Neutrophils in cytotoxic chemotherapy
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Neutrophil function in Cytotoxic Chemotherapy: a prospective cohort study to determine the impact of chemotherapy on neutrophil function in paediatric patients with cancer. (NICC Study)
IRAS ID
233042
Contact name
Barry L PIZER
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 4 months, 31 days
Research summary
Children with cancer frequently require chemotherapy to treat their disease. However, chemotherapy has a number of toxic side effects including an effect on the bone marrow that makes blood cells. Most importantly chemotherapy often results in low numbers of white blood cells, the cells that fight infection. The most important white cells are called neutrophils that are the main cells that destroy harmful bacteria. They do this by enveloping (gobbling up) bacteria, a process called phagocytosis. However if bacteria get into the blood stream and there are low numbers of neutrophils, then severe and sometimes fatal blood poisoning may occur. We can easily measure the number of neutrophils in the blood. However, we know that neutrophils can vary in their function, with some being effective and some ineffective at killing harmful bacteria.
We predict that testing neutrophil function may be a useful tool in determining the risk of each patient developing severe infection after chemotherapy. This may help us use antibiotics in a better and more rational way.
We have developed a new test of neutrophil function that we have previously tested in children admitted to intensive care with sepsis. We now want to see if this test will work in children with cancer.
Fifteen children with cancer will have a blood test both before and after chemotherapy to see whether we can measure neutrophil function after chemotherapy when the number of neutrophils is reduced. To help us assess the test, we will also measure neutrophil function in a group of ten children without cancer that are having an anaesthetic for minor surgery
If this small study shows that we can measure neutrophil function after chemotherapy this could lead on to a larger study to see whether neutrophil function can predict sepsis in this high-risk group of cancer patients.
REC name
London - London Bridge Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/LO/1625
Date of REC Opinion
11 Sep 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion