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Contact the study team using the details below to take part. If there are no contact details below please ask your doctor in the first instance.
Malignant neoplasms of digestive organs
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Oesophageal squamous cell cancer (OSCC) is a cancer that grows in the food pipe and affects up to 2,000 people in the UK every year. Most patients are diagnosed when the cancer has spread to other body parts (advanced stage). As a result, the five-year survival is less than 20%. In comparison, when diagnosed early, nearly three out of four patients survive more than five years, indicating that early diagnosis improves survival.
There are numerous challenges in detecting OSCC early. Firstly, symptoms of early cancer are non-specific and there is no intermediate triage test to guide future investigation. Secondly, an oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) and biopsy is the reference diagnostic test; however, it is an invasive and uncomfortable investigation with associated complications. Lastly, according to the NICE guidelines, OGD is only offered to people with high suspicion of cancer. Collectively, these factors result in diagnostic delays.
Our solution is to develop a non-invasive breath test for detection of OSCC. The breath test is based on detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath.
The ViSON study will be a multi-centre case-control study with prospective data collection. The aim is to identify breath VOCs that serve as biomarkers for OSCC and develop a breath test. Once developed and validated, the test will be offered by GPs as a triage test to patients with non-specific symptoms. Patients who test positive will be referred for an urgent endoscopy whereas those who test negative have a low risk of cancer and can be reassured.
The breath test will offer a simple, quick, and non-invasive solution to early detection of OSCC and improve overall survival.
Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.
The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:
Observational type: Case-controlled study;
You can take part if:
You may not be able to take part if:
Participants with the following characteristics will not be eligible for inclusion in the study:   • Received some form of treatment (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, endoscopic treatment, or surgery) for OSCC, • History of another cancer in the last five years • Non-squamous cell oesophageal cancer • Barrett's oesophagus (with or without dysplasia) • Previous oesophageal or gastric resection • Unable to provide a breath sample • Unable to provide written consent or lack capacity.
Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.
The study is sponsored by Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine and funded by NIHR Academy .
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Read full details
for Trial ID: CPMS 59207
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