Winchester

Researchers are evaluating the use of epigenome-guided treatment selection compared to the usual standard-of-care SOC treatment for adults with active Crohns Disease CD. This study aims to assess the effectiveness, safety, and cost-effectiveness of using an epigenetic biomarker assay and machine-learning software called EpiPredict to help choose between two biologic therapies, Vedolizumab VDZ and Ustekinumab UST, for treating active CD. The trial includes participants who have active disease and are either new to biologic therapy or have had limited prior biologic exposure. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups one group will receive biologic treatment guided by the EpiPredict software based on epigenetic blood tests, which indicates the likelihood of response to VDZ or UST, while the other group will receive biologic therapy following usual SOC without epigenetic guidance. Both groups will receive their biologic therapy according to approved product labels, with dose adjustments allowed as needed by the treating doctor. Treatment and assessments will be carried out over 26 weeks, with different assessment schedules depending on the biologic received. After this treatment period, participants will have long-term follow-up every six months up to 24 months. During the study, participants will provide blood samples for epigenetic testing and undergo clinical and endoscopic evaluations to monitor their disease activity and response to treatment. Data will also be collected from routine medical records and online questionnaires during follow-up visits. The primary measurement is the comparison of clinical remission and endoscopic response rates at Week 26 between the two treatment selection methods. Researchers will also evaluate cost-effectiveness and explore how well the epigenetic assay predicts treatment success. Participants are required to comply with study procedures and provide informed consent to participate fully.

Researchers are conducting a multi-centre observational study to better understand giant cell arteritis GCA and polymyalgia rheumatica PMR, conditions mainly affecting people over 50 years old. The study aims to identify genetic factors that influence susceptibility to these diseases to provide new insights into how they develop. It includes both retrospective participants with confirmed diagnoses and prospective participants suspected of having these conditions, with some patients also enrolled in a registry monitoring tocilizumab treatment for relapsing or refractory GCA. The study collects detailed clinical, imaging, and molecular data, including genetic and proteomic analyses, from participants to characterize disease subtypes and impacts. Researchers also assess quality of life through patient-reported outcomes and track long-term prognosis by linking to health records. The study explores environmental factors and co-existing conditions to improve diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of disease activity, especially for patients receiving synthetic or biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Participants provide information during baseline assessments, including blood and urine samples for analysis, and complete questionnaires about their symptoms and quality of life. Follow-up occurs through health record review over an average of one year to evaluate diagnosis and disease outcomes. The primary measure is genetic susceptibility, with secondary outcomes focusing on disease characteristics, life impact, diagnosis, and disease activity. The study is sponsored by the University of Leeds and started in 2005, continuing through 2028.

Researchers are evaluating the long-term effects of lidocaine infusions given during and after surgery to reduce moderate or severe chronic post-surgical pain in adult women undergoing elective breast cancer surgery. This large, international, randomized, double-blind trial aims to detect a meaningful reduction in chronic pain one year after surgery and also assesses safety, pain relief, opioid use, nerve-related pain symptoms, psychological health, and quality of life. Participants receive either a lidocaine infusion starting with an intravenous bolus after anesthesia induction, continuing with an intraoperative intravenous infusion, and followed by a post-operative subcutaneous infusion for up to 24 hours. The lidocaine dosing is adjusted by lean body weight with a cap, while the comparison group receives a saline placebo infusion following the same schedule. Day-case surgeries receive only the intraoperative treatments without the post-operative infusion. During the trial, participants will be monitored for pain severity, opioid consumption, nerve-related symptoms, psychological distress, physical functioning, quality of life, safety events, and health care costs up to one year after surgery. The primary outcome is the incidence of moderate or severe chronic post-surgical pain reported at one year. Assessments include patient-reported outcomes, pain scores at 24 hours postoperatively, and opioid use at various timepoints. The total participation duration extends up to one year after surgery.

Researchers are studying breast cancer patients who have Triple Negative Breast Cancer TNBC andor a germline BRCA mutation gBRCA to see if adding olaparib, a PARP enzyme inhibitor, to platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy is safe and improves the complete response rate at surgery. This is a randomized, open-label phase IIIII trial conducted in three stages, involving at least 780 patients, including 220 with gBRCA mutations. Participants receive at least 21 weeks of chemotherapy before surgery. Study groups include a control arm receiving paclitaxel and carboplatin, and two experimental arms where patients receive the same chemotherapy plus oral olaparib tablets taken twice daily during specified days of each 3-week cycle. Additional treatments such as prophylactic granulocyte-colony stimulating factor and anthracyclines are given as per local practice. Patients with residual disease after chemotherapy may join a sub-study with further treatments. During the trial, patients undergo screening tests including BRCA mutation testing, tumor marker assessments, and standard cancer staging. Researchers monitor treatment safety and effectiveness through pathological complete response rates, adverse events, survival outcomes, quality of life questionnaires, and imaging. Follow-up occurs for up to 10 years after surgery, with safety data regularly reviewed by independent committees to ensure participant well-being.

Researchers are evaluating treatments for community-acquired pneumonia CAP, especially in patients admitted to intensive care units ICUs. This trial also adapts to study treatments for respiratory pandemics like COVID-19. The goal is to determine which treatment strategies improve outcomes for patients with severe pneumonia, using a flexible, ongoing approach that can test multiple therapies simultaneously and update as new information becomes available. Participants receive different treatment strategies based on random assignment to study groups. Treatments include various antibiotics, steroids, antivirals, immune modulators, anticoagulation methods, and ventilation strategies. Some treatment options have been closed to recruitment, reflecting the trials adaptive nature. The trial includes several domains targeting specific infections such as influenza and COVID-19, with dosing and duration guided by clinical practice and local guidelines. During the study, participants are monitored closely with assessments including survival up to 90 days, days alive without organ support in ICU, ICU and hospital length of stay, ventilator-free days, organ failure-free days, and quality of life up to 6 months. Researchers collect detailed data on patient outcomes, organ support needs, and hospital discharge status. The study runs until February 2028, with ongoing evaluation to improve pneumonia treatment strategies in ICU settings and during respiratory pandemics.

Researchers are studying advanced pelvic cancers, which are rare and often require complex treatment involving radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. Surgery typically involves removing multiple pelvic organs and surrounding tissues, which can lead to complications affecting recovery and quality of life. This study aims to investigate the frequency of these complications, quality of life, and related costs following different reconstruction techniques to help improve decision-making for patients and doctors. This observational study has three parts maintaining a database of patients undergoing colorectal surgery, conducting a national prospective cohort study to assess morbidity, quality of life, and healthcare resource use, and a qualitative study using interviews to explore patient experiences after surgery. Patients undergoing surgeries like abdominoperineal excision or pelvic exenteration will be followed, with reconstruction methods chosen by the surgeon. Data such as surgery details, complications, and resource use will be collected and analyzed. Participants will complete quality of life and financial impact questionnaires at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery, either by telephone or email. Clinical data, imaging, and hospital resource use will also be recorded. The qualitative study will involve interviews with selected patients at 3 and 12 months post-surgery to deepen understanding of recovery and long-term outcomes. The study will analyze these data to evaluate the impact of different reconstruction methods on patient health and healthcare costs over time.

Waldenstrf6ms macroglobulinaemia WM is a rare, slow-growing lymphoma that develops due to abnormal growth of white blood cells. This condition mainly affects older adults, with a median age of over 70 years. Current treatments often do not provide lasting responses and can have significant side effects. Researchers are evaluating a chemotherapy-free treatment option combining ibrutinib with rituximab RI to potentially improve treatment outcomes, reduce toxicity, and enhance quality of life compared to the existing chemotherapy regimen. The study compares two treatment groups for adults aged 18 and over with untreated WM. One group receives the experimental chemotherapy-free combination of ibrutinib and rituximab RI, while the control group is treated with the standard chemotherapy regimen of dexamethasone, rituximab, and cyclophosphamide DRC. Treatment cycles last up to six cycles, with response assessments after three cycles and at the end of treatment around 24 weeks. Participants in the RI group may continue with up to five years of ibrutinib alone after randomised treatment. Participants will have regular visits during treatment and then every three months for five years after stopping treatment. Annual follow-up for survival continues until the study ends, which is expected to last over nine years. Researchers will monitor treatment responses, progression-free survival, side effects, overall survival, quality of life using questionnaires, and other outcomes to assess the benefits and risks of the two therapies.

The trial investigates the role of ixazomib in patients with relapsed multiple myeloma who have previously undergone autologous stem cell transplant ASCT. It is a phase III, randomized, controlled, multi-center, open-label study aiming to assess whether adding a proteasome inhibitor to salvage ASCT conditioning improves depth of response and how consolidation and maintenance therapy influence the durability of response. The study also evaluates overall survival, progression-free survival, response rates, minimal residual disease, toxicity, and quality of life. Participants first receive re-induction therapy with 4 to 6 cycles of ixazomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone ITD, each cycle lasting 28 days. Those achieving at least stable disease are randomly assigned to receive either conventional ASCT using melphalan alone or augmented ASCT combining melphalan with ixazomib. After ASCT, participants with minimal response or better are further randomized to either receive consolidation with 2 cycles of ITD followed by ixazomib maintenance until disease progression or no further treatment. During the study, participants undergo regular assessments including response evaluation 100 days post-ASCT, monitoring of progression-free survival for up to 120 months, and measurement of minimal residual disease at several time points. Safety and toxicity are closely monitored throughout re-induction, post-ASCT, consolidation, and maintenance phases. Quality of life questionnaires are completed at baseline, post-re-induction, post-ASCT, and during follow-up visits up to 24 months. The study plans to register 406 participants, with 284 randomized at the first stage and 248 at the second stage.

Researchers are studying patients with newly diagnosed stage I, II, and III colorectal cancer CRC to understand how circulating tumor DNA ctDNA in the blood can predict disease relapse. The study evaluates whether using ctDNA to guide adjuvant chemotherapy decisions after surgery is as effective as standard chemotherapy, aiming to reduce unnecessary treatments and side effects. This multi-center, prospective research includes both observational and randomized components to better manage early-stage CRC. The study has two parts Part B focuses on collecting tumor tissue, serial blood samples, and clinical data to detect minimal residual disease MRD using ctDNA after curative surgery. Part C is a randomized trial comparing ctDNA-guided adjuvant chemotherapy versus standard care in patients with high-risk stage II or III CRC. Patients are randomized post-surgery to either standard chemotherapy or a ctDNA-guided approach where those testing negative for ctDNA may receive less chemotherapy. Participants will undergo regular blood sampling and clinical assessments to monitor ctDNA levels and disease status. Researchers will measure outcomes such as 3-year disease-free survival and the relationship between ctDNA detection and treatment response over several years. The study includes follow-up periods of 4 to 8 years to evaluate long-term outcomes and safety. Participants need to consent, adhere to follow-up schedules, and be suitable for chemotherapy if randomized to Part C.