CancerPINCERNCT05650125
A Platform Study for solId orgaN CancERs
An observational study of Cancer and Surgery, run by University of Liverpool at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
Generating bespoke biosampling protocols for individual tumour specific translational projects is onerous, cumbersome and inefficient. This study aims to provide a broad platform to maximise the unique access to biopsy and resected tumour specimens available from cancer patients to provide a high-quality and efficient… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 16 to 100 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- What is being tested?
- Biosampling
- How many people
- 2,000 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 1 Jan 2022to 1 Jan 2030
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 16 to 100 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: All patients with a solid organ malignancy requiring surgery or biopsy as part of their routine clinical care as decided by the specialist MDT.
Who may be able to join
- Biopsy or surgical resection as standard of care
Who cannot join
- Refusal or inability to consent, paediatric patients
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United Kingdom1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
University of Liverpool
Liverpool, L69 3GB
Karen Wilding, 07717863747, sponsor@liverpool.ac.uk
Robert P Jones
About this study
Official title: PINCER (A Platform Study for solId orgaN CancERs); an Agile Regional Platform Study to Deliver High Quality Translational Research
Generating bespoke biosampling protocols for individual tumour specific translational projects is onerous, cumbersome and inefficient. This study aims to provide a broad platform to maximise the unique access to biopsy and resected tumour specimens available from cancer patients to provide a high-quality and efficient source of biosamples for specific translational projects. Access to historical FFPE samples and clinical data, as well as prospective fresh tissue samples, will allow interrogation of the underlying biology of these cancers. Matched pseudoanonymised clinical and radiological data will allow the development of rich high-yield datasets.
Read the detailed description
This is a platform tissue collection study to provide biosamples for specific research projects. These sub-studies will be proposed by interested researchers and undergo internal review by the PINCER steering committee. Following approval, each sub study will be delivered on this platform in line with this protocol. This study will not be used to generate biobanks, but to allow biosamples to be used for specific active sub studies.
- Study Locations \& Approval This platform will allow patients having surgery or biopsy for any solid organ cancer to consent to take part in the study. Any site wishing to do this will open as a site for the PINCER Study. Sub-studies using PINCER will require their own local study lead and SOP written by the local team and this will require approval by the PINCER steering committee. This will be to confirm alignment with the overarching PINCER protocol, define sampling requirements and assess the scientific validity of the study, as well as ensure regulatory oversight.
- Fresh Tissue Collection Tissue will be obtained either through biopsy (an extra sample of tissue will be taken using the same needle at the time of original biopsy) or after surgical resection (where the tumour tissue would routinely be discarded after sampling for pathological assessment). In the case of tissue retrieved after surgery, a pathologist will ensure that excess tissue removed after resection will not compromise pathological assessment of the resected specimen. At the same time as biopsy or surgery, a small sample of blood (60ml) may be removed from the venous catheter which the patient has inserted as part of the routine care during their procedure. After the tissue has been retrieved, tissue and blood will be transported to a HTA approved facility. This will be performed under a locally arranged material transfer agreement (MTA) agreed by the local team between each individual site and the relevant partner organization.
- Collection of historical FFPE tumour tissue Patients who have undergone biopsy or surgery for solid organ cancers will be identified from existing NHS clinical databases which track surgical activity by relevant clinical teams. Their tumour tissue samples will then be identified using local pathology systems, and their archived tissue blocks retrieved. In the case of patients who have had metastatic disease resected, both primary and metastatic tumour tissue will be accessed. A small amount of these tissue blocks will be sampled, and the remnant tissue block returned to the pathology archive. After the tissue has been retrieved, it will be transported to a HTA approved facility. This will be performed under a locally arranged material transfer agreement (MTA) between each individual site and the relevant partner organization.
- Collection of post-treatment blood samples Up to 60mls of blood may be drawn from patients up to 12 months following treatment. After the blood has been retrieved, it will be transported to a HTA approved facility. This will be performed under a locally arranged material transfer agreement (MTA) between each individual site and the relevant partner organization.
- Quality of Life Analysis Where appropriate, patients will be invited to complete EORTC Quality of Life assessment questionnaires up to 12 months following treatment.
- Pseudoanonymised data \& radiology collection Linked clinicopathological and radiological data will be retrieved where appropriate and stored on password protected computer systems. Local pseudoanonymisation will be required before these data are shared with other researchers not directly involved in the clinical care of patients.
- Biosample analysis All analyses will be performed in HTA approved laboratories or equivalent. Pseudoanonymised samples may be shared with academic and commercial partner organisations within the UK and abroad, including the USA. All users of biosamples will be expected to have completed MRC HTA training.
