RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Metachronic Brain Metastases After Esophagectomy for Esophageal Cancer (METABREC)

The METABREC study is investigating why some people who have surgery for gullet (oesophageal) cancer later develop brain tumours. Even though surgery is often the main treatment for gullet cancer, sometimes the cancer can return, including in the brain. Brain tumours after gullet cancer surgery are rare, but they can be serious. Doctors have noticed that more people seem to be getting brain tumours since newer chemotherapy treatments were introduced before surgery. This study will look at patient records from 2000 to 2019 to see if this is true and to find out what factors might lead to cancer spreading to the brain. Understanding these risks could help doctors improve future treatments.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Universitaire Ziekenhuizen KU Leuven

Enrolment target

10,000

Start

02 Jun 2020

Estimated completion

31 Mar 2025

Esophageal Neoplasms Esophagectomy Brain Metastases

What is this study about?

This research study, called METABREC, is focused on a type of cancer called gullet cancer, also known as oesophageal cancer. When someone has gullet cancer, surgery (called esophagectomy) is often a key treatment to try and cure it. However, even after surgery, the cancer can sometimes come back, and in rare cases, it can spread to the brain.

While brain tumours after gullet cancer surgery are uncommon, they can be very serious. Doctors have observed that the number of people getting brain tumours might have increased, especially since some patients started receiving chemotherapy before their surgery. One idea is that this chemotherapy might make it easier for cancer cells to travel to the brain.

This study will look at past patient records from a period between 2000 and 2019. The main goal is to find out how often gullet cancer spreads to the brain after surgery and to identify any factors that might increase this risk. By understanding these patterns, researchers hope to gain valuable insights that could help improve care and treatments for future patients with gullet cancer.

Key takeaways

This study is about gullet (oesophageal) cancer and if it spreads to the brain.
It uses past medical records from 2000 to 2019 to find patterns.
Researchers want to see how often cancer spreads to the brain after surgery.
They also want to find factors that might increase this risk.
The study could help improve treatment and care for future patients with gullet cancer.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking at information from medical records of people who had surgery for gullet cancer between January 2000 and December 2019.

To be included, patients must have had surgery for gullet cancer. This includes those who had chemotherapy before surgery, or surgery as a first treatment, or surgery if the cancer came back after initial treatment. The type of gullet cancer must be either adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma.

Patients would not be included if their cancer was a different type than those specified, or if they had a type of throat cancer that extended into the gullet and required a more extensive surgery. Also, very early-stage cancers or surgeries done just to relieve symptoms, not to cure the cancer, would not be part of this study.

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.

Did you have surgery for gullet cancer between 2000 and 2019?
Was your cancer either adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma?
Did you not have a very early stage (cT IS-1a N0 M0) gullet cancer?
Was your surgery intended to try and cure the cancer, not just ease symptoms?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This is a 'retrospective' study. This means that researchers will be looking back at existing medical records and information that has already been collected from patients who had gullet cancer surgery in the past, between the years 2000 and 2019. You would not need to do anything new, such as attend extra appointments, take new medication, or have any special tests. Your participation would involve allowing researchers to use your de-identified medical information, if you are one of the patients from that time period, to understand more about gullet cancer.

Potential risks and benefits

Since this study only involves looking at existing medical records, there are no direct physical risks or benefits to individuals. Your personal information would be kept private. The potential benefit is to future patients, as the findings could help doctors better understand gullet cancer and its spread to the brain, potentially leading to improved treatments and care down the line. You have the right to withdraw your consent for your de-identified data to be used in such a study at any time.

Locations (8)

MD Anderson Cancer Center
Verified postcode
Houston, United States· Not yet recruiting
Universitair ziekenhuis Gent
Verified postcode
Ghent, Belgium· Not yet recruiting
Centre Hospitalier régional Universitaire de Lille
Verified postcode
Lille, France· Not yet recruiting
Saint James Hospital
Verified postcode
Dublin, Ireland· Not yet recruiting
Amsterdam UMC
Verified postcode
Amsterdam, Netherlands· Recruiting
Zuyderland MC
Verified postcode
Heerlen, Netherlands· Not yet recruiting
Erasmus MC
Verified postcode
Rotterdam, Netherlands· Not yet recruiting
Karolinska Institutet
Verified postcode
Stockholm, Sweden· Recruiting

Common questions

What is gullet cancer?

Gullet cancer, also called oesophageal cancer, is a type of cancer that starts in the gullet, the tube that carries food from your mouth to your stomach.

What are brain metastases?

Brain metastases are when cancer cells spread from their original location (like the gullet) to the brain, forming new tumours there.

Why is this study looking at old records?

By looking at past records, researchers can gather information from many people over a long period. This helps them identify patterns and risk factors more easily than starting a brand new study from scratch.

Will my name or personal details be used in the study?

No. All personal information would be removed to protect your privacy. Researchers will only use the medical details relevant to the study, not your identity.

Will I get any results from this study?

Since this study looks at past records and doesn't involve current treatment, individual patients will not receive personal results. However, the overall findings will be published to help doctors and researchers understand gullet cancer better.

How to find out more

Lieven P Depypere, PhD

lieven.depypere@uzleuven.be +32 16 346820 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.