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RADiCAL (Rapid screening of buccal cells to distinguish cancer using light): Protocol for a mixed observational and interventional study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Early diagnosis of lung cancer is key to improving survival rates. Stage Ia lung cancer is associated with an 82% 5-year survival rate, whereas stage IV only has a 6% 5-year survival rate. Lung cancer is predominantly seen in current or ex-smokers, with non-small cell lung cancer accounting for 85% of lung cancer diagnoses. Lung cancer is often asymptomatic until advanced disease causes symptoms, therefore identifying a screening technique which could detect lung cancer at an earlier stage would be beneficial in the drive for earlier diagnosis.
Objective:
The objective of this study is to determine whether infrared fingerprints collected using infrared microspectroscopy of individual human buccal mucosa cells can be used to differentiate smokers with non-small cell lung cancer, and smokers or non-smokers without non-small cell lung cancer. Exploratory objectives include investigating whether small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer lead to different infrared signals in buccal mucosa cells, and whether lung cancer in non-smokers elicits a change in buccal mucosa cells detectable with infrared spectroscopy.
Methods:
We will perform a single-visit mixed observational and interventional study comparing the infrared fingerprints of buccal mucosa in healthy volunteers (with and without a history of smoking), people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and people with lung cancer. These infrared fingerprints will be created using both FTIR microspectroscopy and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy to allow comparison between techniques.
Results:
The results from this study are anticipated to be available in 2026.
Conclusions:
This study will investigate the use of buccal swabs with infrared spectroscopy as a simple, non-invasive screening technique for NSCLC. Clinical Trial: ISRCTN18176235
Citation
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Copyright
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