ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT03521375VIOLETUpdated Sep 22, 2020

VIdeo Assisted Thoracoscopic Lobectomy Versus Conventional Open LobEcTomy for Lung Cancer

An interventional study of Open Surgery and Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) in Lung Neoplasms, sponsored by University of Bristol. Completed at 9 sites in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 16 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2020-09-22.

Sponsored by University of Bristol · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
503
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
16 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide and survival in the United Kingdom (UK) remains amongst the lowest in Europe. Surgery is the main method of managing early stage disease and is traditionally undertaken via conventional open surgery. However, over the last decade there has been a surge in the number of minimal access resections performed using Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). However, there remains a need for well-designed and conducted randomised controlled trial (RCT) to provide the evidence base for the wide spread uptake and delivery of this surgical approach.

Read the detailed description

The uptake of surgery for lung cancer in the UK is low and minimal access surgery may be regarded as a more acceptable intervention (compared to open surgery) by patients, referring respiratory physicians and oncologists. However, a large multi-centre RCT is essential to inform patient and clinician decision making and influence surgical practice in the UK.

The VIOLET study will compare the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of VATS lobectomy versus open surgery for treatment of lung cancer and will test the hypothesis that VATS surgery is superior to open surgery with respect to self-reported physical function five weeks after randomisation (approx. one month after surgery).

Specific objectives are to estimate:

A. The difference between groups in the average self-reported physical function at five weeks.

B. The difference between groups with respect to a range of secondary outcomes including assessment of efficacy (hospital stay, pain, proportion and time to uptake of chemotherapy), measures of safety (adverse health events), oncological outcomes (proportion of patients upstaged to pN2 disease and disease free survival) and overall survival.

C. The cost effectiveness of VATs and open surgery.

02

Conditions studied

  • Lung Neoplasms

Keywords

  • lung
  • cancer
  • lobectomy
03

In context

Lung Neoplasms

5,422 studies on the registry are indexed under Lung Neoplasms; 1,346 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 503 is above the median of 60 across 3,656 interventional studies indexed under Lung Neoplasms.

Browse Lung Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Bristol is the lead sponsor of 22 studies on the registry; none are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
16 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

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

  1. Adults aged ≥16 years of age
  2. Able to give written consent, undergoing either:

    i. Lobectomy or bilobectomy for treatment of known or suspected primary lung cancer beyond lobar orifice* in TNM8 stage cT1-3 (by size criteria, equivalent to TNM7 stage cT1a-2b) or cT3 (by virtue of 2 nodules in the same lobe), N0-1 and M0 or ii. Undergoing frozen section with the intention to proceed with lobectomy or bilobectomy if primary lung cancer with a peripheral tumour beyond a lobar orifice* in TNM8 stage cT1-3 (by size criteria, equivalent to TNM7 stage cT1a-2b) or cT3 (by virtue of 2 nodules in the same lobe), N0-1 and M0 is confirmed

  3. Disease suitable for both minimal access (VATS) and open surgery

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Adults lacking capacity to consent
  2. Previous that influences
  3. Patients in whom a pneumonectomy, segmentectomy or non-anatomic resection (e.g. wedge resection) is planned
  4. Patients with a serious concomitant disorder that would compromise patient safety during surgery.
  5. Planned robotic surgery
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(3)

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.

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.

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.

Life expectancy

The study doctor’s estimate of how long someone is likely to live. Criteria use it so that people can stay in the study long enough for it to answer its question.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
503 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    VATS lobectomy

    VATS lobectomy is undertaken through one to four keyhole incisions without rib spreading. The use of 'rib spreading' is prohibited as this is the key intra-operative manoeuvre which disrupts tissues and causes pain (and is used in open surgery). The procedure is performed with videoscopic visualisation without direct vision. The hilar structures are dissected, stapled and divided. Endoscopic ligation of pulmonary arterial branches may be performed. The fissure is completed and the lobe of lung resected. Lymph node management is the same as described for open surgery. The incisions are closed in layers and may involve muscle, fat and skin layers. This definition of VATS lobectomy is a modification of CALGB 39802.

    Procedure: Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS)

  • Active comparator
    Open lobectomy

    Conventional open surgery is undertaken through a single incision +/- rib resection and with rib spreading. The operation is performed under direct vision with isolation of the hilar structures (vein, artery and bronchus) which are dissected, ligated and divided in sequence and the lobe of lung resected. The procedures may be undertaken using ligatures, over sewing or with staplers. Lymph node management is undertaken in accordance with the International Association of the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) recommendations where a minimal of 6 nodes / stations are removed, of which 3 are from the mediastinum that includes the subcarinal station. The thoracotomy is closed in layers starting from pericostal sutures over the ribs, muscle, fat and skin layers.

    Procedure: Open Surgery

Interventions

  • ProcedureOpen Surgery

    Conventional open surgery is undertaken through a single incision +/- rib resection and with rib spreading. The operation is performed under direct vision with isolation of the hilar structures (vein, artery and bronchus) which are dissected, ligated and divided in sequence and the lobe of lung resected. The procedures may be undertaken using ligatures, over sewing or with staplers. Lymph node management is undertaken in accordance with the International Association of the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) recommendations where a minimal of 6 nodes / stations are removed, of which 3 are from the mediastinum that includes the subcarinal station. The thoracotomy is closed in layers starting from pericostal sutures over the ribs, muscle, fat and skin layers.

