Circulating cells in advanced cancer (CICATRIx)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Sample collection study to explore Circulating tumour cells, cell free DNA And leucocytes with imagesTReam analysIs in patients with various cancers (CICATRIx)
IRAS ID
198179
Contact name
Marcia Hall
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
East and North Herts NHS Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
10 years, 0 months, 2 days
Research summary
Patients are always inquiring why we are unable to tell them about their cancer from a simple blood test. There is increasing evidence that cancer cells travel in the circulatory system but to date efforts to securely identify these have predominantly relied on certain surface markers that are not regularly present on the circulating tumour cells (CTCs) (but are present when the cells settle to grow). Recent advances in technology have resulted in equipment (ImageStream analysis) which is now able to sort cells into different size groups AND image them with high definition. Treatment of samples with different antibodies will help to confirm identification of the origin of these CTCs. Circulating free DNA in the blood stream may also help identify changes to patients cancer.
For many cancer patients, their (lack of) immune response to their cancer is being recognized as an early and important strategy to enhance cancer cell viability. In addition to the examination of CTCs, this technology is likely to be equally informative to explore changes on circulating T cells and other lymphocytes that support the immune response to foreign antigens. We hope that by identifying changes in the lymphocytes that correlate with treatment success or failure the T cells (or CTCs) might
become a 'biomarker' to tell us if the cancer is being controlled or escaping control. This study is requesting blood samples from patients with advanced cancer in order to determine how best to use the new technology to give us a better understanding about their cancer from a simple blood test. Comparison is planned with tissue taken at diagnosis and where available, other cancer-induced bodily fluid accumulations such as ascites or pleural effusions.REC name
West Midlands - South Birmingham Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/WM/0196
Date of REC Opinion
4 Jul 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion