Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

This study is for people with HER2-positive breast cancer that has spread to the lining of the brain or spinal cord (leptomeningeal disease). It tests whether giving radiation first, followed by a combination of three drugs (tucatinib, trastuzumab, and capecitabine), can help con…

This study is for people with glioblastoma, a fast-growing brain tumor. It tests a new way to give radiation that adapts to changes in the tumor and uses smaller treatment areas. The goal is to see if this approach can better control the tumor and improve survival compared to sta…

This study tests whether combining hyperbaric oxygen therapy (breathing pure oxygen in a special chamber) with a medication regimen called PENTOCLO works better than hyperbaric oxygen alone for treating a serious side effect of head and neck cancer radiation: dead bone in the jaw…

This study tests a new radiation approach for people with large brain tumors. Instead of the usual 5 daily treatments on one machine, patients get 4 treatments on one machine, a break, then a final treatment on a different machine. The goal is to improve tumor control and reduce …

This early-stage study tests whether a special helmet using sound waves can safely open a temporary door in the brain's protective barrier to deliver an anti-inflammatory drug (IVIg) directly to the motor cortex in people with ALS. Only 6 adults with ALS will take part. The main …

This study is testing a highly focused type of radiation, called SBRT, for people with kidney cancer that cannot be removed with surgery. The goal is to see if this treatment can control the tumor for at least two years while keeping side effects low and maintaining quality of li…

This study tests a different way of giving the chemotherapy drug temozolomide to elderly patients (65+) with a type of brain cancer called glioblastoma that has a marker making standard treatment less effective. The goal is to see if this modified daily schedule can help slow the…

This study looks at whether a simple genetic test can help doctors pick the right blood thinner for people who have had a stroke due to narrowed arteries in the brain. Some people's genes make the standard drug, clopidogrel, less effective. The study will compare the usual approa…

This study tests whether giving duloxetine (a pain-relieving antidepressant) before and after knee replacement surgery can lower the amount of opioids patients need. About 150 adults with knee osteoarthritis will take duloxetine or a placebo around their surgery. The goal is to i…

This study tests whether cannabis is safe and practical for treating restless legs syndrome (RLS), a condition that causes painful leg sensations and disrupts sleep. Thirty adults with moderate-to-severe RLS will be randomly assigned to take cannabis or a placebo for 8 weeks. Res…

This study tests if watching a virtual reality (VR) video before a brain procedure can reduce anxiety in people with severe hand tremors. About 60 adults who are already scheduled for a focused ultrasound treatment will watch one of two VR videos. Researchers will then compare th…

This study tests whether doing simple throat and mouth exercises can help people with obstructive sleep apnea who cannot tolerate CPAP machines. Researchers will enroll 45 adults and randomly assign them to supervised exercises, unsupervised exercises, or a sham (fake) routine fo…

This small pilot study tests whether a non-invasive brain stimulation technique called rTMS can reduce apathy—a common loss of interest and enthusiasm—in people with dementia or mild cognitive impairment. Ten participants will receive rTMS, some also taking a medication called me…

This early study is testing whether a natural supplement called fisetin is safe for older adults with mild Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment. Only 5 people will take part, and the main goal is to check for side effects. It is a very small, first-step study to see i…

This small study tests whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy (breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber) can reduce fatigue and other symptoms in people with post-COVID syndrome. Researchers will also see if a larger study is practical. About 40 adults with long COVID and chroni…

This study compares two antiseptic skin preparations (chlorhexidine-alcohol vs. povidone-iodine) used before revision hip or knee replacement surgery to see which better prevents infections and the need for another operation. It involves 400 adults undergoing aseptic revision sur…

This study tests a new MRI technique that uses a special contrast agent (hyperpolarized pyruvate) to create images of the heart's metabolism. Researchers aim to see if this method can help better understand and manage heart failure. The study involves up to 112 participants, incl…

This pilot study aims to see if inhaled sedatives (calming drugs) can lower the risk of delirium (severe confusion) in children who need a breathing machine, compared to standard IV sedatives. The study will enroll 60 children aged 1 month to 18 years and monitor them for up to 2…

This study looks at whether a spinal fluid sample can find cancer DNA in people whose solid tumors have spread to the brain or spinal cord. Researchers will collect fluid from 60 participants with different levels of brain involvement. The goal is to see if this liquid biopsy met…

This study is testing a new type of MRI scan that shows how brain tumors use energy, which may help doctors predict if a tumor will respond to radiation therapy. About 276 adults with brain metastases will receive this special scan before and after standard radiation treatment. T…

This study uses brain scans to see how psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) changes brain activity in people with depression. Fifty adults with major depression will receive either psilocybin or a placebo during two treatment sessions, with MRI scans taken right …

This study is looking at how often breast cancer that has spread to the brain can be found early with an MRI in people with certain high-risk types (triple negative or HER2+ stage IIb or III). About 100 participants will get a brain MRI, give a blood sample, and answer a question…