Updated June 2026 · ClinicalTrials.gov
Hypoxia Imaging for Esophageal Cancer to Guide Personalized Radiation Therapy
Hypoxia Imaging for Esophageal Cancer to Guide Personalized Radiation Therapy (NCT04846309) is a Phase 1 interventional studying Esophageal Cancer, sponsored by University of Utah. RECRUITING as of the most recent ClinicalTrials.gov update. Talk to your doctor before contacting the trial site.
About This Trial
This is a Phase I trial evaluating the safety of personalized radiation therapy based on levels of hypoxia identified on FMISO-PET and MRI. All patients will receive a baseline FMISO positron emission tomography (PET) and MRI to identify levels of hypoxia. Patients with tumor hypoxia will receive a higher dose of radiation therapy. Subjects who do not have hypoxic tumors will be treated with the standard-of-care radiation regimen. After fraction 10 of radiation therapy, an additional MRI will be performed. If this interim MRI demonstrates little or no response (as defined in Section 6), an optional boost radiation dose can be administered. Trial enrollment will be conducted in two parts. In Part 1, eight patients will be enrolled. After all eight patients have completed the 30 day dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) period, enrollment will be placed on hold and safety will be evaluated. During the interim analysis, one additional patient will be allowed to be enrolled in the trial. If the trial meets stopping rules as described in Section 11.3, the trial will be re-evaluated by the Data and Safety Monitoring Committee (DSMC) and the Principal Investigator. However, if the rate of DLTs remains below the unacceptable toxicity rate, enrollment will open to the enrollment of eight more patients.
What Stage of Research Is This?
Phase 1 trials test a new treatment for the first time in humans, focusing on safety, dosing, and how the body processes the drug. For Esophageal Cancer, a Phase 1 study typically enrolls a small number of participants — often healthy volunteers or patients who have exhausted standard treatment options. Phase 1 results determine whether a treatment moves into larger Phase 2 efficacy studies.
This trial is currently recruiting participants. The sponsor has registered the study with ClinicalTrials.gov as actively enrolling, which means new applicants who meet the eligibility criteria can be considered for screening. Trial status can change between updates — confirm current recruiting status with the study contact before traveling for a screening visit.
With a target enrollment of 16 participants, this is a small study — typical of early-phase research, rare-disease trials, or pilot studies designed to generate preliminary signal before a larger study is launched.
Who May Be Eligible (Plain English)
These are translations of the protocol\'s inclusion and exclusion criteria, simplified for patients and caregivers. The original clinical text appears below. Eligibility is ultimately confirmed by the trial site\'s screening process — this summary is a starting point for a conversation with your doctor, not a final determination.
Original Eligibility Criteria
View original clinical language
Treatments Being Tested
Radiation
Prior to the start of study therapy, eligible subjects will receive a FMISO-PET scan. If there is uptake visualized on the scan, the tumor will be considered as hypoxic. If there is no uptake seen on the FMISO-PET scan, tumors will be labeled not hypoxic. Subjects with tumors identified by imaging as hypoxic will be treated with a higher dose of radiation therapy. Tumors will be defined as being hypoxic if FMISO accumulation occurs as demonstrated by standardized uptake value (SUV) uptake in the tumor.
FMISO PET CT
Prior to the start of study therapy, eligible subjects will receive a FMISO-PET scan. If there is uptake visualized on the scan, the tumor will be considered as hypoxic. If there is no uptake seen on the FMISO-PET scan, tumors will be labeled not hypoxic.
Locations (1)
Trial sites listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for this study. Site activation status can vary — confirm with the specific site before traveling for a screening visit.
How to Talk to Your Doctor About This Trial
Bring the printable summary of this trial — including the NCT ID (NCT04846309), the sponsor (University of Utah), and the key eligibility criteria — to your next appointment. Your doctor can review the inclusion and exclusion criteria against your medical history, lab values, and current treatments to assess whether you are likely to qualify. They can also help you weigh whether trial participation makes sense alongside your existing care plan.
Useful questions to walk through together: What does the trial protocol require beyond standard care? How long is the active treatment phase, and how long is follow-up? Are there study visits at sites I can reach? Who pays for the trial-specific procedures, and who pays for standard-of-care portions? See our 25 questions to ask about clinical trials guide for a more complete checklist.
Authoritative Sources
The official record for this trial lives on ClinicalTrials.gov — the federal registry maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. For background on how this trial fits into the FDA approval pathway, see the FDA drug approval process. For oncology-specific guidance for patients considering trials, the National Cancer Institute publishes patient-oriented overviews. International trial registries are aggregated by the WHO ICTRP.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NCT04846309 clinical trial studying?
This is a Phase I trial evaluating the safety of personalized radiation therapy based on levels of hypoxia identified on FMISO-PET and MRI. All patients will receive a baseline FMISO positron emission tomography (PET) and MRI to identify levels of hypoxia. Patients with tumor hypoxia will receive a higher dose of radiation therapy. Subjects who do not have hypoxic tumors will be treated with the standard-of-care radiation regimen. After fraction 10 of radiation therapy, an additional MRI will be performed. If this interim MRI demonstrates little or no response (as defined in Section 6), an opt… The full protocol is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and includes the primary outcome measures, eligibility criteria, and study endpoints.
Who can participate in NCT04846309?
Eligibility for this trial depends on the specific inclusion and exclusion criteria set by the sponsor. The plain-English summary above translates the most important criteria into accessible language; the official clinical text is preserved in the collapsible section underneath. Whether you fit any specific trial is a medical decision your doctor needs to confirm — bring the trial information to your treating physician for a full review against your medical history.
How do I contact the trial site for NCT04846309?
Contact information registered with ClinicalTrials.gov is shown in the sidebar of this page. Before reaching out, confirm with your treating physician that this trial is appropriate for your situation. The trial site will then walk you through the screening process to determine final eligibility.
Is participating in a clinical trial safe?
Clinical trials in the United States are regulated by the FDA and overseen by Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) that review the protocol for safety. Risk varies by trial — Phase 1 studies test new treatments in humans for the first time, while Phase 3 trials use treatments that have already passed earlier safety screening. The informed consent document for any specific trial details the known risks and what to expect. Discuss those risks with your physician before deciding whether to participate.
Where can I verify the data on this page?
Every detail on this page comes directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API. Click "View on ClinicalTrials.gov" in the sidebar to see the official, unmodified record. The federal record is always authoritative; this page is a structured presentation with a plain-English eligibility translation. For background on how clinical trials are regulated, see the FDA drug approval process documentation.
How This Page Is Built
Every field on this page is pulled directly from the ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 — no estimates, no proxies. The plain-English eligibility translation is generated from the original protocol text and reviewed for fidelity to the underlying clinical criteria. The original clinical text remains visible in the collapsible section above so users and clinicians can verify the translation. Read the full methodology for the data pipeline and known limitations.
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Source: ClinicalTrials.gov API v2 record for NCT04846309. Maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. Public domain. Cite as: "TrialFinderData. NCT04846309. Data: ClinicalTrials.gov."
Medical disclaimer: This page is informational, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about whether a clinical trial is right for you.
Last updated 2026-06-26 · Data from ClinicalTrials.gov.