PAN-study: Pan-Cancer Early Detection Study (PAN)

Completed

• Conditions: Esophageal Cancer; Liver Cancer; Gastric Cancer

• Registration Number: NCT03756597
• Lead Sponsor: Owlstone Ltd

Brief Summary

The PAN-cancer Early Detection study or PAN-study is a prospective cross-sectional observational case-control study evaluating whether Breath Biopsy can differentiate between patients with and without different cancer types by comparing breath biomarkers for a range of cancer types including patients with gastric, oesophageal, and liver cancer.

The research may be extended to include also pancreatic, renal, prostate and bladder cancer patients, however in agreement between Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, University of Cambridge, CRUK and Owlstone Medical recruitment in these arms will not start until further notice. When recruitment is planned to start in these arms, Owlstone Medical will ensure to notify the REC. Subjects with a histologically confirmed cancer will be recruited from CUH by local research staff. Breath samples will be collected by means of the ReCIVA breath sampler which requires tidal breathing into a face mask for around 10 minutes. A cancer free control subject matched for age, sex and tumour specific risk factors will be recruited and sampled.

Detailed Description

There is a pressing need for techniques that allow detection of cancer at an earlier stage when curative treatment is more likely. Exhaled biomarkers are known to reflect a wide range of metabolic processes, including those related to cancer such as the Warburg effect. Owlstone Medical Ltd (hereafter referred to as Owlstone Medical) has developed Breath Biopsy; a workflow to collect and analyse breath Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in a highly standardised way. The PAN-study is a collaborative effort between Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH), University of Cambridge (UoC), Cancer Research United Kingdom (CRUK) and Owlstone Medical to evaluate the potential of Breath Biopsy to detect various types of cancer by profiling breath metabolites.

The PAN-cancer Early Detection study or PAN-study is a prospective cross-sectional observational case-control study evaluating whether Breath Biopsy can differentiate between patients with and without different cancer types by comparing breath biomarkers for a range of cancer types including patients with gastric, oesophageal, and liver cancer.

The research may be extended to include also pancreatic, renal, prostate and bladder cancer patients, however in agreement between Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, University of Cambridge, CRUK and Owlstone Medical recruitment in these arms will not start until further notice. When recruitment is planned to start in these arms, Owlstone Medical will ensure to notify the REC. Subjects with a histologically confirmed cancer will be recruited from CUH by local research staff. Breath samples will be collected by means of the ReCIVA breath sampler which requires tidal breathing into a face mask for around 10 minutes. A cancer free control subject matched for age, sex and tumour specific risk factors will be recruited and sampled. Breath samples will be shipped to Owlstone Medical for analysis of breath biomarkers by Gas Chromatography-Time Of Flight-Mass Spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS) and Gas Chromatography-Field Asymmetric Ion Mobility Spectrometry (GC-FAIMS).

This study will be the first step towards evaluating VOCs analysis as a test to improve early detection rates for cancer with future applicability to primary care. Ultimately, such a research program could enable low cost and widespread targeted screening programs for cancer.

In a subset of up to 12 patients with cirrhosis and 12 healthy volunteers, a sub study will be conducted to measure the washout of limonene after ingestion of a standardised quantity of limonene under controlled circumstance for food and drink intake.

The objective of this limonene sub-study is to demonstrate that limonene is a biomarker that differentiates between healthy individuals and cirrhotic patients with Child-Pugh grade A and B with or without HCC as a comorbidity.

Participants will be asked to visit the clinical site to provide 6 breath samples at different timepoints before and after ingestion of limonene. Participants will be asked to fast overnight for 10 hours, not to have brushed their teeth for 2 hours prior to first breath sample and not be a current smoker or should not have smoked in the past 6 months. Non-abstinent patients with alcohol related liver disease or participants who drink to excess daily will be excluded from this sub-study.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2018-09-26
• Study First Submitted: 2018-10-16
• Study First Submitted QC: 2018-11-27
• Study First Posted: 2018-11-28
• Primary Completion: 2022-12-02
• Study Completion: 2023-07-06
• Status Verified: 2023-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2023-10-04
• Last Update Posted: 2023-10-05

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 268

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Primary endpoints; accuracy of breath biopsy to discriminate between individuals with and without cancer	3 years	o These will include gastric, oesophageal and liver and matched controls. This analysis will be conducted by combining cases and matched controls across all cancer types as well as when stratified per tumour type. If supported by literature on the presence of potential biomarkers related to pancreatic, renal, prostate, and bladder tumours similar analysis will be done in samples collected in patients diagnosed with these cancer types and controls.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Patient feedback on usability and acceptability of Breath Biopsy as assessed using a a structured interview	3 years	* Patient feedback on usability and acceptability, including willingness to participate.; * Qualitative review of barriers to adoption for study subjects and health professionals.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Cambridge University Hospital NHS; 🇬🇧 Cambridge, United Kingdom