Chronic cough in kidney cancer

  • Research type

    Research Study

  • Full title

    Chronic Cough in patients with renal cell carcinoma: The prevalence, trigger, and potential clinical application of chronic cough as an early screening tool in patients with kidney cancer.

  • IRAS ID

    306412

  • Contact name

    Maxine GB Tran

  • Contact email

    m.tran@ucl.ac.uk

  • Sponsor organisation

    University College London

  • Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier

    Z6364106/2022/05/144, Data Protection Number

  • Duration of Study in the UK

    2 years, 0 months, 1 days

  • Research summary

    Aims:
    1) Determine how frequently cough occurs in patients with kidney cancer, relationship to disease and treatment.
    2) Assess the impact of cough on quality of life.
    3) Test the blood, urine, phlegm, and breath for substances known to cause cough.
    4) Detect kidney cancer at earlier, more treatable stage and develop more effective cough treatments.
    Background:
    Chronic cough affects 10% of the adult population but only half are given a diagnosis (e.g., asthma, gastro-oesophageal reflux, medication). Cough was first associated with kidney cancer in 1935 and may affect 31% of patients; few clinicians are aware of this but within patient forums, the cough resolving once the kidney tumour is treated is widely reported.
    Design:
    1) Literature review to establish what is known about cough in patients with kidney cancer.
    2) Questionnaire to determine how frequently cough occurs in patients attending the specialist centre for kidney cancer. A representative sample will complete the EQ-5D and Leicester Cough Questionnaires and the extent of disease and treatment obtained from the clinical notes. The impact of the cough will be derived from interviews and a focus group.
    3) Cough hypersensitivity testing will be performed in consented patients with kidney cancer and "normal" controls. Clinical samples will be analysed for substances that trigger or enhance cough.
    Patient/service user, carer, and public involvement:
    Involved throughout the study, will provide advice on patient information leaflets, consent forms and questionnaires.
    Dissemination:
    1) Professionals- open access scientific journals; meetings focused on cough or kidney cancer.
    2) Patients/carers- social media, Kidney Cancer UK, Action on Chronic Cough, local hospital events and national kidney cancer patient education days.
    Outcome:
    1) Establish the prevalence of cough in patients with kidney cancer.
    2) Support the education of clinicians to consider this diagnosis in patients with chronic cough.
    3) Potential earlier diagnosis of kidney cancer and treatment for cough

  • REC name

    London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee

  • REC reference

    22/PR/0791

  • Date of REC Opinion

    22 Aug 2022

  • REC opinion

    Further Information Favourable Opinion