Clinical Research Directory

Ablative Stereotactic MR-Guided Adaptive Reirradiation

This research study will enroll people who have cancer in their abdomen or pelvis that was treated previously with radiation therapy. The purpose of this research study is to test the safety and possible harms of treating tumors in these regions with another round of radiation therapy, called reirradiation or "reRT." The researchers want to find out what effects (good and bad) reRT has in people with cancer in the abdomen and pelvis.

A Study to Determine Whether Perioperative Energy Dynamics Correlates With Postoperative Outcomes

To validate a new method for assessing perioperative risk in the cancer patient undergoing major cancer surgery. In this proposed study researchers will: 1. Measure preoperative energy reserve capacity (fitness) 2. Determine if postoperative morbidity is a function of perioperative cardiopulmonary gas exchange metabolism

Evaluation of Improved Onboard Patient Imaging

The primary objective of radiation therapy is to deliver a therapeutic dose of radiation precisely to the target while minimizing exposure to healthy surrounding tissues. Image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT) involves acquiring cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans just before or during treatment sessions. By comparing the CBCT images with the reference images from the treatment planning process, clinicians can make necessary adjustments to ensure precise targeting and account for any changes that may have occurred since the initial planning. Conventional CBCT technology is, however, limited by several factors including long acquisition times that result in motion artifacts in the image, smaller fields of view that limit the volume of anatomy that can be imaged, poor image quality that limits soft tissue visibility, and artifacts created by dense metal implants. This study will evaluate a novel CBCT imaging solution ("HyperSight") that has the potential to address the challenges of conventional CBCT.

Vaginal Dilator Therapy After Pelvic Radiation

This study is testing a new program to help women who have had pelvic radiation therapy to use vaginal dilators more regularly. Vaginal dilators are important tools that can help prevent or treat vaginal narrowing (called vaginal stenosis), which can happen after radiation and make medical exams or sexual activity painful or difficult. Even though dilators are recommended, many women don't use them as often as needed. In this study, 88 participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: * One group will receive the new behavioral program, which includes support and strategies to help with regular dilator use. * The other group will receive written educational materials (enhanced usual care). The study will look at how often and how long participants use their dilators, and whether the program helps reduce symptoms like pain or emotional distress. Participants will complete surveys at the beginning of the study and again at 3, 6, and 9 months, plus short monthly check-ins. The goal is to see if the program is helpful and easy to use, and to prepare for a larger study in the future.

Health Oriented Protocol for Epidermal Radiodermatitis

Radiation therapy is a standard treatment for malignant tumors of the head and neck and pelvic regions, used alone or in combination with chemotherapy. While effective, it is often associated with adverse effects that can impact patient outcomes. Among the most frequent toxicities is radiation-induced dermatitis (RID), affecting up to 95% of patients. These skin reactions, ranging in severity, may compromise quality of life and lead to treatment interruptions.The severity of RID is influenced by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Intrinsic factors include age, sex, ethnicity, nutritional status, and comorbidities such as diabetes or systemic inflammation. Extrinsic factors include the radiation technique, total dose, treated volume, and presence of infections. These variables require close monitoring to reduce complications.Radiation damages the skin and underlying tissues, causing xerosis, pigmentation changes, loss of elasticity, fibrosis, and varying degrees of dermatitis. Effective prevention starts with patient education and skincare support throughout treatment to reduce incidence and severity.In Italy, head and neck cancers, though less common than other malignancies, present a significant clinical burden. Laryngeal cancer accounts for around 5,000 new cases annually. Oral cavity, pharyngeal, and thyroid tumors also have notable incidence and require complex treatments such as (chemo)radiotherapy, increasing the risk of RID.RID represents not only a clinical issue but also a psychological and functional challenge. Pain, emotional distress, and reduced autonomy are key aspects affecting patients' overall wellbeing. A multidimensional approach that integrates clinical care and psychosocial support is essential.This study aims to investigate the relationship between RID severity, pain, psychological distress, and functional autonomy during radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy, identifying predictors of severe toxicity and guiding personalized supportive care.

SCINTIX [BgRT} Using RMRS in Solid and Soft Tissue Tumors

This study proposes 6 anatomic groupings which each can be defined similarly as the "head and neck" grouping above. These 6 groupings are: (1) Head and Neck, (2) Thoracic not including lung parenchymal, (3) Hepatobiliary and other non-hepatobiliary abdominal tumors, (4) Retroperitoneal, (5) Pelvic, and (6) Distributed or orphan. The study is designed to gather essential imaging data on the RefleXion Medical Radiotherapy System (RMRS) to validate the accuracy of FDG-directed BgRT, also known as SCINTIX therapy, in various anatomical groupings. Study subjects will go through the entire SCINTIX treatment workflow, including radiopharmaceutical administration and live PET imaging, but without turning on the treatment beam. Collected data will be used offline to generate the set of machine instructions that would have been used during treatment delivery to calculate the "emulated" BgRT dose distribution, i.e., what the delivered dose would have been had the treatment beam been turned on during the session. The 6th category ("Distributed or orphan") is meant to capture tumor types that can manifest across anatomies and/or for which utilization of stereotactic radiotherapy for treatment is relatively rare, with lymphomas being a prototypical example.

