Contrast Enhanced Transrectal Ultrasonography (TRUS) to Assess Prostatic Vascularity After Radiotherapy (XRT)
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2011-05-12
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Solid tumors, including prostate cancer, commonly exhibit tumor-associated neovascularity
(growth of new blood vessels to feed the tumor) with increased microvessel density. Systemic,
hormonal, and radiotherapy treatments typically decrease or suppress tumor - associated
vascularity through several mechanisms, including apoptosis (process of cell death) and
anti-angiogenic pathways (ways to destroy new blood vessel growth). Previously at the
investigators' center, they have demonstrated that increased prostatic vascularity (blood
vessels defined to prostate) detected ultrasonographically correlated with disease free
survival after radical prostatectomy (surgical removal of entire prostate), and may be
indicative of higher grade, higher stage disease. The significance of prostate neovascularity
in response to treatment with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) (standard of care) has not
been well studied. The investigators hypothesize that prostate cancer that recurs after
radiotherapy may exhibit measurable patterns of tumor-associated vascularity, which may
represent a minimally invasive marker of cancer stage, grade and response to treatment. The
investigators propose a pilot study to assess the feasibility of serial enhanced transrectal
ultrasonography (TRUS) examinations during and after radiotherapy for prostate cancer.
Phase:
N/A
Details
Lead Sponsor:
Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University