Checkpoint inhibitor-induced liver injury study

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Checkpoint inhibitor-induced liver injury (ChILI) study

  • IRAS ID

    274603

  • Contact name

    Guru Aithal

  • Contact email

    guru.aithal@nottingham.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University of Nottingham

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    3 years, 0 months, days

  • Research summary

    • Immune checkpoint inhibitors are proven cancer treatment drugs which have evolved over the last decade and improved outcomes in various cancers.
    • They work to boost the normal immune system by restoring processes which get blocked when cancer develops.
    • These drugs boost all the immune cells, not just the ones that can attack the cancer.
    • The overactive immune system following this treatment can damage the liver and other organs which can be serious. These injuries are unpredictable and difficult to treat.

    • Our aim is to develop new tests that can identify, predict and prevent checkpoint inhibitor-induced liver injury (ChILI) and identify the risk factors for developing this condition.
    • Patients with cancer who are about to start checkpoint inhibitors by oncologist or developed liver injury following the treatment will be eligible for the study.
    • The study will be conducted at Nottingham University Hospitals (Queens medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital) and St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
    • The study will run for 3 years.
    • For participants starting on check point inhibitors, we plan to see them twice (before treatment and 6- 14 weeks after).
    • For participants who developed liver injury they will be seen three times over 1 month (at time of reaction, 1 week after and 1 month after).
    • Each research visit will last around 30 minutes which involved taking medical history including medication history and collection of up to 80 mls of blood (4½ tablespoons) and a urine and/or stool (‘poo’) sample (urine and stool samples are optional). We will obtain consent for liver sample only if liver biopsy was clinically indicated.
    • Visits will be adapted to coincide with routine hospital care and clinic visits whenever possible and samples for research will be collected alongside clinical care blood tests.

  • REC name

    North West - Haydock Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    20/NW/0274

  • Date of REC Opinion

    15 Jun 2020

  • REC opinion

    Favourable Opinion