Immunological profiling in uterine cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigating immune markers in Endometrial cancer as a diagnostic/prognostic tool
IRAS ID
237754
Contact name
Agnieszka Michael
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Surrey
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 9 months, 1 days
Research summary
Uterine Cancer continues to be the fourth most common cancer in women in Europe and its incidence is rising to epidemic proportions. Over 94% of these cases are endometrial cancer. Despite this, there is no known peripheral biomarker available to aid diagnosis or prognosis. This study is aimed at looking at the immunological basis of endometrial cancer and at identifying biomarkers related to diagnosis and prognosis. Any woman attending the hospital with abnormal vaginal bleeding under the two-week rule pathway will be included in the study. Consent will be sought to obtain 30mls (2 1/2 tablespoons) of venous blood and a urine sample within the clinic setting. We will also take consent to have access to frozen tissue (taken within clinic or after surgery, when clinically indicated) after it has been analysed and reported for diagnostic purposes. In addition, as long as the pathologist is happy, a fresh tumour tissue will be obtained for analysis in suspected endometrial cancer patients only with prior patient consent. These biological samples will be analysed to look for various immunological molecules which play a role in both suppression and regulation of the immune environment in endometrial cancer.
We will also obtain blood samples from patients undergoing chemotherapy for advanced stage endometrial cancer to see if the markers can be used to assess response to treatment.
We will also obtain 15 archival tissue blocks (5 normal, 5 endometrial hyperplasia and 5 endometrial cancer) to serve as a control. This will be anonymised tissue and there will be no link to patients data. The aim would be to define and ultimately target the immunosupressive environment in endometrial cancer in order to develop novel immune related therapies and diagnostic tools.REC name
London - Westminster Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/LO/0292
Date of REC Opinion
6 Apr 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion