Clinical Research Directory

A Clinical Trial of Ifinatamab Deruxtecan in People With Advanced Esophageal Cancer (MK-3475-06F)

The purpose of this trial is to assess if ifinatamab deruxtecan (I-DXd) can treat esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). I-DXd is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC). An ADC attaches to a protein on cancer cells and delivers treatment to destroy those cells. The goal of this trial is to learn how many participants who receive I-DXd have the cancer respond, which means the cancer gets smaller or goes away.

Multicenter Prospective Cohort on Esophageal Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection

In France in 2018, there were an estimated 2,074 new cases of esophageal adenocarcinoma and 3,224 cases of squamous cell carcinoma. The estimated deaths from esophageal cancer were 3,725, with a standardized 5-year net survival rate of 20% for cases diagnosed between 2010 and 2015, mainly due to late diagnosis. Surgery was historically the standard treatment for localized disease but carries significant morbidity. Over the past decade, endoscopic treatments, particularly endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), have become the reference approach for superficial esophageal cancers. After endoscopic resection, histological analysis allows classification of recurrence risk into very low, low, and high categories. Predicting lymph node or distant recurrence is complex, depending on factors such as depth of wall infiltration, lymphovascular invasion, and tumor differentiation. The frequent combination of unfavorable histological features may have led to an overestimation of lymph node involvement risk in T1b cancers. ESD is widely performed in France, with over 1,600 procedures reported in 2023 for esophageal and gastric lesions, demonstrating the feasibility of a large observational study. This multicenter French cohort will evaluate technical, oncological, and organizational outcomes of esophageal ESD, including overall survival, recurrence-free survival, and management of residual Barrett's esophagus. It will also identify predictive factors for treatment success, recurrence, and complications, providing real-world evidence to guide patient management.

Volatile Organic Compounds as Breath Biomarkers in Squamous Oesophageal Neoplasms

Oesophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is a cancer of the food pipe that affects around 2000 patients in the UK every year. It is often detected at an advanced stage, resulting in poor survival (5-year survival less than 20%). Early detection can improve survival (5-year survival \>70%). Therefore, early detection is vital to improving survival. There are no national screening guidelines, and an endoscopy (A camera test to look at the food pipe) is the only available test to detect OSCC. Early detection of OSCC is challenging for many reasons. Firstly, early disease symptoms are non-specific, which patients often overlook. Secondly, 'Alarm' symptoms such as weight loss, difficulty swallowing or vomiting blood are signs of advanced stage. Lastly, endoscopy is an invasive test with associated risks and significant discomfort. The investigators propose to develop a breath test for patients with non-specific symptoms. Breath testing has the ideal characteristics for a triage test because it is non-invasive, simple to perform, cost-effective and highly acceptable to patients. The test is based on identifying volatile organic compounds (VOCs, small molecules) that are produced by the cancer and released in breath. The breath test will be offered by General Practitioners (GPs) to patients with non-specific symptoms. Those who test positive will be referred for an urgent camera test, and those who test negative can be reassured.