT to strengthen the anti‑tumor T cell response. Early pilot work showed partial responses in some patients, including one lasting response at 48 months, but this combined approach remains experimental and is being tested further.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma who can undergo high‑dose liver radiation, intratumoral injections, and checkpoint immunotherapy.
Not a fit: Patients with cancers that can be removed by surgery, those with other tumor types, or people unable to tolerate radiation, invasive tumor injections, or immune checkpoint drugs are unlikely to benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this strategy could extend the time patients with unresectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma live without their cancer progressing and produce longer-lasting tumor responses.
How similar studies have performed: A small pilot of the radiation plus dendritic‑cell approach produced promising partial responses including a durable 48‑month response, but adding dual PD‑L1/TIGIT blockade is a newer, experimental combination.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- Mayo Clinic Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Park, Sean S — Mayo Clinic Rochester
- Study coordinator: Park, Sean S
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.