Correlation Between Plasma Sphingolipid Metabolites and the Efficacy of Radiotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to explore the relationship between plasma sphingolipid levels and the effectiveness of radiotherapy in patients with primary liver cancer, specifically hepatocellular carcinoma. The study focuses on key metabolites like ceramide, sphingosine, and sphingosine-1-phosphate, which play roles in cell signaling and apoptosis. Researchers hypothesize that these sphingolipid levels may predict how well radiotherapy works, helping to improve treatment strategies for liver cancer. The study is a single-center, prospective observational project involving 260 patients undergoing radiotherapy for liver cancer. Plasma samples will be collected before, during, and after treatment to analyze sphingolipid metabolites using advanced mass spectrometry techniques. Patients will be grouped based on their response to radiotherapy, classified by imaging criteria into responders and non-responders. The study also monitors radiation-induced side effects such as liver disease, enteritis, and bone marrow suppression. Participants will be followed for up to four years after radiotherapy, with assessments at multiple time points including 1, 2, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, and 48 months. Clinical imaging, laboratory tests, and adverse event monitoring will be performed to correlate sphingolipid levels with treatment outcomes and safety. The main outcome measure is the disease control rate assessed 12 weeks post-treatment, with additional measures including progression-free survival, overall survival, and treatment tolerability.

Plasma Sphingolipid Metabolites and Radiotherapy Efficacy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma