What side effects are associated with this type of intervention?

The most common treatments for testicular cancer include active surveillance, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Active surveillance involves regular blood work and imaging to detect relapse early, minimizing immediate side effects but requiring long-term follow-up. Chemotherapy, often using drugs like cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin, can lead to side effects such as cardiotoxicity, infertility, and secondary cancers. Radiation therapy, while effective, can also result in long-term sequelae including an increased risk of secondary malignancies and potential impacts on quality of life. Long-term follow-up is essential to monitor for these side effects and manage any late recurrences.

What prior FDA approvals exist?

The FDA has approved several treatments for testicular cancer, primarily focusing on chemotherapy regimens such as bleomycin, etoposide, and cisplatin (BEP). These drugs are often used in combination to treat various stages of testicular cancer, including advanced and recurrent cases. Active surveillance, which involves regular blood work and imaging to detect relapse at a curable stage, is a common management strategy for clinical stage I testicular cancer. This approach aligns with the WATChmAN trial's focus on virtual follow-up visits to improve patient compliance and satisfaction while reducing the cost and burden of in-person visits.

What other types of research exist?

Promising alternatives to the WATChmAN platform for testicular cancer patients in 2024 include: 1) Telemedicine platforms with integrated AI for personalized follow-up schedules and symptom tracking, 2) Mobile health applications that offer real-time communication with healthcare providers and automated reminders for follow-up visits, 3) Wearable health devices that monitor vital signs and detect early signs of relapse, and 4) Blockchain-based systems for secure and transparent patient data management and sharing.

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Virtual Active Surveillance for Testicular Cancer

N/A

Waitlist Available

Led By Robert J Hamilton, MD

Research Sponsored by University Health Network, Toronto

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

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

Must have

Men who are at least 18 years of age

Have had histologically confirmed stage 1 testicular cancer (seminoma or non-seminoma)

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up december 2017 - december 2026

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial is testing WATChmAN, an online system for testicular cancer patients to manage their follow-up care virtually. It aims to make follow-ups easier and more convenient by reducing the need for regular hospital visits. Patients will receive reminders, check their results, and communicate with doctors through the platform.

Who is the study for?

This trial is for men over 18 who can understand English, have access to a digital device, and have had stage 1 testicular cancer treated with orchiectomy within the last 9 months. They should be ready to follow a strict check-up schedule. Men with metastatic disease or relapse in the first 9 months, or poor computer skills as judged by the study team cannot join.

What is being tested?

The WATChmAN project is testing a web-based virtual clinic against traditional in-person visits for monitoring testicular cancer patients under active surveillance. The goal is to see if online follow-ups can improve patient satisfaction and adherence while reducing costs.

What are the potential side effects?

Since this trial involves monitoring methods rather than medication, there are no direct medical side effects. However, participants may experience issues related to using technology such as privacy concerns or technical difficulties.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below

Select...

I am a man aged 18 or older.

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I was diagnosed with stage 1 testicular cancer.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ december 2017 - december 2026

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~december 2017 - december 2026

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and december 2017 - december 2026 for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

Safety and Efficacy

Secondary study objectives

Clinic Flow Metrics

Patient Satisfaction

Physician Satisfaction

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

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

Trial Design

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: WATChmANExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Patients randomized to the WATChmAN Active Surveillance arm will receive their active surveillance testicular cancer care via an online virtual clinic. Importantly, patients will follow the same surveillance schedule as patients in the standard of care arm. However, patients in the WATChmAN arm will be able to see their upcoming tests and virtual appointments online, request requisitions to perform their required testing at outside institutions, and indicate any concerns for physicians to review during the virtual visit.

Group II: Standard of CareActive Control1 Intervention

Patients randomized to the standard of care arm (in-person active surveillance) will follow the current active surveillance protocol in place at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre's Multidisciplinary Testicular Cancer Clinic. This protocol involves the same schedule of testing as the WATChmAN arm, but will require patients to come into the clinic to receive their test results (as in current practice).

0 / 2Eligibility criteria met

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

The most common treatments for testicular cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Surgery, specifically orchiectomy, removes the affected testicle to eliminate the primary source of cancer. Chemotherapy, using drugs like bleomycin, cisplatin, and etoposide, targets and kills rapidly dividing cancer cells. Radiation therapy employs high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells, mainly used for seminomas. These treatments are vital for testicular cancer patients as they offer high cure rates, especially when detected early. The WATChmAN trial's emphasis on active surveillance and virtual follow-up ensures early detection of relapse, allowing timely intervention while reducing the need for frequent in-person visits.

Clinical dilemmas in local and regional testis cancer.First-line chemotherapy of non-seminomatous germ cell tumors(NSGCTs).A comprehensive systematic review of testicular germ cell tumor surveillance.