What side effects are associated with this type of intervention?

Common treatments for lymphoma, such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy, can have a range of side effects. Chemotherapy often causes fatigue, nausea, hair loss, and increased risk of infections due to lowered blood cell counts. Targeted therapies, which aim at specific molecules involved in cancer growth, can lead to side effects like diarrhea, liver problems, and skin rashes. Immunotherapy, which boosts the body's immune system to fight cancer, may cause immune-related side effects such as inflammation of healthy tissues, leading to conditions like colitis, pneumonitis, or thyroiditis. Patients should discuss these potential side effects with their healthcare provider to manage them effectively.

What prior FDA approvals exist?

The FDA has approved several treatments for Lymphoma that align with non-invasive biomarker monitoring approaches. One notable example is the use of pembrolizumab, an anti-PD-1 therapy, which has been approved for various types of Lymphoma, including classical Hodgkin Lymphoma. Additionally, therapies like nivolumab, another anti-PD-1 drug, have been approved for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma. These treatments are significant as they offer targeted immunotherapy options that can be monitored using non-invasive biomarkers such as cfDNA, providing a less invasive method for tracking disease progression and treatment response.

What other types of research exist?

Promising novel alternatives to cfDNA collection for non-invasive biomarker monitoring in lymphoma patients include the use of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and advanced imaging techniques. CTCs can provide prognostic information and help monitor disease progression. Additionally, next-generation sequencing (NGS) of blood samples to detect specific genetic mutations and methylation signatures is emerging as a potential tool for personalized treatment strategies.

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Cell-free DNA Testing for Lymphoma

N/A

Recruiting

Led By Christopher Flowers, MD

Research Sponsored by M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

Be older than 18 years old

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up up to 5 years

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial involves collecting DNA from blood samples of DLBCL patients to monitor their cancer and treatment response. By analyzing this DNA, doctors can identify changes in the cancer and check if any cancer cells remain after treatment.

Who is the study for?

This trial is for adults over 18 with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) needing treatment. Participants must be able to give written consent and should not be pregnant or cognitively impaired. The study aims to include a diverse group from community centers across Texas.

What is being tested?

The trial is exploring the use of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) as a tool to detect genetic changes in DLBCL patients and monitor minimal residual disease after treatment. cfDNA samples are taken from blood drawn through vein puncture before and after therapy.

What are the potential side effects?

There are generally no direct side effects associated with providing a blood sample for cfDNA analysis, but some individuals may experience minor discomfort, bruising, or bleeding at the puncture site.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ up to 5 years

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~up to 5 years

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and up to 5 years for reporting.

Treatment Details

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

1Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Group I: cell-free DNA (cfDNA) samplesExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

cell-free DNA (cfDNA) samples from DLBCL participants before and after treatment. cfDNA is DNA traveling in your blood outside of a cell and is easily collected from blood samples drawn using the vein puncture method. Blood will be drawn 3 times (by vein)

Do I qualify?Apply below to find out

Research Highlights

Information in this section is not a recommendation. We encourage patients to speak with their healthcare team when evaluating any treatment decision.

Mechanism Of Action

Side Effect Profile

Prior Approvals

Other Research

Common treatments for lymphoma include targeted agents, monoclonal antibodies, and novel approaches like cfDNA monitoring. Targeted agents, such as Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors, work by blocking specific proteins that promote cancer cell growth. Monoclonal antibodies, like rituximab, target specific antigens on the surface of lymphoma cells, marking them for destruction by the immune system. cfDNA monitoring is a non-invasive method that detects DNA fragments from cancer cells in the blood, helping to identify actionable genetic alterations and monitor minimal residual disease. These treatments are crucial for lymphoma patients as they offer personalized therapy options, improve treatment precision, and potentially enhance outcomes by allowing for early detection and intervention.