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Radiation therapy damage to airways and vessels: determining impact on ventilation, perfusion, and radiation-induced lung injury

Award Number: R01CA309192
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/08/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2031

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Radiation therapy damage to airways and vessels: determining impact on ventilation, perfusion, and radiation-induced lung injury - Title: Radiation therapy damage to airways and vessels: determining impact on ventilation, perfusion, and radiation-induced lung injury The primary goal of this proposal is to reduce pulmonary toxicity for patients receiving radiation therapy (RT) for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The NCI has prioritized supporting research studies designed to address adverse sequelae of cancer therapies that persist and become chronic co-morbidities or develop as delayed posttreatment effects (see PAR-25-145). This is a serious problem for lung cancer patients, and public health in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates in 2025 the US will experience over 225,000 new cases of lung cancer, nearly half of whom will receive RT during their course of care, and approximately 30% of the surviving patients will experience Grade 2+ toxicity including fibrosis. The mechanisms of radiation induced lung injury (RILI) are poorly understood. Over the last five years our research team has found that RILI depends on the spatial locations and radiosensitivity of tissues receiving high radiation doses, and preliminary data that suggests substantial damage occurs even in low-dose areas due to (a) spatial variation of ventilation and perfusion, and (b) the consequences of irradiating supplying airways and vessels. We believe rigorous evaluation of medical images can illuminate the mechanisms of RILI and lead to modification of existing therapeutic approaches to minimize their prevalence. In this proposal we intend to do so by: (i) verifying both direct and indirect radiation damage to lung ventilation and perfusion, (ii) modeling the mechanisms of this damage by characterizing RILI in lung substructures (parenchyma, pulmonary airways, and vessels), and (iii) identifying radiation dose thresholds for these substructures to prevent and/or minimize RILI. We believe the specific aims outlined herein are essential for Functional Lung Avoidance Radiation Therapy to be successfully implemented as standard of care. The novel image acquisition methods and analysis techniques proposed will be needed for these findings to be reproducible in broad clinical application. Without rigorous image analysis methods, the nuanced lung architecture and functional dependencies cannot be understood nor incorporated impactfully in RILI minimization efforts.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $576,328 )
2026	2026	OREGON HEALTH & SCIENCE UNIVERSITY	3181 SW SAM JACKSON PARK RD	PORTLAND	OR	97239	MULTNOMAH	USA	Cancer Treatment Research	000	1	9/8/2026	NEW	$576,328
														Subtotal = $576,328

Grand Total All Awards = $576,328

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Radiation therapy damage to airways and vessels: determining impact on ventilation, perfusion, and radiation-induced lung injury

Award Number: R01CA309192

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/08/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 08/31/2031

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