The role of cancer stem cells in head and neck cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Developing in vitro models for investigating the role of cancer stem cells in head and neck cancer progression
IRAS ID
231002
Contact name
Adrian Biddle
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary University of London
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 11 months, 22 days
Research summary
We are studying how oral cancer initiates, grows and spreads. Improved understanding of these important steps in tumour development is important in order to enable the design of more effective therapies. This study will be conducted using tumour material obtained during surgery on oral squamous cell carcinoma and oropharyngeal cancer patients at Barts Health NHS Trust (both primary and metastatic lesions). After cancer surgery, for patients who consent, the clinical pathologist will take a small piece of tumour to be grown in a dish in the academic lab. Paraffin-embedded specimens will also be provided for antibody staining and DNA/RNA extraction in the academic environment. Clinical details, including tumour stage, pathological observations, prior treatment and patient survival information will be provided, all fully de-identified to the academic researcher. These specimens will be provided from material removed during surgery for the condition, and the pathologist will only provide a specimen where there is no risk that doing so will in any way compromise clinical decision making (for example, tumours will need to be large enough that intact margins can be maintained). Leukoplakias (pre-malignant lesions) will also be provided after surgery for removal of the lesion - in these cases, there is no ongoing clinical decision making so all material can be provided without consideration of this issue.
REC name
West Midlands - Solihull Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/WM/0326
Date of REC Opinion
24 Oct 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion