What is this study trying to find out about surgical fitness?

This study is evaluating whether Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS), which measures fat levels in thigh muscles, can be used as an alternative to exercise testing for predicting a patient's fitness for surgery. The research aims to find new ways to assess readiness for surgery in patients with gastric, oesophageal, or pancreatic cancer, potentially improving preoperative assessments.

Who may be eligible for this surgical fitness clinical trial?

Adults aged 18 and older diagnosed with oesophageal, gastric, or pancreatic cancer or healthy staff volunteers aged 18 and older at University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust may be eligible. Participants must be able to give informed consent and comply with study procedures. Please review eligibility criteria for more details.

Is there any cost to participate in this surgical fitness clinical trial?

Study-related care, including all scans and trial visits, is provided at no cost. Personal travel expenses may vary and are not guaranteed to be covered. Participants should plan accordingly for any travel costs.

Actively Recruiting

Age: 18Years +

All Genders

Healthy Volunteers

ID06544187

Can Imaging be an Alternative to Exercise Testing as a Predictor of Surgical Fitness?

Led by University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust · Updated on 2026-03-27

Participants Needed

Research Sites

13 weeks

Total Duration

AI-Summary

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to explore a new way to assess if patients are ready for surgery, focusing on those with gastric, oesophageal, or pancreatic cancer. Surgery for these cancers is very demanding, so doctors need reliable methods to predict if a patient can handle the procedure. Currently, fitness is tested using Cardiopulmonary Exercise Tests (CPET), which involve cycling with increasing effort to measure oxygen use. However, CPET can be hard for some patients and requires many resources. This study investigates whether Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) of thigh muscle fat levels can serve as an alternative measure of surgical fitness. The study has two phases. In the first phase, 56 patients scheduled for major cancer surgeries will have MRS scans of their thigh muscles along with their usual CPET tests. The MRS scans will be done without delaying their treatment and can be scheduled within two weeks of referral. In the second phase, 25 healthy volunteers will have repeated MRS scans in a single session and again after two weeks to check the consistency of MRS measurements over time. Participants will undergo MRS scans, and for patients also CPET, with no changes to their normal treatment schedule. Researchers will compare the fat levels from MRS scans with CPET results to see if they correlate well. They will also study differences between patients who experience major complications and those who do not, and assess the repeatability of MRS results over short and long periods. The study will last up to two years to collect and analyze these outcomes.