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CompletedNCT05396781Updated Jun 9, 2022

Acceptability and Performance of a Mobile Optical Biopsy Technology for Gastrointestinal Cancer Screening

A Phase 2 interventional study of Proflavine and Mobile, Augmented High Resolution Microendoscope in Suspected or Known Squamous Cell Neoplasia and Prior History of Squamous Cell Dysplasia and /or Neoplasia, sponsored by Anandasabapathy, Sharmila, M.D.. Completed at 2 sites in 2 countries. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 64 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2022-06-09.

Sponsored by Anandasabapathy, Sharmila, M.D. · Phase 2, Interventional, and Other

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was Jan 2022, 4 years 8 months ago, and no results have been posted to the registry.
Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
41
Allocation
Not applicable
Ages
18 Years to 64 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The investigators have a current trial in China and the US which provides significant support for the safety, cost-effectiveness, accuracy and efficiency of a high resolution microendoscope (HRME)-guided approach in the hands of experienced clinicians. To improve functionality, portability and broader use of this device by non-experts, the investigators recently developed a prototype marHRME platform with an automated, augmented reality (AR)-interpretation that provides an overlaid endoscopic + micro-endoscopic view, facilitating diagnosis and biopsy targeting.

Read the detailed description

The investigators' hypothesis is that this mobile device with automated, AR optical biopsy diagnoses can efficiently and accurately facilitate endoscopic cancer detection in low to middle income countries (LMICs) with less experienced providers and is acceptable to providers and patients.

Objective 1: The investigators' first objective is to evaluate the marHRME technology in terms of performance, efficiency, and impact. In a single-arm, feasibility study (n=50) of high-risk subjects undergoing Lugol's chromoendoscopy (LCE) followed by marHRME for esophageal squamous cell neoplasia (ESCN) screening, the investigators will evaluate the diagnostic performance and efficiency of this automated optical biopsy device.

The investigators' main hypothesis is that the marHRME will:

  1. increase the accuracy of Lugol's endoscopy (LCE), other exploratory hypotheses are
  2. increase the accuracy of marHRME among novices and be non-inferior to experts,
  3. increase user confidence among experts and novices and, subsequently,
  4. increase the efficiency and impact of LCE by reducing biopsies and second procedures.

For performance for marHRME vs. Standard of Care, the investigators will compare the accuracy of the marHRME + LCE vs. LCE alone to the gold-standard histopathology (expert GI pathologist). For performance of the Machine vs. Man, the investigators will compare accuracy of the marHRME software read to novice and expert clinicians' subjective read to gold-standard histopathology. For clinician confidence and clinical impact, the investigators will determine the clinician's confidence level in the software diagnosis and the potential clinical impact of this diagnosis among novice and expert endoscopists using marHRME.

Objective 2: The investigators' secondary objective is to evaluate the acceptability of the technology among patients and providers. All patients participating in the study will be invited to participate in a brief (20 min) interviewer-administered survey prior to undergoing endoscopy to assess attitudes and barriers to marHRME, and a follow-up interview (7 days post-procedure) to determine experiences and acceptability. Informed consent and the initial interview will be conducted in a private clinic room by trained study staff from the Brazilian team using a brief Portuguese-language survey. The follow-up interview will occur by phone, after a routine follow-up call by clinical staff.

The endoscopists and trainees participating in the feasibility study will be invited to participate in a series of questionnaires and in- depth interviews administered at different time points of the study to assess provider acceptance. Informed consent will be obtained prior to the first interview. Clinicians will answer a brief questionnaire to assess acceptance of marHRME prior to undergoing raining, after training, and after conducting 25 procedures. After 25 procedures, endoscopists and trainees will participate in a 30- minute semi-structured interview to assess marHRME experience. The interviews will be audio recorded, professionally transcribed, and translated (Portuguese to English) for coding and analysis.

02

Conditions studied

  • Suspected or Known Squamous Cell Neoplasia
  • Prior History of Squamous Cell Dysplasia and /or Neoplasia

Keywords

  • Squamous cell neoplasia
  • Proflavine
  • Lugol's chromoendoscopy
03

In context

Neoplasms

9,365 studies on the registry are indexed under Neoplasms; 2,489 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 41 is below the median of 50 across 7,253 interventional studies indexed under Neoplasms.

Browse Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

Anandasabapathy, Sharmila, M.D. is the lead sponsor of 8 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
18 Years to 64 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Outpatients undergoing routine (standard of care) Lugol's chromoendoscopic screening for squamous cell neoplasia will be eligible for enrollment including patients with known history of head/neck squamous cell cancer.
  • Patients must be >18 years old and able to give informed consent.
  • For the provider surveys and interviews, all providers (clinicians, trainees) who are working on the project will be eligible to participate.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Allergy or prior reaction to the fluorescent contrast agent proflavine
  • Patients who are unable to give informed consent
  • Known advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the distal esophagus, or dyplastic/suspected malignant esophageal lesion greater than or equal to 2cm in size not amenable to endoscopic therapy
  • Patient unable to undergo routine endoscopy with biopsy
  • Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Prothrombin time greater than 50% of control; Partial Thromboplastin Time greater than 50 sec, or International Normalized Ratio greater than 2.0
  • inability to tolerate sedated upper endoscopy due to cardio-pulmonary instability or other significant medical issues
  • Providers will be excluded if they decline participation or otherwise opt out of the proposed research project.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Other
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
41 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Augmented Reality High Resolution Microendoscope (HRME) imaging

    All study subjects will receive White Light Imaging and Lugol's Chromoendoscopy (LCE) which is the current standard of care procedure. The investigators will record any LCE abnormal areas and record the clinician's plan of action. Following LCE, all subjects will receive Mobile, Augmented Reality High Resolution Microendoscope (marHRME) imaging with the study contrast agent (Proflavine) of any LCE-identified abnormal areas as well as LCE normal areas. The investigators will record the subjective clinician read and confidence level in the investigators' diagnosis, and plan of action. Then the investigators will image the same abnormal and normal areas with the marHRME and record the software read, clinician confidence level, and plan of action. Finally, the imaged areas will be biopsied or resected and evaluated by a pathologist. All subjects will receive both standard of care and marHRME imaging.

    Drug: Proflavine · Device: Mobile, Augmented High Resolution Microendoscope

Interventions

  • DrugProflavine

    5-10 ml of proflavine hemisulfate (0.01%) will be sprayed on the esophageal mucosa.

    Also known as: proflavine hemisulfate

  • DeviceMobile, Augmented High Resolution Microendoscope

    The marHRME will then be inserted through the endoscope and gently placed against the mucosa. Imaging of abnormal tissues will be performed.

    Also known as: marHRME

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Diagnostic yield

    The number of neoplastic biopsies/total number of biopsies obtained in patients who received biopsies.

    Time frame: Day 1

  2. 'Patient saved'

    The number of patients who received no biopsies.

    Time frame: Day 1

  3. Procedure time

    Total procedure time added by the HRME imaging.

    Time frame: During Procedure

Secondary outcomes

  1. Clinical impact

    The number of cases that a change in clinician plan of action was noted from LCE interpretation only to LCE+HRME interpretation.

    Time frame: Day 1

Other outcomes

  1. Performance Characteristics

    Comparison of accuracy of HRME to LCE for the prediction of squamous esophageal neoplasia using histopatholgy as the gold standard.

    Time frame: Day 1

07

Study locations

2 sites
  • Baylor College of Medicine
    Houston, Texas 77030, United States
  • University of Sao Paulo
    São Paulo, Sao Paulo 01246-000, Brazil
08

References and documents

Study documents

  • Protocol and statistical analysis plan · Aug 10, 2021

Documents are hosted by the registry — open the source record to download them.

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 9, 2022, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05396781
Lead sponsor
Anandasabapathy, Sharmila, M.D.
Collaborators
William Marsh Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
May 31, 2022
Start date
Jan 13, 2022
Primary completion
Jan 20, 2022
Completion
Jan 20, 2022
Last update
Jun 9, 2022

Study contacts

Sharmila Anandasabapathy, MD
principal investigator · Baylor College of Medicine

Oversight

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

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This study is completed, as verified in Jun 2022. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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