Clinical trial NCT00979277: Transcriptomal and Molecular Characterization of Tumor Associated Monocytes/Macrophages in Human Cancers
Official title: Transcriptomal and Molecular Characterization of Tumor Associated Monocytes / Macrophages in Human Cancers
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Conditions: Tumor
Cancer
Lead sponsor: National University Hospital, Singapore
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2009-09-17
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 21
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Observational model: COHORT
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: 15 subjects from each tumor type. (NUH: NPC 15, CRC 15, RCC 7, HCC 8. AH: HCC 7,TTSH: RCC 8)

Brief summary: Recent studies from both human and mice cancer models have demonstrated a crucial role for monocytes/macrophages in contributing to cancer progression and disease prognosis. However, since each cancer subtypes is associated with a unique tumor microenvironment in terms of its anatomical location, cytokine/chemokine profiles and stromal components, the functional contribution of tumor infiltrating cells such as the monocytes/macrophages can be equally diverse, depending on the type of cancer. Therefore to obtain a global understanding of the role of host immune cells in cancer progression, it is necessary to accurately characterize these cells in the context of the tumor microenvironment for several cancer subtypes rather than a single cancer. In view of this, this pilot proposal aims to carryout a systems approach in characterizing the functional phenotype of monocyte/macrophage lineage in 4 diverse human cancer types \[e.g., Colorectal Cancer, Nasopharyngeal carcinoma, Hepatocellular (liver) cancer and Renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer)\] and the molecular basis of tumor-induced immunosuppression in each of these conditions. Besides providing a global view of the host innate immunity and its molecular basis in these human cancer, the outcome of this investigation will be crucial in defining the scopes of specific immunotherapy strategies to overcome tumor-induced immunosuppression and induce monocyte/macrophage-mediated antitumor response.


Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

Subjects must meet all of the inclusion criteria to participate in this study:

* Diagnosed NPC, RCC, HCC or colorectal cancer patients. (Preoperative histologic diagnosis is not required for RCC and HCC.)
* All stages of disease are eligible.
* Adult patients above 21.
* Ability to provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

Subjects meeting any of the exclusion criteria at baseline will be excluded:

* Active infection.
* Immunocompromised or other active immune disorders.
* Have received chemotherapy or other immunomodulating therapy in the past 6 months.

Primary outcomes:
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Singapore
country: Singapore
facility: National University Hospital
Study officials:
References:
citation: Balkwill F, Charles KA, Mantovani A. Smoldering and polarized inflammation in the initiation and promotion of malignant disease. Cancer Cell. 2005 Mar;7(3):211-7. doi: 10.1016/j.ccr.2005.02.013. No abstract available.
citation: Balkwill F, Mantovani A. Inflammation and cancer: back to Virchow? Lancet. 2001 Feb 17;357(9255):539-45. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(00)04046-0.