PREVAIL-ctDNA [COVID-19]
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Preventing viral pandemic associated risk of cancer death using less invasive diagnostic tests– liquid biopsies
IRAS ID
282669
Contact name
Naureen Starling
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 6 months, 31 days
Research summary
The recent coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has led to almost 20,000 deaths in the UK as of the end of April 2020. Whilst the peak of the pandemic may have been reached, infection and hospitalisations related to COVID-19 are expected to continue for many months with potential for further peaks until a vaccine is available. The initial impact on the healthcare system in the UK has been significant as resources were re-directed to manage the pandemic and the associated risk of overwhelming in-patient and intensive care capacity, and this is expected to continue throughout the recovery period. \n\nDuring the COVID-19 pandemic and in the recovery period, we need to be able to rapidly diagnose cancer with non-invasive tests and prioritise cancer patients appropriately and safely for appropriate cancer treatments to prevent an increase in cancer deaths as a result of the pandemic. Diagnostic capacity relating to aerosol-generating procedures (i.e. endoscopy and bronchoscopy) will continue to be constrained in the recovery period and alternative stratified strategies for diagnosis and prioritisation of appropriate cancer treatment are urgently needed. \n\nThere is therefore a need for non-invasive tools to assist in the diagnosis and treatment prioritisation for patients with suspected cancer. One such non-invasive test includes circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) which detect parts of cancer DNA in the blood with a simple blood test (called liquid biopsy). PREVAIL-ctDNA will offer patients with suspected cancer diagnosis a novel liquid biopsy to detect ctDNA in lieu of invasive tissue biopsies. Patients with suspected malignancy for whom invasive biopsy for definitive histological diagnosis is challenging either due to COVID-19-related resource limitations, infection control or technical feasibility will be considered for this study. A combined approach involving analysis of ctDNA, assessing imaging characteristics and patient factors through the multi-disciplinary team meeting (MDT) will assist in the diagnosis and personalisation of treatment for patients with cancer.
REC name
North East - Tyne & Wear South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/NE/0152
Date of REC Opinion
29 May 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion