Interrogation of Wnt, Notch and Hedgehog Activity in Primary Tumor Samples

NCT ID: NCT02006550

Last Updated: 2019-04-01

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: TERMINATED
• Total Enrollment: 227 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2010-06-16
• Study Completion Date: 2018-10-25

Brief Summary

Cancer results when undifferentiated cells grow in an uncontrolled manner, crowding out normal cells, causing morbidity and ultimately mortality. The cancer stem cell theory suggests that most tumors undergo a process of differentiation through which a relatively rare cancer stem or progenitor cell (CSC) gives rise to more differentiated populations of cells (including transiently amplifying cells) comprising the bulk of the tumor. As a result of this cellular diversity, one or more cells within the tumor are likely to be resistant to therapy. Among cells resistant to a given therapy, only CSCs can repopulate the tumor. A key feature of this resistant subset of CSCs is that they repopulate a tumor resistant to the original intervention. The cellular programs driving the uncontrolled proliferation of many solid tumors result from aberrant activity of Wnt, Shh, and/or Notch signaling pathways in CSC. Thus, therapies that down-regulate the activity of these fundamental pathways in CSCs will be effective in the treatment of cancer. The investigators' research program focuses on the elucidation of signaling mechanisms, control of cellular processes and discovery of small molecules that selectively target Wnt, Shh, and Notch signaling pathways that are fundamental to CSCs. Our preliminary results identified a novel Notch associated protein NACK that functions as a transcriptional co-activator of Notch. Moreover, Nack is expressed in human solid tumors and is required for cell survival and tumor growth in notch -dependent tumor cells. The investigators' aim is to further interrogate the link between Notch and Nack.

Conditions

Cancer

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Patients diagnosed with a primary cancer tumor scheduled for a surgery to remove it.

Exclusion Criteria

• Patients not diagnosed with a primary cancer scheduled for a standard of care (SOC) surgery.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University of Miami

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Anthony Capobianco

Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Anthony Capobianco, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Miami

Locations

University of Miami

Miami, Florida, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

20100200

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id