A Prospective Imaging Study of the Integrated TrueBeam-HyperSight CBCT System

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images are routinely used in radiation treatment delivery workflows to align patients with the treatment beam. Conventional CBCT image quality is sufficient for this task but not good enough for other radiotherapy-related tasks, such as contouring anatomical structures and calculating radiation dose distributions. HyperSight is a new CBCT imaging system manufactured by Varian Medical Systems. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the integration of the HyperSight imaging system with Varian's TrueBeam radiotherapy system, a linear accelerator with a C-arm gantry that rotates about the patient to delivery radiation to the target malignancy. HyperSight CBCT images will be acquired prospectively from patients who are receiving radiation treatment. The HyperSight/TrueBeam system will be used for imaging only; patients receive their radiation treatment on cleared devices and no aspect of their treatment is affected by participation in the study. HyperSight images collected during the study will be evaluated for quality and utility and compared to conventional CBCT images as well as fan beam CT images used for treatment planning.

Feasibility of Hyivy Device Post-Radiation for Pelvic Malignancies

Vaginal dilator therapy (VDT) with static dilators is often prescribed to patients following vaginal or pelvic radiation therapy. This study seeks to evaluate the feasibility of a novel intravaginal device that delivers patient-controlled dilation (Hyivy device). The study is designed as a proof-of-concept single-arm pilot study. The primary objective is to assess safety and tolerability, while also evaluating changes in health-related quality of life and pelvic pain.

Reconstruction in Extended MArgin Cancer Surgery

Advanced pelvic cancers are uncommon, with treatment being challenging. Around 4000 patients every year need treatment in the UK. Cancers can involve multiple organs and often need radiotherapy and chemotherapy before surgery. Surgery usually requires removal of multiple pelvic organs, including muscles, bone, and skin around the anus (the perineum). This can lead to complications relating to both the empty pelvis syndrome and closure of the perineal defect. Reconstruction is challenging, with frequently occurring complications, reducing speed of recovery and quality of life. This study investigates complication frequency, quality of life and expenses following different reconstruction techniques. The investigators hope to improve patient and doctor decision-making in this area and find the best methods of reconstruction to improve outcomes. REMACS has three work packages: 1. Maintenance of a database of patients undergoing colorectal surgery at Southampton and Salisbury Hospitals, including those undergoing extra-levator abdominoperineal excision and pelvic exenteration. This includes all routinely collected clinical data, imaging, health resource use, and patient reported outcome measures. 2. A collaborative national prospective cohort study investigating morbidity, health resource use, longitudinal quality of life outcomes (EORTC QLQ-C30 and disease-specific modules) and quality adjusted life years. The investigators will also assess financial toxicity using the comprehensive score for financial toxicity. 3. A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews to undertake a more complex evaluation of quality of life and patient experiences in patients that have recovered from their surgeries. The last two work packages have now been funded by an NIHR Research for Patient Benefit Grant

Evaluation of On-Couch CBCT Image Quality

This is a prospective, single-arm, single-site study designed to generate data describing the image quality and applicability/useability of a high-performance, on-couch CBCT imaging technology (HyperSight) in patients receiving radiation treatment for cancer on a C-arm linear accelerator (TrueBeam).

AI as an Aid for Weekly Symptom Intake in Radiotherapy

The study investigates the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models (LLMs) to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of weekly treatment consultations (OTVs) in radiotherapy. It hypothesizes that an AI-enabled symptom summary tool will match traditional medical review methods in accuracy while saving time. The study includes patients undergoing pelvic radiotherapy and excludes those with pelvic reirradiation or who have undergone surgery. Patients will receive both standard and AI-assisted weekly consultations, with AI summaries generated using the OpenAI GPT-4 API. Blinded oncologists will compare the accuracy and quality of the AI-generated and doctor-generated summaries, while patients and doctors will rate these summaries. The primary objective is to evaluate the accuracy and time efficiency of AI-assisted symptom summaries compared to traditional methods.

Ultrasound-guided Tru-Cut Biopsy in Pelvic Masses.

In a transvaginal tru-cut biopsy, guided by ultrasound, a needle is inserted through the vaginal wall into a pelvic lesion and a few pieces of tissue are obtained for examination. This clinical trial is organized to evaluate the safety and efficacy of transvaginal tru-cut biopsy in a large group of patients with tumors in the small pelvis.

Assessment of DW-MRI Measures : Reproducibility and Repeatability in Pelvic Imaging on MR-Linac With Healthy Volunteers

This study evaluates the reliability of functional MRI measurements in pelvic disease through quantifying repeatability and reproducibility, using healthy volunteers. The aim is to provide insights into the consistency of results across sessions and observers, informing the trustworthiness of functional MRI in assessing pelvic disease and particularly rectal cancers and guiding protocol optimization.

Advanced Pelvic Surgical Oncology Database - Prospective Observational Study

Retrospective and prospective observational study of patients undergoing advanced pelvic oncological resection for maligancy including multi visceral resection, beyond TME resection and sacrectomy/flap reconstruction/urinary reconstruction at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Goal is to study and report outcomes for patients to characterise and understand major complications, natural history of resectional patients and identify areas for future interventional study.