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Clinical Trials in the UK
The National Cancer Research Network supports clinical trials for the NHS in the UK. Please click below for more information about oesophageal trials:-
(Use the box on the site to specify your search)
List of UK Trials for Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers:
Diagnostic Test for Cancer of the Oesophagus
04/08/2004
Research has produced a new diagnostic test for oesophageal cancer. It involves taking a swab from the oesophagus. A pilot study revealed an 85% accuracy rate.
The advantages of the new test are that biopsy can be avoided, and the analysis of results can be automated. If the test still shows a high success rate in large scale trials, then routine screening could be available within 5 years!
However, this test applies to squamous cell carcinoma of the oesphagus, but most people in western countries such as the UK are more likely to be diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus. Therefore it has limitations..
The research was led by Prof Gareth Williams of the Wolfson Institute for biomedical research. University College London. He and his team have investigated a protein called Mcm5, which is one of a family of "minichromosome maintenance" proteins involved in uncontrolled cell growth, a hallmark of cancer.
Below is a useful link to other oesophageal information:-
Link to the British Medical Journal’s Oesophageal Collection
Oesophageal Research Group - University of Leeds
Please note that the researchers are scientists, and cannot answer any personal inquiries regarding your treatment, prognosis and so on.
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