A PILOT STUDY OF DIFFUSION WEIGHTED MRI TO ASSESS ESOPHAGEAL TUMOR RESONSE TO NEOADJUVANT CHEMORADIATION

The purpose of this research study will be to determine the sensitivity and specificity of dwMRI metrics to assess tumor response following neoadjuvant chemoradiation in esophageal cancer. This pilot study will generate the preliminary data needed for the design of a statistically-justified trial that would investigate dwMRI as an integral biomarker to stratify patients for escalated therapy to improve outcomes. We hope to develop dwMRI as a predictive clinical tool for a personalized treatment model that can identify patients who may be candidates for organ-preservation or treatment intensification to improve outcomes in esophageal cancer.