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NCT05539638
The Role of Circulating Tumour DNA in Head and Neck Cancer
trial in Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in 250 participants. Currently enrolling.
31 August 2027
Quick facts
| Lead sponsor | University of Edinburgh |
|---|---|
| Status | Recruiting now |
| Study type | OBSERVATIONAL |
| Enrollment | 250 |
| Start date | 14 August 2022 |
| Primary completion | 31 August 2027 |
| Estimated completion | 31 August 2027 |
| Sites | 5 locations across United Kingdom |
Conditions studied
- Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma — all drugs for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma →
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV) — all drugs for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) →
Sponsor
University of Edinburgh
Who can join
18 and older, any sex, with Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma or Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.
Sponsor's own description
Cancers of the throat, oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC), are highly prevalent across Scotland. Over the past 10 years, both global and Scottish cases of OPSCC have increased, particularly those associated with human papillomavirus (HPV). However there has been little change in techniques for diagnosis and monitoring. Although imaging technologies are improving, results of imaging are often indeterminate and clinicians require additional tools to make informed decisions. With this in mind our research team have established a range of blood- based tests which detect and monitor cancer DNA fragments shed by tumours into the blood stream in OPSCC patients. Our initial studies have shown that such tests, which are minimally invasive compared to surgical biopsy, hold the potential to provide an accurate, "real-time" method to monitor patient response to treatment, identify early relapse and assist in clinical decision making. The investigators aim to expand these results to assist clinical decisions for both virally associated and non-viral associated OPSCC. Following this, the investigators will focus on the poorest prognosis OPSCC group (non-HPV tumours) by applying state-of-the-art DNA detection and sequencing technologies to analyse tumour- derived DNA fragments in the bloodstream, to follow treatment response and to develop new methods for detecting relapse and resistance to treatment in OPSCC. Ultimately, the investigators envisage that the implementation of such genetic assays of tumours and the fragments that they release into the bloodstream will provide a transformative shift in the clinical assessment and quality of life of OPSCC patients in Scotland.
Publications & conference data
1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):
-
The Value of Circulating Tumor HPV DNA in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer: A Review.
Dok R, Nuyts S, Lopez F, Bradford C, et al · · 2025 · PMID 41226001 · DOI 10.3390/diagnostics15212708
Verify or expand the search:
- PubMed search for NCT05539638
- Europe PMC full search
- ASCO Meeting Library
- ESMO Meeting Library
- bioRxiv preprints
- medRxiv preprints
- Google Scholar
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Verify against primary sources
- ClinicalTrials.gov — authoritative US registry record
- WHO ICTRP — international registry index
- EU Clinical Trials Register
- Sponsor press releases (Google)
- Trial protocol + status: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05539638 (US National Library of Medicine, public domain)
- Publications: Europe PMC API search by NCT ID, retrieved 10 June 2026
- Drug + disease cross-links: matched in real time against Drug Landscape's normalised drug + company + condition tables
- Sponsor: as reported to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of Edinburgh
- Last refreshed: 17 March 2026
Drug Landscape aggregates and links these public records for informational use only. Always verify against the primary source before clinical or regulatory decisions. Canonical URL: https://druglandscape.com/trial/NCT05539638.
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