Study on Y-90 Treatment Response Using Transarterial Radioembolization for Liver Cancer

Program Overview

This study is looking at how well a special ultrasound, called contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), can show the effects of a treatment called transarterial radioembolization (TARE) on liver cancer. TARE is a treatment used for some patients with liver cancer, but it's often hard to tell how well it's working using regular scans like CT or MRI. This study will see if CEUS can provide clearer results sooner, which might help doctors decide on further treatments more quickly. The study will involve 30 patients who are scheduled to receive TARE for liver cancer and will take place over 18 months.

Description

In this study, patients with liver cancer who are scheduled to receive a treatment called transarterial radioembolization (TARE) will also have a special type of ultrasound called contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to see how well the treatment is working. The study will involve 30 patients and will take place over 18 months.

Patients will have CEUS exams within two weeks of their regular CT or MRI scans, which are done 1-2 months and 4-6 months after TARE. The ultrasound will use two different contrast agents, Lumason and Sonazoid, to help show how the cancer is responding to treatment. The ultrasound will be done by a trained sonographer and will involve several steps to capture images of the liver and any tumors.

After the ultrasound, patients will be monitored for 30 minutes before going home. The images and data collected will help researchers understand if CEUS can provide better information about how well TARE is working compared to traditional scans.

Patients will be recruited from six major hospitals and will be contacted by the study coordinator to discuss participation. They will have time to consider the study and ask questions before deciding to join. If they agree, they will sign a consent form and participate in the study at Jefferson's center city campus.

The study will also look at whether there are differences in how well the ultrasound works based on patient demographics like sex, race, and ethnicity. This information will help tailor the imaging strategy to different patient groups.

The study is not considered a clinical trial by NIH standards because it does not change the treatment based on the ultrasound findings. Instead, it aims to gather information to improve future treatment assessments.

Eligibility Criteria

Locations