Using radiation to help chemotherapy reach head, neck, and thyroid tumors
Official title: Imaging radiation-enhanced drug delivery for safer and more effective chemoradiotherapy
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11294368 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at whether targeted radiation can change head and neck and anaplastic thyroid tumors so long‑lasting chemotherapy reaches them more safely and works better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | March 11, 2025 |
| Project end | February 28, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $662,516 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA291779-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11294368 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma or anaplastic thyroid cancer who are receiving or may receive chemoradiotherapy are the most relevant candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with early-stage disease, other cancer types, or those unable to tolerate radiation or long‑circulating chemotherapy are unlikely to benefit from this specific work.
What this research studies
Researchers will use advanced imaging and detailed laboratory tissue studies to see how repeated radiation changes tumor blood vessels, immune cells, and other features that control drug entry. They will study these effects in mice and in tumor samples taken from patients, using multiplexed microscopy and radiologic imaging. The team will then test whether combining standard chemoradiotherapy with long‑circulating chemotherapy formulations increases drug delivery to tumors while reducing off‑target toxicity. If safe and promising, the findings could guide future treatments and clinical trials.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could concentrate chemotherapy in tumors to improve cancer control while lowering harmful side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Preclinical imaging and animal studies have suggested radiation can increase tumor permeability, but applying this to safely combine long‑circulating chemotherapy with standard chemoradiotherapy in patients is largely novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Miller, Miles a — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Miller, Miles a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Improving drug delivery for safer cancer treatment using radiation
This study is looking at how using radiation therapy can help make chemotherapy work better for people with advanced head and neck cancers, aiming to improve treatment results while reducing side effects.
-
Audit of cervical cancer chemoradiation guideline compliance across National Cancer Grid centers
This project will check how closely hospitals across India follow recommended chemoradiation treatments for patients with cervical cancer.
-
Thiopegfilgrastim to prevent bone marrow suppression during chemoradiotherapy for esophageal or lung cancer
This will try mecapegfilgrastim (a long-acting G-CSF) to prevent low neutrophil counts in adults with esophageal or lung cancer receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy.
-
Short-course pelvic radiotherapy followed by CAPOX (capecitabine + oxaliplatin) and bevacizumab, with or without PD‑1 immunotherapy, for locally advanced rectal cancer.
This trial tests whether adding a PD‑1 immunotherapy to short-course radiotherapy followed by CAPOX and bevacizumab helps adults with locally advanced rectal cancer get a higher complete response rate and fewer distant metastases.
-
Toripalimab plus capecitabine after chemoradiotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
This trial will test whether giving toripalimab together with low‑dose capecitabine after definitive chemoradiotherapy helps people with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma live longer and have fewer recurrences.
-
Weekly electronic symptom tracking during definitive chemoradiotherapy for lung cancer
This project will test whether weekly electronic questionnaires can map symptom severity and clusters in adults with unresectable stage III non-small cell or limited-stage small cell lung cancer receiving definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy.
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.