Circulating tumour cells in soft tissue sarcoma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
CIRCUS: A pilot study of CIRCUlating tumour cells in patients with soft tissue Sarcoma
IRAS ID
235459
Contact name
Robin Young
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
not applicable, not applicable
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 6 months, 0 days
Research summary
Research Summary
Many sarcoma patients go on to develop incurable metastatic disease. The biological process by which sarcomas spread (metastasise) is poorly understood. It is thought that tumour cells escape from the main tumour, enter the bloodstream, circulate in the blood, and then exit the bloodstream elsewhere to grow into new tumours called metastases. Tumour cells that have entered the bloodstream can be identified as circulating tumour cells. Techniques have been developed to isolate and study circulating tumour cells, and this opens up a field of exciting research possibilities that should lead to improvements in patient care. Circulating tumour cells provide an opportunity to learn about the biological process of metastasis, and their study could lead to the development of new treatments for sarcoma. Furthermore, circulating tumour cells may represent a clinically useful measure (a biomarker) of metastatic disease. Thus, for example, circulating tumour cells could offer a novel method for identifying and selecting patients with localised tumour who have a high risk of developing metastatic disease. These patients may benefit from intensive chemotherapy as part of their initial treatment.
This project is a pilot study, to demonstrate that we can isolate, quantify and characterise circulating tumour cells from blood samples collected from consenting patients presenting to our sarcoma services, using protocols established in our research laboratories. If successful, the results from this pilot study will be used to develop further research studies.
Summary of Results
Cancer cells that escape the primary tumour and intravasate into the bloodstream become circulating tumour cells (CTCs) that have the potential to seed into distant metastases. We performed a pilot study to isolate, quantify and characterise CTCs in peripheral blood samples collected from patients presenting to the Sheffield Sarcoma Service with either localised or advanced extremity soft tissue sarcoma (STS).
13 patients were recruited to this pilot study; 7 patients with localised disease, 6 patients with metastatic disease. CTCs were identified in 4/7 patients with localised disease and 5/6 patients with metastatic disease.
Our study demonstrated that CTCs can be isolated from peripheral blood samples of patients with extremity STS. Further studies are needed to evaluate CTCs in STS, including their potential role as a biomarker to identify patients with high-risk localised disease who may benefit more from adjuvant chemotherapy.
Has the registry been updated to include summary results?: No
If yes - please enter the URL to summary results:
If no – why not?: N/A
Did you follow your dissemination plan submitted in the IRAS application form (Q A51)?: Pending
If yes, describe or provide URLs to disseminated materials:
If pending, date when dissemination is expected: 31/12/2024
If no, explain why you didn't follow it:
Have participants been informed of the results of the study?: No
If yes, describe and/or provide URLs to materials shared and how they were shared:
If pending, date when feedback is expected:
If no, explain why they haven't: Small pilot study some of whom since deceased.
Patients informed at the start that results would not be disseminated directly to them.
Have you enabled sharing of study data with others?: No
If yes, describe or provide URLs to how it has been shared:
If no, explain why sharing hasn't been enabled: Data will be made available on request.
Have you enabled sharing of tissue samples and associated data with others?: No
If yes, describe or provide a URL:
If no, explain why: N/A - no tissue samples collected.REC name
London - Surrey Borders Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/1812
Date of REC Opinion
10 Oct 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion