Liquid Biopsy for Early DiagNosis of Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the HeAd and NeCk rEgion

Launched by ROYAL MARSDEN NHS FOUNDATION TRUST · Dec 7, 2022

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is investigating a new blood test, called a liquid biopsy, designed to help detect early signs of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), a type of cancer that affects the throat, mouth, and neck. The goal is to see how effectively this test can find small pieces of tumor DNA in the blood, which could lead to earlier diagnosis and treatment, ultimately improving survival rates for patients. The test is particularly focused on patients who have already been referred for a neck lump evaluation and may have early-stage cancer.

To participate in this study, you should be someone who has been referred to a clinic for an ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (a procedure to collect a sample from a lump in the neck). However, if you have a lump in your thyroid gland, cannot give consent for the sample collection, or are unable to participate safely, you won’t be eligible. If you join the study, you can expect to undergo a blood test that could provide important information about your health within 1-2 weeks, which may help speed up your treatment journey. This trial is currently looking for participants, and your involvement could help improve cancer detection methods for others in the future.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Patients referred for an Ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration (USFNA) in the neck lump clinic
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Patient found to have a lump in the thyroid gland at the time of USFNA
• • Unable to give informed consent for biological sample collection
• • Unable to safely participate in clinic sample collection