    Also known as: Open lobectomy

  • ProcedureVideo Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS)

    VATS lobectomy is undertaken through one to four keyhole incisions without rib spreading. The use of 'rib spreading' is prohibited as this is the key intra-operative manoeuvre which disrupts tissues and causes pain (and is used in open surgery). The procedure is performed with videoscopic visualisation without direct vision. The hilar structures are dissected, stapled and divided. Endoscopic ligation of pulmonary arterial branches may be performed. The fissure is completed and the lobe of lung resected. Lymph node management is the same as described for open surgery. The incisions are closed in layers and may involve muscle, fat and skin layers. This definition of VATS lobectomy is a modification of CALGB 39802.

    Also known as: VATS lobectomy

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Self-reported physical function using HRQoL questionnaire QLQ-C30

    Physical functioning scale, ranges between 0 and 100. High score indicates high level of physical functioning.

    Time frame: 5 weeks post randomisation

Secondary outcomes

  1. Time from surgery to hospital discharge, assessed up to 12 months

    Time frame: Time from surgery to hospital discharge, assessed up to 12 months

  2. Adverse health events to 1 year

    Time frame: Adverse health events to 1 year

  3. Proportion of patients taking up adjuvant treatment, assessed up to 12 months

    Time frame: Proportion and time to uptake of adjuvant treatment, assessed up to 12 months

  4. Time to uptake of adjuvant treatment, assessed up to 12 months

    Time frame: Proportion and time to uptake of adjuvant treatment, assessed up to 12 months

  5. Proportion of patients upstaged to pN2 disease after surgical procedure, assessed up to 3 months post surgery

    Time frame: Proportion of patients upstaged to pN2 disease after surgical procedure, assessed up to 3 months post-surgery

  6. Overall and disease-free survival to 1-year

    Time frame: 1 year

  7. Proportion of patients who undergo complete resection during the procedure, , assessed up to 12 months

    Time frame: Proportion of patients who undergo complete resection during the procedure, assessed up to 12 months

  8. Proportion of patients who experience prolonged incision pain (defined as the need of analgesia > 5 weeks post-randomisation)

    Time frame: Up to 1 year

  9. Disease-specific HRQoL - EORTC QLQ-C30 to 1-year

    3 types of scales. Functioning scales which include physical functioning, role functioning, emotional function, cognitive functioning and social functioning. Symptom scales which include fatigue, nausea and vomiting, pain, dysponea, insomnia, appetite loss, constipation, diarrhoea, financial difficulties. An overall global health status/QoL All scales range between 0 and 100. For functioning scales, a high score indicates a high level of functioning. Similarly, a high global health status/QoL score indicates a high quality of life. For symptom scales, a high score indicates a high level of symptoms.

    Time frame: Measured at 2 week, 5 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1-year post randomisation

  10. Disease-specific HRQoL - EORTC QLQ-LC13 to 1-year

    Symptoms scales which include Dyspnoea, Couging, Haemoptysis, Sore mouth, Dysphagia, Peripheral neuropathy, Alopecia, Pain in chest, Pain in arm or shoulder, Pain in other parts, and Pain medication. For these scales, a high score indicates a high level of symptoms, as with the QLQ-C30. Scales range between 0 and 100.

    Time frame: Measured at 2 week, 5 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1-year post randomisation

  11. Generic HRQoL - EORTC EQ5D to 1-year

    Subscales: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression. These range from 1-5. subscales mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort, anxiety/depression are combined to calculate an overall index score which ranges from -0.59 to 1. A higher score indicates better quality of life

    Time frame: Measured at 2 week, 5 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1-year post randomisation

  12. Resource use

    Resource use to 1-year (measured for the duration of post-operative hospital stay until discharge, and at 5 weeks, 3 months, 6 months and 1-year post randomisation)

    Time frame: Up to 1 year

07

Study locations

9 sites
  • Heartlands Hospital
    Birmingham, United Kingdom
  • Bristol Royal Infirmary
    Bristol, United Kingdom
  • Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
    Edinburgh, United Kingdom
  • Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
    Hull, United Kingdom
  • Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
    Liverpool, United Kingdom
  • Harefield Hospital
    London, United Kingdom
  • Royal Brompton Hospital
    London, United Kingdom
  • The James Cook University Hospital
    Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
  • Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
    Oxford, United Kingdom
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Lim E, Batchelor T, Shackcloth M, Dunning J, McGonigle N, Brush T, Dabner L, Harris R, Mckeon HE, Paramasivan S, Elliott D, Stokes EA, Wordsworth S, Blazeby J, Rogers CA; VIOLET Trialists. Study protocol for VIdeo assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy versus conventional Open LobEcTomy for lung cancer, a UK multicentre randomised controlled trial with an internal pilot (the VIOLET study). BMJ Open. 2019 Oct 14;9(10):e029507. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-029507. PubMed 31615795 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
Not marked actual or estimatedDates not marked actual or estimated

The record gives a start of Jul 2015, a primary completion of Mar 2019 and a completion of Mar 2020. It does not say whether these dates are actual or estimated.

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

Registered
Jan 26, 2018
First posted
May 11, 2018
Start
Jul 2015
Primary completionActual
Mar 2019
CompletionActual
Mar 2020
Last update
Sep 22, 2020
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 Sep 22, 2020, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03521375
Lead sponsor
University of Bristol
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
May 11, 2018
Start date
Jul 2015
Primary completion
Mar 2019
Completion
Mar 2020
Last update
Sep 22, 2020

Study contacts

Chris Rogers
study director · University of Bristol
Eric Lim
principal investigator · Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Sep 2020. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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