Genetic Diversity of Toxoplasma Gondii in Cancer Patients

NCT ID: NCT04834076

Last Updated: 2022-01-13

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Total Enrollment

100 participants

Study Classification

OBSERVATIONAL

Study Start Date

2020-06-01

Study Completion Date

2022-12-31

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

I. Evaluation of T. gondii infection in cancer patients using different serological markers.

II. Studying genetic lineages infecting cancer patients in Sohag Governorate to predict clinical course and therapeutic needs using B1 and RE genes.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

The global cancer burden is estimated to have risen to 18.1 million new cases and 9.6 million deaths in 2018. Patients with cancer have deficient cellular immunity and are potentially susceptible to opportunistic infections including Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Few reports are available about toxoplasmosis in this group of patients. In recent years, it has emerged as an important life-threatening opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised patients.

T. gondii is a ubiquitous obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that can infect virtually any nucleated vertebrate cell. T. gondii is one of the most successful parasites worldwide, with upwards of 30% of the human population infected.

While T. gondii infection in immunocompetent individuals is usually asymptomatic, it is more detrimental in immunocompromised individuals, such as those with HIV, patients receiving organ transplants or undergoing cancer treatment. A variety of malignancies, including lymphoma, leukemia, and myeloma, can reactivate toxoplasmosis. Moreover, T. gondii is incriminated to be responsible for the progression of malignant diseases.

Screening of toxoplasmosis in cancer patients is mandatory to guard against life-threatening disseminated disease. Diagnosis rely mainly on serology. A study in 2018 was performed to assess the prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibody among cancer patients in Cairo-Egypt. Among 180 cancer patients, a total of 110 patients (61.1%) were positive for anti-T. gondii antibodies. Till now there is no screening program in Egypt for toxoplasmosis in cancer patients although recently demonstrated to be at high risk for acquiring the infection with life-threatening sequelae.

Despite the significant improvements in serological methods, there are still unresolvable limitations such as inability of these methods to confirm the presence of parasite in immunocompromised patients. To overcome these limitations, different molecular methods including conventional PCR (cn PCR), nested PCR, real-time PCR (qPCR) and also loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) techniques have been developed to detect T. gondii DNA in biological samples.

As molecular diagnosis is not depending on the immunological condition of the host, it would be ideal for cancer patients. The ability of molecular methods to detect low amounts of parasites in fluids or tissues is a key issue, as Toxoplasma can circulate at low concentrations, or inconstantly.

T. gondii has been considered a single species in the genus Toxoplasma. Early studies on the parasite strains from North America and Europe identified limited genetic diversity, which were classified into three clonal lineages I, II, and III.

Genotyping of isolates from all continents revealed a complex population structure. Recent research supports the notion that T. gondii genotype may be associated with disease severity. The outcome of toxoplasmosis is related primarily to host and parasite genetics.

The first PCR technique for T. gondii detection was established by Burg and colleagues in which the 35-repeat B1 gene of T. gondii genome was amplified. Following it, several multi-copy targeting genes including 18S rRNA-, P30-,529-bp repeat fragment or the AF146527 element have been used for the detection of T. gondii in different biological samples.

In spite of the growing data concerning T. gondii genotypes and its role in epidemiological and biological studies,very few studies have been reported in Egypt until now. It is essential to genetically define and characterize T. gondii strains isolated from cancer patients to understand the population genetic structure, population biology, and pathogenesis of this important pathogen in our locality using the highly sensitive molecular techniques.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study in Egypt to reveal the population structure of T. gondii in patients with cancer.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Toxoplasma Gondii Infection Cancer

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Observational Model Type

CASE_CONTROL

Study Time Perspective

RETROSPECTIVE

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Cancer patients

50 cancer patients referred to the Oncology Department, Faculty of medicine, Sohag University.

ELISA

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

ELISA is is a test that detects and measures toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies in blood.

PCR

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a method widely used to rapidly make millions to billions of copies of a specific DNA sample, allowing scientists to take a very small sample of DNA and amplify it to a large enough amount to study in detail.

Sequencing

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

DNA sequencing is a laboratory technique used to determine the exact sequence of bases (A, C, G, and T) in a DNA molecule. The DNA base sequence carries the information a cell needs to assemble protein and RNA molecules. DNA sequence information is important to scientists investigating the functions of genes.

Healthy controls

50 healthy controls will be recruited in the study.

ELISA

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

ELISA is is a test that detects and measures toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies in blood.

PCR

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a method widely used to rapidly make millions to billions of copies of a specific DNA sample, allowing scientists to take a very small sample of DNA and amplify it to a large enough amount to study in detail.

Sequencing

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

DNA sequencing is a laboratory technique used to determine the exact sequence of bases (A, C, G, and T) in a DNA molecule. The DNA base sequence carries the information a cell needs to assemble protein and RNA molecules. DNA sequence information is important to scientists investigating the functions of genes.

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

ELISA

ELISA is is a test that detects and measures toxoplasma IgG and IgM antibodies in blood.

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

PCR

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a method widely used to rapidly make millions to billions of copies of a specific DNA sample, allowing scientists to take a very small sample of DNA and amplify it to a large enough amount to study in detail.

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Sequencing

DNA sequencing is a laboratory technique used to determine the exact sequence of bases (A, C, G, and T) in a DNA molecule. The DNA base sequence carries the information a cell needs to assemble protein and RNA molecules. DNA sequence information is important to scientists investigating the functions of genes.

Intervention Type DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Hematologic cancers on treatment
* Solid Cancers on treatment

Exclusion Criteria

* Patients with other immune compromise states eg. DM, autoimmune diseases
* Patients who are HIV positive
Minimum Eligible Age

1 Year

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Sohag University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Eman Fathi Fadel Mohammed

Teaching assistant of medical parasitology

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Eman FF Mohammed, Ass lecturer

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Sohag University

Locations

Explore where the study is taking place and check the recruitment status at each participating site.

Sohag University Hospitals

Sohag, , Egypt

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

Review the countries where the study has at least one active or historical site.

Egypt

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Eman FF Mohammed, Ass lecturer

Role: CONTACT

201066209796

Mohammed EM Tolba, Prof Dr

Role: CONTACT

201006329838

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

Toxoplasma gondii genomics

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

More Related Trials

Additional clinical trials that may be relevant based on similarity analysis.