HOPE STUDY
Research type
Research Study
Full title
HOspital versus Primary care breath test Environment study
IRAS ID
340064
Contact name
George Hanna
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The analysis of exhaled breath for detection and monitoring of disease is attractive, as breath testing is a non-invasive investigation. This works by measuring endogenous volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced within the body, which travel within blood to reach pulmonary alveoli where they are exhaled and can be measured.
We have demonstrated the potential to use VOCs to detect several gastrointestinal cancers. The use of a breath test as a triage tool for cancer/other diseases in symptomatic patients could identify high-risk patients who should be referred for investigations at an earlier stage. If a GP is presented with a patient with symptoms that do not prompt referral under NICE guidelines, he/she would no longer need to watch-and-wait to see if their symptoms worsen, but could instead offer a breath test immediately. Breath samples would be collected and sent to a regional laboratory for analysis. A positive result would warrant immediate referral for further specialised investigations, whilst a negative test would permit the GP to reassure the patient and offer re-testing if symptoms persist.
We performed the MAGIC study and confirmed that breath testing is feasible in 1002 participants in Primary care. However, the potential for an individual’s exhaled breath VOC profile to change when measured across Primary and Secondary care sites has not yet been investigated. Through the HOPE study, we wish to determine whether exhaled breath VOC profiles in primary care differ from secondary care. We would also like to assess intra-subject variability of participants. This would allow us to determine if the results of breath samples are reproducible regardless of whether they are performed in a Primary or Secondary care environment. This would support the clinical translation of breath research outcomes from studies performed in Secondary care, despite the breath test being intended for use in Primary care.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/EM/0170
Date of REC Opinion
9 Aug 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion