Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri Spa

This study tests whether adding the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab to standard chemotherapy before surgery can shrink advanced sinonasal tumors and reduce side effects. About 28 adults with a rare, aggressive sinus cancer will receive the combination, then surgery, followed by …

This study looks at whether a special education program called 'Asthma School' can help adults with asthma have fewer attacks, emergency room visits, and hospital stays. About 92 people will take part, with half attending the school and the other half receiving usual care. The go…

This study tests a new device that uses special lights and artificial intelligence to check, during surgery, whether all breast cancer has been removed. Up to 20% of women need a second operation because cancer cells are left behind. The device scans the removed tissue and alerts…

This study is testing a new device that uses engineered bacteria and special laser technology to find and study rare tumor cells in the blood of breast cancer patients. The goal is to improve early detection and help doctors choose the best treatment for each patient. The study w…

This study is developing an artificial intelligence (AI) system to detect damage in the small bowel caused by celiac disease and similar conditions. Researchers will train the AI using past endoscopy images and then test it in a new group of 380 adult patients. The goal is to see…

This study tests personalized speech and language therapy for 30 people with primary progressive aphasia (PPA), a condition that slowly damages language skills. The therapy is tailored to each person's specific type of PPA. The goal is to see if it can improve word-finding, gramm…

After a COPD flare-up, leg muscles often become very weak, making daily tasks hard. This study compares two types of exercise for recovery: high-intensity strength training (lifting heavy weights a few times) versus traditional endurance training (like walking or cycling). Resear…

This study looks at whether adding music to standard rehabilitation helps people with COPD and chronic respiratory failure exercise more easily. About 156 participants will be randomly assigned to rehab with or without music. The goal is to see if music can improve how far they c…

This study tests whether a gentle, non-invasive electrical stimulation on the ear (trans-auricular vagus nerve stimulation) can help people recovering from a stroke regain arm movement faster. About 48 adults who had a stroke within the last 6 months will receive either real or f…

This study tests a type of strength training called maximal strength training (MST) in 20 people with COPD. MST uses heavy weights with fast movements to improve muscle power and walking efficiency. Researchers want to see if MST helps patients breathe easier, feel less tired, an…

This study is testing whether listening to specially chosen music every day for 4 weeks can help reduce anxiety and depression in people who have recently had a stroke. About 132 participants will either receive the music therapy plus standard care, or standard care alone. The go…

This study tests whether using special prismatic lenses, combined with brain-training games, can improve thinking and behavior in people recovering from a traumatic brain injury. Fifty adults who had a brain injury within the past 90 days will be randomly assigned to receive eith…

This study tests a new, personalized brain stimulation technique called HD-tDCS to help people with long-term (chronic) pain. Researchers will enroll 144 adults who have had pain for at least six months. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either real stimulation or…

This study tests whether high-tech rehabilitation—using robots, virtual reality, and balance platforms—works better than standard therapy for adults with acute neuromuscular diseases like Guillain-Barré syndrome. About 124 participants will be split into two groups to compare imp…

This study tests whether adding musical sounds that match a person's movements (sonification) to standard physical therapy can improve walking in people with Parkinson's disease, stroke, or multiple sclerosis. About 120 adults will be randomly assigned to standard rehab or rehab …

This study tests whether combining prismatic lenses with a gentle brain stimulation technique (tDCS) can help people who have lost awareness of one side of space after a stroke. Thirty adults who had an ischemic stroke within the last 90 days will receive either the real stimulat…

This study tests whether giving the immune-boosting drug pembrolizumab before surgery can help understand how the immune system fights thyroid cancer. About 25 adults with high-risk differentiated thyroid cancer will receive the drug and then have surgery. The main goal is to lea…

This study looks at how pain and automatic body functions (like digestion and sweating) affect people with Parkinson's disease or multiple system atrophy. Researchers will track 280 participants during their usual rehabilitation to see if symptoms improve and how quality of life …

This study looks at how multiple sclerosis (MS) affects the autonomic nervous system—the part that controls things like heart rate, blood pressure, and sweating. Researchers will test 60 people with relapsing-remitting or primary progressive MS using simple physical challenges an…

This study looks at how people cope physically and emotionally after losing a lower limb, often due to diabetes. Researchers will interview and test 70 adults to understand their recovery, pain, and use of a prosthetic leg. The goal is to improve rehabilitation programs by learni…

This observational study aims to learn more about the thinking styles and brain activity of people with certain eating disorders, including ARFID, anorexia, and bulimia. Researchers will compare these groups to healthy volunteers using questionnaires and computer tasks. The goal …

This study surveys 200 adults with existing heart or blood vessel disease to see how well they recognize their risk factors and perceive their chance of having another heart problem. Researchers want to compare awareness between women and men. The goal is to find gaps in understa…

This study looks at how things you're not aware of, like how a choice is presented or your age, can affect the decisions you make. Researchers will work with 200 healthy adults to measure things like how much you avoid losses versus seeking gains. The goal is to create a baseline…

This study looks at how healthy people's brains process social information, like understanding others' feelings. Researchers will use brain scans (fMRI) and brain wave recordings (EEG) to see which brain areas are active during social tasks. The goal is to create a baseline of no…

This study aims to understand the real-life burden of hereditary angioedema (HAE) by having 30 adults with Type 1 or Type 2 HAE answer daily smartphone surveys for 8 weeks. Researchers want to see if daily tracking shows a higher and more fluctuating burden than traditional quest…

This study looks at how people with specific brain injuries imagine past and future events, a skill called mental time travel. Researchers will compare 66 participants with and without focal brain lesions to understand the role of a brain area called the ventromedial prefrontal c…

This study is creating and testing an Italian version of a questionnaire called the Waddell Disability Index, which measures how much chronic low back pain affects daily life. Researchers will ask 115 adults with back pain for at least 3 months to fill out this and other surveys.…

This study takes small tumor samples from 240 women with invasive breast cancer who are scheduled for chemotherapy before surgery. Researchers will grow these samples into mini-tumors (organoids) in the lab to study each tumor's unique features. The goal is to create models that …

This study uses brain scans (fMRI) and behavioral tests to understand how aging changes decision-making and self-control in healthy people. Researchers will recruit 150 adults to complete tasks and undergo imaging. The goal is to create a baseline for future studies on brain diso…

This study looks at whether giving extra oxygen during a 6-minute walk test helps people with chronic lung disease walk farther and feel better. About 114 adults with conditions like COPD or interstitial lung disease will do two walking tests—one with their usual oxygen and one w…

This study is testing whether combining biological tests (like brain scans and blood work) with psychological and social factors can help doctors diagnose Alzheimer's disease earlier and more accurately. Researchers will follow 80 people with cognitive decline and their caregiver…

This study looks at how changes in muscles and nerves might be linked to brain aging and diseases like ALS, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's. Researchers will compare healthy older adults, those with early signs of frailty, and people with neurological disorders. The goal is to find …

This study is testing a new, highly sensitive blood test to detect tiny particles called extracellular vesicles released by breast cancer cells. Researchers will compare levels of these particles in 105 women with early or metastatic breast cancer and healthy volunteers. The goal…

This study follows 100 people with ALS to see how their autonomic and sensory nerves change over time. Researchers will use skin biopsies and other tests to look for signs of nerve damage. The goal is to find markers that could help predict disease progression and be used in futu…

This study looks at why people with obstructive sleep apnea often struggle to stick with CPAP therapy, the standard treatment. Researchers will test 64 adults to see if their decision-making style—specifically how much effort they're willing to put in for a reward—predicts poor C…