Developing Objective Serum Infrared Based Diagnostics for Cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Developing Objective Serum Infrared Based Diagnostics for Cancer
IRAS ID
244084
Contact name
David J Anderson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Strathclyde
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Colorectal and Breast Cancer are two of the world’s most common cancers. Early diagnosis is a major contributor to survival. Current methods of investigation are often invasive. Blood sampling is a minimally invasive method of sampling. By analysis with Infrared Spectroscopy in the laboratory of small volumes of blood serum and plasma from breast and colorectal cancer patients, we hypothesise that a blood test can be developed for their diagnosis - allowing for less invasive and less radical treatments, reducing potential morbidity, improving quality of life and prolonging survival.
We then aim to investigate whether the same technique can predict the stage/biology of the cancer, expected response to chemotherapy/non-surgical treatments, nodal status, and the presence of metastases.
Blood Sampling will be from NHS patients with diagnosed breast or colorectal cancer and performed with full patient knowledge and consent, and with all procedures, goals and any further required future sampling explained. Consent will also be included for collection of any relevant demographic data (including age, sex, diagnosis, time from diagnosis, previous cancers, pathology, response to chemotherapy, nodal status, presence of metastatic disease, disease recurrence) for storage in a secure database for later analysis.
Samples will be collected by standard venipuncture, and analysed with the Infrared spectrometer at Strathclyde University. In most cases sampling could be carried out along with already requested blood investigations, but in some cases further sampling would be required. We will then compare the blood sample results with paired tissue samples obtained through the GG&C Biorepository (with full patient knowledge and consent obtained at the time of blood sampling) to validate the process.
Excluded patients are those: under the age of 18 and lacking the capacity to consent, pregnant, as well as those currently under follow-up for breast or colorectal cancer or those who would have met the inclusion criteria in the past.
Most participants would have one sample taken pre-operatively; patients undergoing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy would undergo additional samples at each attendance for chemotherapy, as well as a further core biopsy of the breast cancer following 2 cycles of chemotherapy to chart blood analysis to tissue response.
All Participants would then be asked to provide a sample at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years post-operatively to analyse the potential as a screening recurrence tool (collected at follow-up clinic visits).Our primary objective is the development of a blood test to diagnose colorectal and breast cancer, with secondary objectives being prediction of stage, treatment response, node status and presence of metastases, along with determining the best sample for analysis (blood serum or blood plasma) and the best method of storage (frozen or refrigerated) to allow for routine use of the test in future.
REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
18/NW/0288
Date of REC Opinion
9 May 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion