Ultrasound Spectroscopy as Indicators of Radiation Treatment Response in Prostate, Rectum and Head & Neck Cancers

Official Title

Pilot Investigation of Ultrasound Cell Death Imaging and Spectroscopy as Early Indicators of Response to Radiation Treatment in Prostate, Rectum and Head and Neck Cancers, and to Characterize Prostate Masses

Summary:

Our objective in this study is to identify an optimal ultrasound spectroscopy parameter that can be used as an early predictor of pathological complete or partial response in men with prostate cancer and men and women with rectum and head and neck cancers receiving treatment radiation therapy.

We have previously demonstrated that high-frequency ultrasound and spectroscopy, and recently conventional-frequency ultrasound and spectroscopy may be used to detect cell death in vitro, in situ and in vivo. The method can detect different forms of cell death and has been demonstrated to be sensitive to apoptotic, necrotic and mitotic cell death. The objectives of this study are to evaluate the use of ultrasound imaging and spectroscopy as a predictive marker of advanced tumour response to radiation therapy. Since radiation treatments may also act on tumour vasculature to "normalize" it we will also evaluate blood-vessel imaging by standard Doppler-imaging and with standard higher-resolution imaging using clinically approved microbubble contrast agents.

The main goal, as described above, is to select the best ultrasound spectroscopy parameter to use as an early predictor of pathological complete response

Trial Description

Primary Outcome:

• Radiation Treatment Response

• Radiation Treatment Long-term Clinical Outcome

View this trial on ClinicalTrials.gov