Active not recruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Preclinical Study Towards an Immunotherapy in Adrenocortical Carcinoma

This research is focused on adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC), a rare and serious cancer of the adrenal gland. Even after surgery to remove the tumour, the cancer often comes back. Because of this, doctors are looking for better treatment options. This particular study is an early-stage, 'pre-clinical' investigation into whether immunotherapy could be a successful treatment for people with ACC. Immunotherapy helps your body's own defence system fight cancer. We hope to build a strong foundation for developing these new treatments in the future. We are also looking for healthy volunteers to help us compare and understand our findings.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Sponsor

University of Wuerzburg

Enrolment target

150

Start

01 Sep 2005

Estimated completion

01 Dec 2030

Adrenocortical Carcinoma Cushing's Syndrome

What is this study about?

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare type of cancer that starts in the adrenal glands, which are small glands located on top of your kidneys. These glands make important hormones. ACC can be quite difficult to treat, and unfortunately, even after surgery to remove the cancer, it often returns. This means doctors are always searching for new and more effective ways to help people with ACC.

This study is an early step in that search. It's called a 'pre-clinical' study, which means it's done in the lab or using approaches that don't directly involve treating patients yet. The main goal is to explore a type of treatment called immunotherapy. Immunotherapy works by boosting your body's own immune system – its natural defence force – to fight off cancer cells.

By doing this early research, we hope to learn more about how immunotherapy could work against ACC. Our aim is to gather enough information to develop new, successful immunotherapy treatments that could eventually help patients in the future. We believe this type of treatment holds promise for improving outcomes for people with this challenging cancer.

Key takeaways

This study focuses on a rare adrenal gland cancer called ACC.
It's an early-stage study (pre-clinical) exploring immunotherapy.
The goal is to find new and better treatments for ACC patients eventually.
Healthy volunteers are needed as a comparison group.
Participation will not involve receiving new medications or treatments in this specific phase.

Who may be eligible?

To take part in this study, you would need to meet certain requirements. You could be considered if you have been diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) and your diagnosis has been confirmed by a laboratory test.

We are also looking for healthy individuals who do not have ACC to join as a comparison group. This helps us understand differences and similarities better.

For everyone involved, you should also be expected to live for at least another six months. There are some health conditions that would prevent you from taking part. For example, if you have an illness where your immune system attacks your own body (an autoimmune disease), you would not be able to join. Also, if you are currently very unwell or have a severe medical condition, this study might not be suitable for you.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Do I have a confirmed diagnosis of adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC)?
Am I generally healthy and don't have ACC?
Do I have a life expectancy of more than 6 months?
Do I have any autoimmune diseases (where my immune system attacks my own body)?
Am I currently very unwell or have a severe medical condition?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This is a pre-clinical study, which means it's happening in the lab or through other early-stage research methods, and is not directly involving patients receiving treatment. You won't be given any medication or specific treatments as part of this particular research. If you are eligible and choose to take part, the study team will explain exactly what would be involved for your role, whether as a patient with ACC or a healthy volunteer. This might involve providing samples that have already been collected as part of your care or other non-invasive procedures. The team will tell you about any visits, tests, or follow-up needed, and the total time commitment.

Potential risks and benefits

As this is an early-stage study, the immediate benefits to you directly are not yet known, as no new treatments are being given. However, your participation will be incredibly valuable in helping researchers understand adrenocortical carcinoma better and develop new immunotherapy treatments for the future, which could benefit many patients. As with any study, there could be some minor inconveniences or risks associated with providing samples or having certain assessments, but these would be fully explained to you before you agree to take part. You always have the right to withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason.

Locations (1)

Dept. of Medicine I, University of Wuerzburg
Verified postcode
Würzburg, Germany

Common questions

What is adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC)?

It's a rare cancer that starts in the adrenal glands, which are small glands above your kidneys that produce hormones.

What is immunotherapy?

It's a type of treatment that helps your body's own immune system fight cancer cells.

Will I receive new treatment in this study?

No, this is an early-stage 'pre-clinical' study, meaning new treatments are not being given directly to patients in this phase.

Why are healthy people included in this study?

Healthy volunteers help researchers compare and understand the study findings better.

Can I choose to leave the study if I change my mind?

Yes, you can withdraw from the study at any time without having to give a reason.