Evaluating metabolism in human kidney cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Evaluating metabolism in human kidney cancer
IRAS ID
227096
Contact name
Grant Stewart
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
7 years, 5 months, 30 days
Research summary
Abnormal metabolism (chemical processes that occurs in cells) plays an essential role in kidney cancer (KC) growth and survival. Recently, this abnormal metabolism has been linked to tumour initiation, progression and aggressive disease behaviour. In England, more than 40% of patients are diagnosed with advanced stage disease, which despite therapeutic advances remains incurable, contributing to the overall 5-year survival rate of 56%.
Despite scientific advances, the current gaps in our knowledge of KC metabolism challenges developments in treatment strategies. This study aims to answer these gaps by studying ‘dynamic metabolism’, that is, the cancer-associated metabolic pathways and shunts that occur, in patients with KC. To investigate dynamic metabolism, we will conduct isotopic tracer studies in patients with KC. This is an advanced technique involving the infusion of non-radioactive labelled nutrients (known as isotopic tracers) into patients. Analysis of tissues allows these labelled nutrients to be tracked as the nutrient is processed by the cancer cells which allows the metabolic ‘fate’ of the nutrient to be identified. Understanding these changes that occur in patients, may improve our ability to diagnose kidney masses e.g. benign (not cancer) versus cancer and improve our prognostic assessments (i.e. how aggressive the cancer is). Discovering novel metabolic changes may lead to the development of therapies as well as using these detectable metabolic changes as a method of assessing treatment response.
Furthermore, this opportunity will be used to develop new models of KC metabolism that are linked to our patient studies. In doing so, the necessary complementary experimental platforms to perform studies that are not suitable for patients, such as testing experimental therapies, is established. It also provides the opportunity to develop scientific models that are more translatable to the clinical setting. Overall, these models together will enable us to improve our understanding of human kidney cancer metabolism.
REC name
East of England - Cambridge Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/EE/0161
Date of REC Opinion
8 Aug 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion