Recruiting

Gold Markers and MRI Imaging to Guide Bladder Cancer Radiation

Plain-English translation of NCT04442724 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated August 2025 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

Read our Bladder Cancer research guide →

This study doesn't follow the usual testing phases — it may be an observational study or a different type of research.

What is this trial?

This study is testing whether placing tiny gold fiducial markers around a bladder tumor can help doctors deliver radiation therapy more accurately to bladder cancer patients who want to keep their bladder. The gold markers act like landmarks on imaging scans, helping doctors target the cancer more precisely during treatment. Researchers will also use advanced MRI imaging to see how well it can detect bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer patients who want to avoid surgery to remove their bladder need better ways for doctors to aim radiation therapy exactly where the tumor is, while protecting surrounding healthy tissue. This trial is designed to see if gold markers can improve the accuracy of this bladder-sparing approach.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you have been diagnosed with muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (bladder cancer) that is localized and has not spread to distant organs
your cancer is at stage T2-T4a and you have chosen to treat it with chemotherapy and radiation rather than bladder removal surgery
you are planning to have or have already had a procedure called TURBT (transurethral resection of bladder tumor) as part of your regular cancer care
your kidney function is adequate, with a serum creatinine below 2 mg/dL or calculated creatinine clearance above 30 ml/min
you are able to understand the study and willing to sign a consent form

You likely don't qualify if…

you have cancer in the ureter, urethra, or kidney without bladder cancer
your cancer has already spread to distant organs like the lungs or liver
you have certain bladder abnormalities (like many large bladder pouches) that would make safe placement of the gold markers impossible
you are pregnant, nursing, or cannot receive MRI contrast dye due to severe kidney problems
you have had previous radiation therapy to the bladder or are planning immunotherapy before your chemo-radiation treatment

What participation looks like

During your cancer treatment, your doctor will place the tiny gold markers in your bladder wall during your resection surgery. You will then undergo radiation planning scans and advanced MRI imaging. You will receive chemotherapy and radiation therapy as planned. After treatment ends, you will return for follow-up visits at 3, 6, and 9 months, which may include additional MRI scans or a cystoscopy (a procedure to look inside your bladder) to check how well the treatment worked.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 10, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(3 sites)

United States

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (CSMC), Los Angeles, California

University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California

Harvard School of Medicine/Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston, Massachusetts