
Around 1 in 5 people diagnosed with cancer in the UK take part in a clinical trial.
Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.
This study is looking for pieces of DNA in the bloodstream of people with abnormal cell changes in the food pipe or a type of food pipe cancer called adenocarcinoma.
Barrett’s oesophagus is a condition where cells lining the food pipe (oesophagus) become abnormal. People with Barrett’s have a small increased risk of developing cancer of the food pipe. So you have regular checks using a camera to look down your food pipe (an endoscopy). If the cells become very abnormal, the doctor may remove them. You then continue to have regular monitoring.
Looking for DNA in the patient’s bloodstream to monitor disease may be more cost effective, more accurate and more convenient than repeated endoscopies. Researchers in this study will look for DNA from these abnormal or cancerous cells. They want to find out at what stage of disease development these pieces of DNA show up in the blood. They also want to see if they can develop a blood test that will be able to tell if abnormal cells or early cancer of the food pipe have come back after being removed by endoscopy or surgery, and to monitor the disease in those having chemotherapy.
You will not have any direct benefit from taking part in this study, and it is unlikely to change your treatment plan in any way. But the results of the study will be used to help people in the future.
You may be able to enter this study if you have very abnormal cells (late stage Barrett’s), very early cancer (called early intramucosal carcinoma) or cancer of the oesophagus called adenocarcinoma, and are in one of the following situations
and you
You cannot enter if you have any condition that would affect the results of the study - you can check this with your doctor.
This study will recruit 200 people.
Everyone will give a blood sample for the study (about 2 tablespoons) whenever they come to hospital for a follow up appointment related to their food pipe condition.
If you ever need to have surgery to remove your food pipe, the team will ask if they can take more blood samples (no more than 8 tablespoons altogether) while you are in hospital.
Where possible, you will give blood samples when you are already at the hospital. If you need to make extra visits to give blood, the team will pay your travel expenses.
You may have a small bruise when you give your blood samples.
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Dr Rebecca Fitzgerald
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)
Medical Research Council (MRC)
Freephone 0808 800 4040
Around 1 in 5 people diagnosed with cancer in the UK take part in a clinical trial.