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CompletedNCT00867477Updated Aug 28, 2014

PMRR-NO: Pulmonary Metabolic Radiation Response Versus Exhaled Nitric Oxide

A Phase 2 interventional study of Breathing Test and Respiratory Symptoms Questionnaire in Gastrointestinal Disease, Esophageal Cancer and Lung Cancer, sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Completed at 1 site in United States. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2014-08-28.

Sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center · Phase 2, Interventional, and Screening

Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
163
Allocation
Non-randomized
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The goal of this clinical research study is to use a new breathing test that measures the amount of nitric oxide (NO) you exhale. Researchers want to compare your "NO" levels to the amount of inflammation in your lungs, as measured using a positron emission tomography (PET) scan reading, and with respiratory symptoms questionnaire.

Read the detailed description

Lung Cancer Cohort:

NO Breathing Test:

If you agree to take part in this study, you will have a breathing test performed before starting radiation therapy, weekly during radiation therapy and, about 6 weeks after the end of radiation therapy on the same day of your restaging PET scan. The breathing test measures how much NO you exhale while breathing. To complete this test, you will exhale into a device called an "NO breath analyzer" for 10 seconds. You will repeat this test 3 times. The results of this test will give researchers information about possible inflammation in your lungs. The results of this test will be compared to the results of your PET scan.

For the first exhaled NO testing session, and any session in which you produce a high enough NO level, you will have the NO breath test repeated up to 4 times. The staff will ask you to exhale at different speeds during these repeated sessions, in order to learn where in your lungs the NO is coming from.

Respiratory Symptoms Questionnaire:

At each visit when you have NO breathing tests, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire about your breathing and any symptoms you may be having. A research assistant will be able to help you with completing the questionnaire. It should take about 10 minutes to complete the questionnaire.

PET scans:

After completing your radiation therapy, you will receive a PET scan as part of this study. The PET scan will be scheduled for you between 40 and 50 days after the end of the radiation therapy. A study staff member will call you with the PET scan date. Ten (10) participants will receive a second PET scan within 2-7 days after the first PET scan in order to check reproducibility.

For up to 6 hours before the PET scan, you must not eat or drink anything except water. A small tube will be placed in your arm, and you will receive an injection of a very small amount of a mildly radioactive sugar material into your bloodstream. The radioactive nature of this injected material allows the scanner to "see" it in certain places in your body. After the injection, you will need to rest quietly until it is time for the scan. The amount of rest time may vary, but be prepared to wait for between 45 and 90 minutes. During the scan, you will lie flat on your back on a table. The scan itself may last up to 1 hour.

Length of Study:

You will remain on study for up to 7 months. After you have completed the breathing tests, blood draws, questionnaires, and PET scans, your participation on this study will be over.

This is an investigational study. The device (called an NO breath analyzer) used in this study is FDA approved and commercially available for measuring exhaled NO levels in patients with asthma. The use of the PET scan and blood test to check lung inflammation is also investigational.

Up to 150 patients (up to 47 with lung cancer) will take part in this study. All will be enrolled at MD Anderson.

Esophageal Cancer Cohort:

NO Breathing Test:

If you agree to take part in this study, you will have a breathing test performed before starting radiation therapy, about 5 weeks later after radiation therapy is complete (at the end of radiation therapy), and the same day of your restaging PET scan. The breathing test measures how much NO you exhale while breathing. To complete this test, you will exhale into a device called an "NO breath analyzer" for 10 seconds. You will repeat this test 3 times. The results of this test will give researchers information about possible inflammation in your lungs. The results of this test will be compared to the results of your PET scan.

For the first exhaled NO testing session, and any session in which you produce a high enough NO level, you will have the NO breath test repeated up to 4 times. The staff will ask you to exhale at different speeds during these repeated sessions, in order to learn where in your lungs the NO is coming from.

Respiratory Symptoms Questionnaire:

At each visit when you have 3 NO breathing tests, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire about your breathing and any symptoms you may be having. A research assistant will be able to help you with completing the questionnaire. It should take about 10 minutes to complete the questionnaire.

Length of Study:

After you have completed the breathing tests and the questionnaires, your participation on this study will be over.

This is an investigational study. The device (called an NO breath analyzer) used in this study is FDA approved and commercially available for measuring exhaled NO levels in patients with asthma. Its use in patients with esophageal cancer is investigational. The optional SPECT scans using 99m Tc-HMPAO are an FDA approved standard imaging method for infection and/or inflammation.

Up to 150 patients (up to 93 with esophageal cancer) will take part in this study. All will be enrolled at MD Anderson.

02

Conditions studied

  • Gastrointestinal Disease
  • Esophageal Cancer
  • Lung Cancer

Keywords

  • Cancer of esophagus
  • Gastrointestine
  • esophagus cancer
  • Positron emission tomography
  • PET scan
  • Nitric oxide
  • NO
  • NO Breathing Test
  • Respiratory symptoms questionnaire
03

In context

Gastrointestinal Diseases

628 studies on the registry are indexed under Gastrointestinal Diseases; 128 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 163 is above the median of 77 across 422 interventional studies indexed under Gastrointestinal Diseases.

Browse Gastrointestinal Diseases studies →

Lead sponsor

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center is the lead sponsor of 2,999 studies on the registry; 581 are open to participants now.

Of its 599 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 402 (67%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  1. Patients with pathologic diagnosis of esophagus cancer.
  2. For the cohort 2, patients with the pathological diagnosis of lung cancer.
  3. For the cohort 3, patients with any pathological diagnosis of a thoracic malignancy.
  4. Patients must sign informed consent.
  5. Patients who will receive concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy will be undergoing PET-scan for restaging between 25 and 75 days after radio therapy.
  6. For Lung Cohort, patients who will receive concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy or greater or equal to 3 weeks of radiation therapy alone.
  7. For the Lung Cohort, participation in a PET-scan for restaging between 40-50 days after radiotherapy is required. 10 patients will receive a second PET-scan within 2-7 days as a test for reproducibility.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Significant pleural effusion as evaluated by the attending Radiation Oncologist is excluded.
  2. Patients who received thoracic radiotherapy prior to the study.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Screening
Allocation
Non-randomized
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
163 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Cohort 1: Esophagus Cancer

    Breathing Test + Respiratory Symptoms Questionnaire

    Procedure: Breathing Test · Behavioral: Respiratory Symptoms Questionnaire

  • Experimental
    Cohort 2: Lung Cancer

    Breathing Test + Respiratory Symptoms Questionnaire

    Procedure: Breathing Test · Behavioral: Respiratory Symptoms Questionnaire · Procedure: Pet Scan

Interventions

  • ProcedureBreathing Test

    Exhale into NO breath analyzer for 10 seconds, repeated 3 times (before radiation therapy starts, after completing radiation therapy, and after scheduled PET scan).

  • BehavioralRespiratory Symptoms Questionnaire

    3 page questionnaire about breathing and any symptoms experienced, at each of 2 NO breathing tests.

    Also known as: survey

  • ProcedurePet Scan

    Between 40 and 50 days after the end of the radiation therapy. Ten (10) participants will receive a second PET scan within 2-7 days after the first PET scan in order to check reproducibility.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Comparison Patient's PMRR + Mean Exhaled NO Measurement

    Association between exhaled nitric oxide (NO) and PMRR (pulmonary metabolic radiation response). FDG-PET imaging (to determine PMRR) and exhaled NO assessed three times on same day of PET imaging.

    Time frame: Before starting radiation therapy (RT), after completing RT, and approximately 5 weeks later at completion of RT, and same day of restaging PET scan.

07

Study locations

1 site
  • UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
    Houston, Texas 77030, United States
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References and documents

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Aug 28, 2014, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00867477
Lead sponsor
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Mar 23, 2009
Start date
Mar 2009
Primary completion
Aug 2014
Completion
Aug 2014
Last update
Aug 28, 2014

Study contacts

Thomas Guerrero, MD, PhD
principal investigator · UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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