REPLICANT
Research type
Research Study
Full title
REPLICANT: Real-time Ex-Vivo Perfusion of Lymph Nodes Invaded by Cancer with Novel Therapies
IRAS ID
218591
Contact name
Peter Barry
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 5 months, 26 days
Research summary
At diagnosis, breast cancer may have spread to the regional lymph nodes in the armpit ('axilla'). Lymph node status is important for two reasons: it is one of the main factors that determines patient outcome; and it may indicate the potential for cancer cells to spread to other body sites ('metastasise').
Most cancer-related deaths occur as a result of metastasis. Cancer that has spread may be different molecularly and biologically to the primary breast cancer. Thus, studying these cancer-containing nodes is important. Currently, some patients with cancer in the armpit have these lymph nodes removed as part of their routine care.
In this study, we will remove an intact cancerous axillary lymph node from patients with breast cancer, and keep it 'alive' outside the body using a modified heart-lung bypass machine. Once we prove that this is possible, we aim to use the model to test if drug therapies can successfully kill the cancer within these nodes.
Ultimately, we believe that since the model uses the patient's own tissue, it is potentially more relevant to developing personalised treatments. In addition, we may also be able to assess how the patient's immune system interacts with both the tumour and any drugs given.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EM/0433
Date of REC Opinion
31 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion