An observational study in Esophageal Cancer, Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) and Esophageal Diseases, sponsored by University of Pittsburgh. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-14.
Sponsored by University of Pittsburgh · Observational
The purpose of this study is to identify markers in the blood and tissue that could indicate risk factors for the development and progression of esophagus cancer. This research aims to collect medical history, blood, and tissue samples from patients who present with an esophageal disorder. Identifying genetic and behavioral risk factors involved in the development of esophageal cancer might allow for early detection and prevention. Survival and an opportunity for a cure with esophageal cancer will depend greatly on the stage of diagnosis. Tumors can develop changes in their genetic (hereditary) make-up, and these changes can sometimes be seen in normal tissues before the development of cancer. These genetic (hereditary) changes can serve as tumor markers and can be detected using methods that study changes in genetic material like DNA and RNA. The analysis of proteins can provide additional information. By identifying changes in these molecules that are different or altered in cancer, the investigators can use methods and tests for the detection of these changes.
We will enroll patients with esophageal cancer, patients who are at risk for developing esophageal cancer, and patients who have a non-cancerous esophageal disorder. All patients will be asked to fill out a questionnaire about their general health and personal habits, and about their relatives' medical history; this will be done during the preoperative clinic visit. Prior to or at the time of the surgical procedure(s), and at the time of routine follow-up visits, a sample of blood (about 3 tablespoons) will be drawn for research.
For patients undergoing an endoscopy after the normal biopsies are taken, several small samples will be taken from the esophagus, gastroesophageal junction, and stomach. We will also collect oral (saliva) and/or secretions, washings or mucosal scrapings/brushing from the region of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and small bowel. In some subjects (e.g. Roux-en-y esophagojejunostomy procedure or colon interposition), secretions, washings or scrapings/brushings from the esophagus, remnant stomach, small and large bowel can also be collected. These should total no more than eight samples.
For patients undergoing an anti-reflux procedure with or without a Collis gastroplasty a lymph node is normally removed. We will receive a small piece of that lymph node after the pathologist has done the routine pathological evaluation of that node.
If the collis procedure is done, a new esophagus is formed and a small piece of stomach tissue is discarded. We will study the ordinarily discarded tissue for the transformation of cells from a normal to an abnormal state. The lymph node and stomach tissue will be collected only once for the study.
For patients undergoing an esophagectomy (removal of the esophagus) or a staging procedure (performed to determine size, exact location, and spread of tumor to nearby areas) prior to an esophagectomy small pieces of tissue will be collected (from tumor, adjacent normal esophageal lining, parts of lymph nodes, and any other tissues removed as a part of the normal procedure) from your esophagectomy or staging specimens. The samples collected will be analyzed for genetic changes in the DNA and the RNA. The samples will be stored in a locked laboratory at the Hillman Cancer Center Research Pavilion indefinitely or until the samples are depleted.
You may be contacted in the future to learn the results of any cancer screening tests you had undergone and whether anyone else in your family had developed cancer. This information will be entered in a computer data base for future study.
We may continue to collect additional blood samples and endoscopic biopsies, secretions, and scrapings during your routine clinical surveillance endoscopies. Again biopsies for normal patient management will be obtained first.
1,873 studies on the registry are indexed under Esophageal Neoplasms; 501 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 7,000 is above the median of 200 across 432 observational studies indexed under Esophageal Neoplasms.
Browse Esophageal Neoplasms studies →University of Pittsburgh is the lead sponsor of 1,419 studies on the registry; 168 are open to participants now.
Of its 9 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 4 (44%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Eligible patients will be selected from the investigator's clinic.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
Blood tests of how long blood takes to clot. The INR is the prothrombin time (PT) put on a common scale; about 1 is usual for someone not taking a blood thinner.
Criteria often make an exception for people on a blood thinner such as warfarin, whose INR is raised on purpose.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Biopsy and archival tissue
A biopsy takes a small piece of tissue to examine. “Archival tissue” is a sample already taken, for example at diagnosis, and kept by the hospital.
Whether a stored sample will do depends on when it was taken, how much there is and what the study needs. Ask whether the study accepts your stored sample or needs a new biopsy.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Platelets
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
INR, PT and aPTT (clotting tests)
Blood tests of how long blood takes to clot. The INR is the prothrombin time (PT) put on a common scale; about 1 is usual for someone not taking a blood thinner.
Criteria often make an exception for people on a blood thinner such as warfarin, whose INR is raised on purpose.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
A questionnaire is administered at the time of consent.
Blood specimen is collected prior to surgery or at the time of scheduled routine surgical procedure(s), and at the time of routine follow-up visits
Tissue from the biopsies is collected intraoperatively.
Tissue from the biopsies, oral (saliva) and/or secretions, washings or mucosal scrapings/brushings are collected intraoperatively.
Plan to share: Undecided
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Jun 1999 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Dec 2050, 618 months after the start.
Of 152 non-industry observational studies under Esophageal Neoplasms, half reached primary completion within 81 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 32 and three quarters within 252. This study's planned 618 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 174 studies reached it within 60 months; a quarter within 33 and three quarters within 252.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
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