An interventional study of EsophaCap Sponge and Chromoendoscopy in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Esophageal Squamous Dysplasia, sponsored by University of California, San Francisco. Recruiting at 2 sites in Tanzania. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-07-23.
Sponsored by University of California, San Francisco · Not applicable, Interventional, and Diagnostic
In the current protocol, we propose a study to evaluate a novel, combined esophageal sponge-methylation biomarker strategy for the early detection of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) as well as its precursor, esophageal squamous dysplasia (ESD). This strategy leverages the 'EsophaCap', a swallowable, retrievable sponge, with subsequent evaluation of the sample using a novel molecular biomarker assay. This biomarker assay evaluates methylation levels in select genes, which have been shown to differ significantly between ESCC cases and controls in pilot studies. Detection of methylation markers highly associated with ESCC could help identify patients with concurrent ESCC or at high risk of imminently developing this condition. If successful, this strategy could result in a paradigm shift for esophageal cancer control strategies in Tanzania and other high-incidence ESCC regions.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
I. To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of a diagnostic strategy combining esophageal sponge sampling with the 'EsophaCap' sponge device with use of the EsoCAN assay, a novel molecular biomarker assay, among patients with histologically-confirmed ESCC cases and controls.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:
I. To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of a diagnostic strategy combining esophageal sponge sampling with the 'EsophaCap' sponge device with use of the the EsoCAN assay, among patients with histologically-confirmed ESD and controls.
II. To evaluate the safety and feasibility of 'EsophaCap' a swallowable and retrievable sponge, as a non-invasive strategy for screening and early detection of ESCC and its precursor, ESD, in Tanzania.
EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:
I. Sensitivity and specificity of esophageal sponge sampling with standard cytological examination among histologically-confirmed ESCC cases and controls.
II. Sensitivity and specificity of esophageal sponge sampling with standard cytological examination among histologically-confirmed ESD cases and controls.
III. To examine methylation levels in new and previously identified genes among patients recruited as suspected ESCC cases who are found to have an alternative diagnosis, with the goal of optimizing the EsoCAN Assay.
OUTLINE:
Each participant will undergo esophageal sponge sampling suing the 'EsophaCap' sponge device. Participants will be on study for up to 38 days.
675 studies on the registry are indexed under Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; 267 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 289 is above the median of 64 across 563 interventional studies indexed under Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.
Browse Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma studies →University of California, San Francisco is the lead sponsor of 2,169 studies on the registry; 372 are open to participants now.
Of its 267 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 202 (76%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
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.
ESCC Cases (Group 1):
Non-ESCC study participants (Group 2):
Exclusion Criteria:
ESCC Cases (Group 1):
Non-ESCC study participants (Group 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
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.
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.
Each study participant will undergo esophageal sponge sampling using the 'EsophaCap' sponge device. Group 1 will include a safety-phase, which will consist of a lead-in cohort of 8 patients with ESCC. Subsequent recruitment of ESCC Cases (Group 1) will not commence until the Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) has deemed the safety lead-in data appropriate for continuation. Following collection of esophageal cells, samples will be assessed using the EsoCAN assay. Study participant evaluations will be taken at baseline, immediately after undergoing esophageal sponge sampling, and 7 days following administration of the 'EsophaCap' device.
Device: EsophaCap Sponge · Device: EsoCAN assay
Each study participant will undergo (1) Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) with chromoendoscopic screening and possible biopsy, and (2) esophageal sponge sampling using the 'EsophaCap' sponge device. Pathology from chromoendoscopic screening will be used to categorize non-ESCC study participants as esophageal squamous dysplasia (ESD) cases and controls. Following collection of esophageal cells, samples will be assessed using the EsoCAN assay. Study participant evaluations will be taken at baseline, immediately after undergoing esophageal sponge sampling, and 7 days following administration of the 'EsophaCap' device.
Device: EsophaCap Sponge · Procedure: Chromoendoscopy · Device: EsoCAN assay
Each study participant will undergo (1) Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) with chromoendoscopic screening and possible biopsy, and (2) esophageal sponge sampling using the 'EsophaCap' sponge device. Pathology from chromoendoscopic screening will be used to categorize non-ESCC study participants as esophageal squamous dysplasia (ESD) cases and controls. Following collection of esophageal cells, samples will be assessed using the EsoCAN assay. Study participant evaluations will be taken at baseline, immediately after undergoing esophageal sponge sampling, and 7 days following administration of the 'EsophaCap' device.
Device: EsophaCap Sponge · Procedure: Chromoendoscopy · Device: EsoCAN assay
Non-invasive strategy to sample esophageal tissue
Also known as: EsophaCap Sponge Device, EsophaCap Swallowable Sponge device
Lugol's iodine chromoendoscopy is a technique that is used to identify mucosal abnormalities of the esophagus
Also known as: Lugol's iodine chromoendoscopy, Chromoendoscopic screening
Biomarker Test
Proportion of True-Positives (sensitivity) detected with the EsoCAN assay after specimen collection using 'EsophaCap' sponge sampling (ESCC cases & controls only)
The proportion of participants with a positive EsoCAN assay result, among patients with histologically-confirmed Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC). The following equation will be used as a cut point for ESCC using the EsoCAN assay \[0.139\*log2(gene A)\] + \[0.176\* log2(gene B)\] + \[0.185\* log2(gene C)\], whereas a cutoff value (for the numerical index produced by this formula) of greater than -2.327 is classified as positive.
Time frame: Up to 38 days
Proportion of True-Negatives (specificity) detected with the EsoCAN assay after specimen collection using 'EsophaCap' sponge sampling (ESCC cases & controls only)
The proportion of participants with a negative EsoCAN assay result for will be reported, among study participants who are classified as controls. The following equation will be used as a cut point for ESCC using the EsoCAN assay \[0.139\*log2(gene A)\] + \[0.176\* log2(gene B)\] + \[0.185\* log2(gene C)\], whereas a cutoff value (for the numerical index produced by this formula) of less than -2.327 is classified as negative.
Time frame: Up to 38 days
Proportion of True-Positives (sensitivity) detected with the EsoCAN assay after specimen collection using 'EsophaCap' sponge sampling (ESD cases & controls only)
The proportion of participants with both a positive EsoCAN assay result, among patients with histologically-confirmed Esophageal Squamous Dysplasia (ESD). The following equation will be used as a cut point for ESD: \[0.139\*log2(gene A)\] + \[0.176\* log2(gene B)\] + \[0.185\* log2(gene C)\], whereas a cutoff value (for the numerical index produced by this formula) of greater than -2.327 is classified as positive.
Time frame: Up to 38 days
Proportion of True-Negatives (specificity) detected with the EsoCAN assay after specimen collection using 'EsophaCap' sponge sampling (ESD cases & controls only)
The proportion of participants with a negative EsoCAN assay result will be reported. The following equation will be used as a cut point for ESD: \[0.139\*log2(gene A)\] + \[0.176\* log2(gene B)\] + \[0.185\* log2(gene C)\], whereas a cutoff value (for the numerical index produced by this formula) of less than -2.327 is classified as negative.
Time frame: Up to 38 days
Proportion of study participants who successfully swallow the esophageal sponge device
The success of swallowing the esophageal sponge device will be determined by the clinical team overseeing the EsophaCap' administration and categorized as a dichotomous response of Yes (successful) or No (not successful).
Time frame: Up to 38 days
Proportion of study participants who experienced an esophageal sponge device-related adverse event in the lead in cohort of ESCC Cases
Adverse events for the lead in cohort with histologically confirmed or suspected ESCC based upon pre-specified clinical criteria will be reported and graded and classified according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0
Time frame: Up to 38 days
Median Acceptability Scores
Participants will be asked to rate their satisfaction with their experience with the EsophaCap sponge procedure after the procedure is complete by selecting a score on a scale with corresponding facial images with scores ranging between 0='Best Experience' (large smile on facial expression) to 10='Worst experience' (crying and frowning facial expression).
Time frame: Up to 38 days
Plan to share: No
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