- Being tested
- Biosampling
- Keywords
- Surgery, Cancer, Translational, Biosample, Cohort
- Medical subject headings
- Neoplasms
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
BiosamplingOther
Biosampling of blood/tumour/adjacent normal tissue
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Patients with solid organ cancer | Prospective biosampling of blood/tissue Receives: Other: Biosampling |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Biosample procurement
Patient biosamples delivered via platform
Measured: 4 years
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 Dec 2022
- Study start1 Jan 2022
- Primary completion1 Jan 2030 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Jan 2030 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for CancerStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 2,000 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Liverpool
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool Womens Hospital
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05650125
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 174008
- Acronym
- PINCER
- Status last verified
- Jul 2025
- First submitted
- 6 Dec 2022
- Last updated
- 1 Aug 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided: Pseudoanonymised linked clinical data will be available on request by translational researchers
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Aug 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- PINCER (A Platform Study for solId orgaN CancERs); an Agile Regional Platform Study to Deliver High Quality Translational Research
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05650125
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PINCER / 174008
- Keywords
- Surgery, Cancer, Translational, Biosample, Cohort
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 2,000 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of LiverpoolUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Countess of Chester NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool Womens Hospital
- Study start
- 1 Jan 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jan 2030 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Jan 2030 (estimated)
- First posted
- 14 Dec 2022 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Generating bespoke biosampling protocols for individual tumour specific translational projects is onerous, cumbersome and inefficient. This study aims to provide a broad platform to maximise the unique access to biopsy and resected tumour specimens available from cancer patients to provide a high-quality and efficient source of biosamples for specific translational projects. Access to historical FFPE samples and clinical data, as well as prospective fresh tissue samples, will allow interrogation of the underlying biology of these cancers. Matched pseudoanonymised clinical and radiological data will allow the development of rich high-yield datasets.
Detailed description
This is a platform tissue collection study to provide biosamples for specific research projects. These sub-studies will be proposed by interested researchers and undergo internal review by the PINCER steering committee. Following approval, each sub study will be delivered on this platform in line with this protocol. This study will not be used to generate biobanks, but to allow biosamples to be used for specific active sub studies.
- Study Locations \& Approval This platform will allow patients having surgery or biopsy for any solid organ cancer to consent to take part in the study. Any site wishing to do this will open as a site for the PINCER Study. Sub-studies using PINCER will require their own local study lead and SOP written by the local team and this will require approval by the PINCER steering committee. This will be to confirm alignment with the overarching PINCER protocol, define sampling requirements and assess the scientific validity of the study, as well as ensure regulatory oversight.
- Fresh Tissue Collection Tissue will be obtained either through biopsy (an extra sample of tissue will be taken using the same needle at the time of original biopsy) or after surgical resection (where the tumour tissue would routinely be discarded after sampling for pathological assessment). In the case of tissue retrieved after surgery, a pathologist will ensure that excess tissue removed after resection will not compromise pathological assessment of the resected specimen. At the same time as biopsy or surgery, a small sample of blood (60ml) may be removed from the venous catheter which the patient has inserted as part of the routine care during their procedure. After the tissue has been retrieved, tissue and blood will be transported to a HTA approved facility. This will be performed under a locally arranged material transfer agreement (MTA) agreed by the local team between each individual site and the relevant partner organization.
- Collection of historical FFPE tumour tissue Patients who have undergone biopsy or surgery for solid organ cancers will be identified from existing NHS clinical databases which track surgical activity by relevant clinical teams. Their tumour tissue samples will then be identified using local pathology systems, and their archived tissue blocks retrieved. In the case of patients who have had metastatic disease resected, both primary and metastatic tumour tissue will be accessed. A small amount of these tissue blocks will be sampled, and the remnant tissue block returned to the pathology archive. After the tissue has been retrieved, it will be transported to a HTA approved facility. This will be performed under a locally arranged material transfer agreement (MTA) between each individual site and the relevant partner organization.
- Collection of post-treatment blood samples Up to 60mls of blood may be drawn from patients up to 12 months following treatment. After the blood has been retrieved, it will be transported to a HTA approved facility. This will be performed under a locally arranged material transfer agreement (MTA) between each individual site and the relevant partner organization.
- Quality of Life Analysis Where appropriate, patients will be invited to complete EORTC Quality of Life assessment questionnaires up to 12 months following treatment.
- Pseudoanonymised data \& radiology collection Linked clinicopathological and radiological data will be retrieved where appropriate and stored on password protected computer systems. Local pseudoanonymisation will be required before these data are shared with other researchers not directly involved in the clinical care of patients.
- Biosample analysis All analyses will be performed in HTA approved laboratories or equivalent. Pseudoanonymised samples may be shared with academic and commercial partner organisations within the UK and abroad, including the USA. All users of biosamples will be expected to have completed MRC HTA training.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Patients with solid organ cancer | – | Other: BiosamplingProspective biosampling of blood/tissue |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 16 to 100 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- All patients with a solid organ malignancy requiring surgery or biopsy as part of their routine clinical care as decided by the specialist MDT.
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Biopsy or surgical resection as standard of care
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Refusal or inability to consent, paediatric patients
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| BiosamplingBiosampling of blood/tumour/adjacent normal tissue | Other | Patients with solid organ cancer |
Primary outcome
Biosample procurement
Time frame: 4 years
Patient biosamples delivered via platform
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 Aug 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided. Pseudoanonymised linked clinical data will be available on request by translational researchers
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Cancer and Surgery, run by University of Liverpool at 1 site in United Kingdom.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Aug 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United Kingdom. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Each site lists its own contact: choose the nearest one under Trial locations. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Biosample procurement (time frame: 4 years). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 1 Aug 2025.