Hypoxia Driven metabolic Response in Oesophagogastric Adenocarcinoma
Research type
Research Study
Full title
HYpoxia Driven metabolic Response in Oesophagogastric Adenocarcinoma (HYDRA)
IRAS ID
324771
Contact name
George Hanna
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Research Governance and Integrity Team, Imperial College London
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Cancer of the stomach and oesophagus (gullet) is among the world's top five cancers. Survival rates are very poor as the disease presents late and early symptoms are non-specific. We also know some patients have tumours that have low oxygen levels. Tumours with low oxygen levels are called hypoxic tumours. These hypoxic cancers are known to be more aggressive, spread faster and are more resistant to cancer treatments like chemotherapy. Therefore, patients with these tumour types often have significantly worse survival.
Our lab has developed a non-invasive test for cancers of the stomach and oesophagus based on the detection of small molecules in exhaled breath, that we believe are produced by cancer cells. Our innovation is to adapt this breath test to try and identify patients with hypoxic tumours. By identifying these patients, we hope they can be given treatments that specifically target their hypoxic tumours. As a result, we expect this would lead to improved survival and better outcomes for these patients.
This study is a prospective study, recruiting patients undergoing surgical removal or surgical sampling of their oesophagus and stomach cancers. As part of the study, patients would have samples of their breath, urine, blood and tumour taken to explore the metabolic pathways that lead to the production of the small molecules we can detect in breath. Some individuals in the study would receive a hypoxia-labelling agent called pimonidazole before their operation. This would mark areas of the tumour with low oxygen levels and help us characterise the molecular profile of hypoxic tumours.
With a greater understanding of the types of molecules released by hypoxic tumours and what metabolic changes occur, we believe we will be able to design a targeted non-invasive exhaled breath test for these patients.REC name
London - Chelsea Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/PR/0723
Date of REC Opinion
1 Aug 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion