An observational study in Breast Cancer, Lung Cancer and Melanoma, sponsored by University Health Network, Toronto. Recruiting at 1 site in Canada. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-08-21.
Sponsored by University Health Network, Toronto · Observational
This study will collect, annotate, and sequence biospecimens (blood, tissue, urine, saliva and surgery drainage) from patients across different cancer types to detect molecular residual disease (MRD). Imaging scans and clinical data will also be gathered. This will allow for early cancer interception, and hopefully prolong relapse-free survival across tumor types. Results of ctDNA testing will be provided for clinical decisions and to determine eligibility for other linked interventional interception therapeutic studies, each of which will have a separate protocol.
Advances in the detection and characterization of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) have enabled the introduction of "liquid biopsies" into clinical practice. Results from ctDNA testing of patients with certain advanced tumors (e.g., non-small cell lung cancer) are routinely used to inform decisions about drug treatment. With technological advances that improve the sensitivity of detection of ctDNA, a logical application is to apply ctDNA testing to potentially curable malignancies in patients who are at high risk of harboring minimal/molecular residual disease (MRD).
SHERLOCK is a platform study for the analysis of MRD using ctDNA in patients treated with curative intent for cancer. Exploratory and correlative analyses will also be conducted in order to investigate improved methods for MRD detection and interpretation. Clinical annotation will be performed to collect relevant patient and disease characteristics, treatment and outcomes.
Patients who are determined to be MRD positive may proceed to participate in interception clinical trials that are outside of this study's specified investigations. While on treatment, patients will continue to have blood and radiological imaging collected to measure for clearance of MRD and to correlate with outcomes.
Additional information about the SHERLOCK study is available at https://www.uhn.ca/sherlock.
14,825 studies on the registry are indexed under Breast Neoplasms; 3,319 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 7,000 is above the median of 184 across 3,235 observational studies indexed under Breast Neoplasms.
Browse Breast Neoplasms studies →University Health Network, Toronto is the lead sponsor of 1,438 studies on the registry; 297 are open to participants now.
Of its 17 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 3 (18%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Early stage or locally advanced disease that is planned for or have undergone curative treatment.
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.
Exclusion Criteria:
1. History of another active invasive cancer within 2 years prior to study enrolment. Exceptions include squamous and basal cell carcinoma of the skin and carcinoma in situ of the cervix, or that in the opinion of the investigator, is considered cured with minimal risk of recurrence within 2 years.
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.
Neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment (usually surgery), often to shrink a tumour. Adjuvant treatment is given after it, to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.
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.
Adjuvant and neoadjuvant
Neoadjuvant treatment is given before the main treatment (usually surgery), often to shrink a tumour. Adjuvant treatment is given after it, to lower the chance of the cancer coming back.
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.
To collect, annotate, and analyze biospecimens for the detection of MRD
Time frame: 5 years
To determine the prevalence of MRD over time across tumor types
Time frame: 5 Years
Create a long-term collection of blood test data and medical information to track how cancer-related DNA changes over time.
Time frame: 5 years
Plan to share: Yes — Data from this study can be shared through two types of databases: open-access or controlled-access. An open-access database is publicly accessible and contains limited clinical information and analyses of samples. A controlled-access database contains more detailed clinical information, such as relevant past medical history and the results of prior and ongoing cancer treatments, and analyses of samples, but is only accessible to researchers who sign agreements defining how data may be used. All data will be stripped of all personal identifying information.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Mar 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Mar 2031, 60 months after the start.
Of 1,191 non-industry observational studies under Breast Neoplasms, half reached primary completion within 58 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 25 and three quarters within 139. This study's planned 60 months is close to that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 1,380 studies reached it within 55 months; a quarter within 25 and three quarters within 126.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
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University Health Network, Toronto →