Can DW MRI predict outcome during RT for head and neck cancer?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Study of diffusion weighted MRI as a predictive biomarker of response during radiotherapy for high and intermediate risk squamous cell cancer of the oropharynx. (MeRInO study)
IRAS ID
177637
Contact name
Claire Paterson
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 0 months, 3 days
Research summary
Research Summary
weeks of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer is carried out with the aim of long term cancer control or cure. Unfortunately we know that not all cancers are cured and some patients find that their cancer comes back after finishing radiotherapy. At the moment we have no way of identifying these patients during radiotherapy.
A new type of scan, diffusion weighted (DW) MRI scan, carried out before and during treatment may be able to predict which patients are likely to experience their cancer coming back. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields and radio waves to form pictures of the body. DW MRI looks at the movement of water within tissues and may be able to identify tumours responding to radiotherapy by changes in this water movement.
We would like to study this in more detail to see if this type of scan can give us this useful information.Summary of Results
6 weeks of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer is carried out with the aim of long term cancer control or cure. Unfortunately we know that not all cancers are cured and some patients find that their cancer comes back (known as recurrence) after finishing radiotherapy. At the moment we have no way of identifying these patients during radiotherapy.
The aim of the study was to investigate if a new type of scan, a diffusion weighted (DW) MRI scan, carried out before and during treatment may be able to predict which patients are likely to experience their cancer coming back.
We found that by looking at changes in the tumour on those scans, during radiotherapy, we were able to predict which patients were more likely to have recurrrence after treatment. This new information may allow us to intensify treatment for patients who are predicted to have cancer recurrence with standard treatment. This further study is being set-up just now.REC name
West of Scotland REC 4
REC reference
15/WS/0159
Date of REC Opinion
9 Sep 2015
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion