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CompletedNCT03396614CROSS SECTUpdated Feb 28, 2024

Detection of (Sub)Clinical Toxicity in Irradiated vs. Non-irradiated Surgically Treated Esophageal Cancer Patients: a Pilot Study (CROSS SECT)

An observational study in Thoracic Tumor, sponsored by University Medical Center Groningen. Completed at 1 site in Netherlands. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 100 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-02-28.

Sponsored by University Medical Center Groningen · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrollment
40
Ages
18 Years to 100 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

Rationale: Radiation-induced cardiac and pulmonary toxicity after treatment for intra-thoracic tumors is a clinically relevant problem, which may jeopardize the benefit of (neo-adjuvant) (chemo) radiotherapy. Although cure rates are rising since the introduction of neo-adjuvant chemoradiation (neo-CRT) as current standard treatment for esophageal cancer (EC), recent studies showed that there is a substantial risk of non-cancer treatment-related death in these patients. Furthermore, this risk is underestimated as the cause of death of many patients remains unknown, since the distinction between tumor related and non-cancer related death can be difficult.

Cardiac and pulmonary toxicity and its interaction as seen in pre-clinical studies might explain for these unknown deaths as suggested in several clinical studies. Clinical imaging studies performed shortly after treatment showed changes in different cardiac function parameters, all related to radiation dose parameters. Systematic imaging studies analysing subclinical toxicities at longer follow up have never been performed, most probably because of poor survival rates. However, identification of the magnitude of (subclinical) cardiopulmonary toxicity, by performing several cardiopulmonary function tests, is essential in this patient group as this toxicity is most likely the cause of the increased mortality after thoracic radiotherapy. For future perspectives, these results can be used to select the best diagnostic methods for a prospective cohort study to develop prediction tools for cardiopulmonary toxicity..

Objective: The main objective of this study is to determine the most suitable diagnostic test to identify cardiopulmonary (dys)function in EC survivors treated with neo-CRT followed by surgical resection. Furthermore, we want to estimate the difference in cardiopulmonary (dys)function in EC survivors treated with neo-CRT followed by surgical resection compared to EC survivors who were treated with surgical resection alone.

Study design: Cross-sectional pilot study

Study population: 40 EC patients who were treated with curative intent by esophageal resection with or without neo-CRT

Intervention (if applicable): Not applicable.

Main study parameters/endpoints: As this is an exploratory pilot study to determine the most suitable diagnostic tests for future studies, there will be several endpoints related to (sub)clinical cardiopulmonary dysfunction.

Signs of myocardial ischemia, systolic or diastolic dysfunction, rhythm and valve disorders, pericardial effusion and fibrosis, myocardial fibrosis, focal wall motion disorders and coronary calcifications will be analyzed. The cardiopulmonary (dys)function in EC survivors treated with neo-CRT followed by surgical resection will be compared to cardiopulmonary (dys)function in EC survivors treated with surgical resection alone.

Nature and extent of the burden and risks associated with participation, benefit and group relatedness: Several tests will be performed at one time point, 5-10 years after given treatment. If the findings of the test indicate cardiovascular complications, the patient will be referred to the cardiologist for further analysis and/or preventive measures. As one of the tests, cardiac MRI, including gadolinium (Dotarem 0.2 mmol/kg) enhancement will be performed. Potential side effects of gadolinium include brief headache, nausea (feeling sick) and dizziness for a brief time following the injection. Allergic reactions are rare. Furthermore, a cardiac CT scan will be performed with a total radiation exposure of 0.6 mSv (less than a third of the annual background radiation dose), the risks will be minimal.

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Conditions studied

  • Thoracic Tumor

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03

In context

Thoracic Neoplasms

115 studies on the registry are indexed under Thoracic Neoplasms; 30 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 40 is below the median of 140 across 25 observational studies indexed under Thoracic Neoplasms.

Browse Thoracic Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

University Medical Center Groningen is the lead sponsor of 627 studies on the registry; 176 are open to participants now.

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

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 100 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No
Sampling method
Non-probability sample

Study population

Patients with EC treated with or without neo-CRT, alive without evidence of disease, treated between 2000 and 2012 at the University Medical Centre Groningen will be eligible. Twenty patients will be included in both treatment groups. Length of follow up after treatment does not seem to be an important confounding factor as surgery is not considered to be an important risk factor for late toxicity.

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.

Inclusion criteria

  • Treated for EC with a curative resection between 2000 and 2012
  • Age >= 18 years
  • Written
  • No signs of tumor recurrence or new other .

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Thoracic radiotherapy for indications other than EC.
  • Contra indication for cardiac MRI, pacemaker, cochlear implants, metal not compliable with MRI.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

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.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

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.

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Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrollment
40 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No

Groups and cohorts

  • EEG, ECG, CT, MRI

    Diagnostic Test: CTTC scan, cardiac MRI, ECG, 6 minute walking test, echocardiogram

Interventions

  • Diagnostic testCTTC scan, cardiac MRI, ECG, 6 minute walking test, echocardiogram

    CTTC scan, cardiac MRI, ECG, 6 minute walking test, echocardiogram

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. The cardiopulmonary (dys)function in EC survivors treated with neo-CRT followed by surgical resection will be compared to cardiopulmonary (dys)function in EC survivors treated with surgical resection alone.

    Time frame: cross sectional 5-10 years after treatment

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Study locations

1 site
  • University Medical Center Groningen
    Groningen, 9713GZ, Netherlands
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References and documents

Study documents

PDFs hosted by the registry, ClinicalTrials.gov.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

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Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reached

Ran from Oct 2017 to primary completion in Oct 2020, 35 months.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Jan 4, 2018
First posted
Jan 11, 2018
StartActual
Oct 21, 2017
Primary completionActual
Oct 1, 2020
CompletionActual
Nov 1, 2020
Last update
Feb 28, 2024
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Feb 28, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03396614
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jan 11, 2018
Start date
Oct 21, 2017
Primary completion
Oct 1, 2020
Completion
Nov 1, 2020
Last update
Feb 28, 2024

Study contacts

Jannet Beukema, Dr.
principal investigator · Radiation oncologist

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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