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The Prostate Liquid Study (PLiS)

Conditions
Prostate Cancer
Registration Number
NCT04102904
Lead Sponsor
University College, London
Brief Summary

A multi-site study to evaluate the potential use of the ChEC test of seminal fluid as an additional triage test in stratifying patients for further tests.

Detailed Description

A biomarker is a molecular substance that is an indicator of a biological condition. Cambridge Oncometrix believe that a semen biomarker may be able to predict the presence of prostate cancer. This study will allow work to be carried out on semen samples donated by men who have been identified by their GPs as having a risk of prostate cancer. Normally, GPs refer men with symptoms or a raised PSA to hospital to have an MRI scan and a biopsy.

The PLiS research team at the hospital will contact potential patients, who have been referred by their GPs, before they have an MRI or a biopsy, ask them if they are willing to take part in the study, consent them and ask them to provide a semen sample. Semen samples will be produced by the potential participants at home into a seminal fluid collection container, they will also have to complete a study questionnaire. Both the sample and the questionnaire will be returned to the central laboratory in Cambridge using the stamped addressed envelope provided.

In addition to providing a semen sample and completing a questionnaire, each participant will have two blood tests to measure male hormones. Participants then exit the trial and their usual care carries on from this point. The PLiS study will register 400 men and of those it is hoped that 300 of them will be able to provide semen.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
Male
Target Recruitment
300
Inclusion Criteria
    • Men over 40 years old with suspected prostate cancer who have been referred to a secondary care
    • Men able to produce a semen sample
    • Men able to have a prostate mpMRI
    • Men who have given their written informed consent
Exclusion Criteria
    • Previous history of prostate biopsy
    • Contraindication to MRI
    • Previous history of prostate surgery
    • Treatment with 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors at time of registration or during the prior 6 months
    • Evidence of urinary tract infection or history of acute prostatitis within the last month
    • Androgen replacement therapy within the last 3 months
    • Any other medical condition precluding standard diagnostic workup and collection of semen samples.

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Threshold18 Months

Optimal threshold for the ChEC-S diagnostic score

Proportion18 Months

Proportion of men who could safely avoid an MRI targeted biopsy as determined by specificity and negative predictive values of the ChEC-S test at the optimal ChEC-S test cut-off levels

Metrics of the ChEC-S test18 Months

Sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive predictive values, and reciever operating characteristics (area under the curve) in the participants with a high risk of prostate cancer using mpMRI as a clinical reference standard.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Resource18 Months

Resource use and costs for further economic evaluation

Proportion of significance18 Months

Proportion of men correctly identified of ChEC-S test to have clinically significant prostate cancer

Hypogonadism Impact18 Months

The impact of hypogonadism on the ChEC-S score

Value18 Months

Value of the ChEC-S test as a prognostic marker of clinically significant prostate cancer (a positive predictive value). Evaluation of the prognostic power of the chemical elements as biomarkers of aggressive prostate cancer using Gleason score as clinical reference standard.

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

University College Hospital

🇬🇧

London, United Kingdom

Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

🇬🇧

Norwich, United Kingdom

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