TRANSBACCHUS
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Sample collection study to investigate the role of circulating tumour cells in high risk rectal cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy and bevacizumab as part of the BACCHUS trial (Trans-BACCHUS
IRAS ID
181691
Contact name
Marcia Hall
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 7 months, 14 days
Research summary
In some cancers it has been shown that blood samples can be examined to inform us of the possible response that a patient may be having from their treatment. For some cancers this can be achieved through looking at certain proteins in the blood that are produced in excess in patients with advanced cancer. Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is one example of this type of ‘marker’. However, following this marker is not always straightforward.
Recently techniques have been developed that allow the examination of circulating cancer cells in the blood. This study is to explore the feasibility of examining your blood for circulating rectal cancer cells using a new technique that is possibly more effective. In addition to this it is planned to examine the rectal cancer cells, if we find them, for certain genes in order to discover if examining cancer cell DNA could be used to determine earlier if the treatment being given is successful. A few patients may also be asked to donate a part of their cancer tissue at diagnosis and at surgery to compare with the genetic signature in the circulating cancer cells.
There is increasing evidence that immunity might play a part in whether or not some patients’ rectal cancer can be controlled in the longer term. We would like to start examining the white blood cells in rectal cancer patients to explore this concept further. It is possible that the white cells change in response to your cancer and help cancer cells to spread and grow. These changes may be altered by your treatments. If these changes are predictable, they may help us identify new targets to treat/control rectal cancer in the future
REC name
South Central - Berkshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/SC/0400
Date of REC Opinion
25 Jun 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion