Late Cognitive effects and imaging changes after proton radiotherapy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A prospective study of late cognitive effects and imaging changes after proton radiotherapy
IRAS ID
344655
Contact name
Martin McCabe
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Manchester
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
This study will collect late cognitive (learning) outcome data from three cohorts of children and young people treated for primary brain tumours with proton therapy. Long-term cognitive outcomes will be compared with individual radiotherapy details using precise radiotherapy dosage maps to identify in a very accurate way how variations in radiotherapy dose to very small brain regions correlate with cognitive outcomes. Participants will also undergo detailed MRI scans to study whether there are features on the scans that can identify participants who have sustained cognitive damage, and they will have a blood test taken to study circulating biomarkers of radiation damage in the blood. The purpose of the study is to identify future scope to change how proton therapy is delivered, to avoid highly sensitive regions, and to identify at an earlier stage children and young people who are likely to experience damage. This REC application applies specifically to participants recruited in the UK. A parallel protocol will be performed in the Netherlands and at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the United States.
REC name
South West - Central Bristol Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/SW/0005
Date of REC Opinion
21 Jan 2025
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion