A study looking at a radioactive tracer that may help to show lung cancer cells on a PET scan
Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.
Cancer type:
Status:
Phase:
This study is looking at a new radioactive drug that you have before a PET scan. The people taking part are having treatment for non small cell lung cancer.
More about this trial
You may have a CT scan to diagnose lung cancer and to see how well treatment is working. But another type of scan called a PET scan may be more help. It may be better at showing the difference between areas of your lung or 
that still contain cancer cells, and areas that are not cancer but look abnormal because the lung has collapsed or because the lymph nodes are swollen.
Before you have a PET scan, you have a small amount of a radioactive drug called a tracer. As cancer cells grow faster than normal cells, they will take up more of this tracer. The PET scanner can pick up this radioactivity, which shows up the cancer cells on the scan.
In this study, researchers are looking at a new tracer called [18F] D4-FCH. The people taking part have a PET scan, combined with a CT scan. This is called a PET-CT scan. The aim of the study is to see how well lung cancer cells take up the new tracer.
You will not get any direct benefit from taking part in this study. The results may help to improve lung cancer treatment in the future.
Who can enter
You may be able to enter this trial if you
- Have recently been diagnosed with non small cell lung cancer and are going to have surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy
- Have an area of cancer or an enlarged
lymph node that is at least 2cm in size – your doctor can advise you about this - Are well enough to be up and about for at least half the day (performance status 0, 1 or 2)
- Have satisfactory blood test results
You cannot enter this trial if you
- Are currently having any other experimental treatment
- Have taken part in a clinical trial looking at an experimental treatment in the last month
- Have had any other cancer in the last 5 years apart from basal cell skin cancer
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
Trial design
If you take part in this study, you have a PET-CT scan at Hammersmith Hospital in London. Taking part in the study will not change or delay your treatment.
Before you have the scan, a member of the study team will put a small needle into a vein in each of your arms. They use these to give you an injection of the radioactive tracer and to take some blood samples during the scan.
When you have the scan, you lie flat on a bed which moves into the scanner.
Depending on the treatment you have, the study team may ask you to have another scan a few days later.
Hospital visits
You go to Hammersmith Hospital to have the PET-CT scan. It takes just over 1½ hours.
Side effects
When you have the PET-CT scan, you are exposed to a small amount of radiation. This is similar to a routine PET-CT scan.
You may have some pain or bruising where you have the needles in your arm.
Recruitment start:
Recruitment end:
How to join a clinical trial
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Chief Investigator
Professor Eric Aboagye
Supported by
Cancer Research UK
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Imperial College London
Medical Research Council (MRC)
NIHR Clinical Research Network: Cancer
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
Last review date
CRUK internal database number:
Last reviewed:
Dangoor Education since 2010.
