PET-guided surgery for high-grade glioma

ResPGlioma: Impact of PET-Guided Resection on Survival in High-Grade Gliomas - A Multicenter Prospective Study

Universita degli Studi di Genova · NCT07567196

This project will try using 18F-DOPA PET to guide surgeons to remove tumor beyond MRI-visible areas in adults with high-grade glioma to see if it delays progression and extends survival.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Enrollment100 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorUniversita degli Studi di Genova (other)
Drugs / interventionschemotherapy
Locations2 sites (Torino, Turin and 1 other locations)
Trial IDNCT07567196 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This is a multicenter, prospective, non-randomized observational comparison of 18F-DOPA PET-guided resection versus conventional MRI-guided resection in patients with high-grade glioma. Surgeons integrate PET metabolic maps with standard MRI to define targets for supramaximal resection beyond contrast-enhancing regions and FLAIR abnormalities. Outcomes include progression-free survival and overall survival, with preoperative imaging, surgical extent-of-resection metrics, and follow-up clinical and radiographic assessments. The study enrolls adult surgical candidates at participating centers in Genoa and Turin, Italy.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults (≥18 years) with newly diagnosed high-grade glioma (WHO grade III/IV) who are candidates for surgical resection and can undergo MRI and PET and provide informed consent.

Not a fit: Patients with tumors in the cerebellum, brainstem, midline, or those who are not surgical candidates or cannot undergo MRI/PET are unlikely to benefit from this approach.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, PET guidance could help surgeons remove more tumor while sparing healthy brain, potentially prolonging progression-free and overall survival.

How similar studies have performed: Prior small series and imaging-pathology studies have shown that amino-acid PET can detect tumor beyond MRI margins and correlate with infiltrative disease, but larger prospective comparative data are still limited.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* age ≥18 years
* high-grade glioma (WHO grade III/IV) diagnosed on MRI
* provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* tumors located in the cerebellum, brainstem, or midline.
* Patients with medical conditions precluding MRI
* inability to provide written informed consent
* secondary high-grade gliomas resulting from malignant transformation of a low-grade glioma
* other primary malignancy within the past five years

Where this trial is running

Torino, Turin and 1 other locations

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Glioma Glioblastoma Multiforme, Glioma, High Grade, Glioma Surgery, Positron-Emission Tomography, glioma, glioblastoma, PET

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 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.