Serrated Polyp Prognostic Markers Study

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  SERRATED POLYP PROGNOSTIC MARKERS STUDY - SAPPER: Developing a prognostic biomarker of risk of malignant transformation in serrated colorectal neoplasia – a pilot study

• IRAS ID

  241951

• Contact name

  Sunil Dolwani

• Contact email

  Dolwanis@cardiff.ac.uk

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 11 months, 30 days

• Research summary

  Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK. Bowel screening can reduce deaths from bowel cancer, but some cancers are harder to find at an early stage when they are polyps. One type of polyp, serrated polyps, are often quite difficult to detect at colonoscopy as they tend to be flat and disguised by a covering of mucous. Serrated polyps are thought to follow a different biological pathway to develop into cancer and the understanding of this pathway is incomplete. Evidence from studying other types of cancers suggests that there are some particular genetic features which can be identified in some polyps that may indicate that some of these polyps are more likely to develop into bowel cancer.
  This study aims to collect polyps and healthy tissue at colonoscopy of people who have previously had a polyp. Samples will be analysed for their genetic make-up to compare differences between healthy and polyp tissue as well as look for patterns amongst polyp tissue using different types of light during the colonoscopy. The samples will be used to look at any markers in polyp tissue that might help us to decide which types of polyps might progress to cancerous changes. The samples will also be used to grow models of bowel tissue to compare polyp and healthy tissue. Different techniques (that are routinely used in colonoscopy) which aim to better assess polyps at colonoscopy, including using different colour light in the endoscope and spraying dye in the colon, will be used during the colonoscopies. Videos and photographs will be taken of the colon using these different techniques so that endoscopists can use them as training materials to improve identification of serrated polyps. This is a pilot study; the results will be used to decide whether a larger trial is feasible.

• REC name

  Wales REC 2

• REC reference

  20/WA/0021

• Date of REC Opinion

  24 Feb 2020

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion