New scan could reveal cancer drug success in days, not months

NCT ID NCT04020978

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This pilot study tested a special PET scan method to see if it could detect early signs that targeted therapy is working for genitourinary cancer. Eleven patients had scans before and two weeks after starting treatment. The goal was to see if changes in tumor blood flow could predict later tumor shrinkage, potentially avoiding months of ineffective and costly treatment.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance

Parametric PET/CT scan

What this could lead to

If successful, this could lead to a faster way to tell if a cancer treatment is working, saving patients from months of ineffective therapy.

What could go wrong

This is a very small pilot study with only 11 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The method is still experimental and needs much more testing.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

malignant urinary system neoplasm renal cell carcinoma Urogenital Neoplasms

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • UC Davis Medical Center

    Sacramento, California, 95817, United States