NCT06140992

Brief Summary

This study aims to initially utilize machine learning on pan-cancer DNA methylation data from public databases to construct a DNA methylation classification model (PaCIFiC-CUP, pan-cancer integrated fingerprinting classifier of CUP) for diagnosing various types of cancer, particularly the primary site of cancer of unknown primary. The goal is to achieve diagnosis of cancer pathology type by analyzing the DNA methylation patterns of cancer specimens, thereby guiding subsequent precision treatment for cancer.

Trial Health

77
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
120

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for all trials

Timeline
7mo left

Started Jul 2023

Typical duration for all trials

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress84%
Jul 2023Dec 2026

Study Start

First participant enrolled

July 1, 2023

Completed
5 months until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

November 14, 2023

Completed
7 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

November 21, 2023

Completed
3.1 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

December 31, 2026

Expected
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 31, 2026

Last Updated

April 23, 2026

Status Verified

April 1, 2026

Enrollment Period

3.5 years

First QC Date

November 14, 2023

Last Update Submit

April 22, 2026

Conditions

Keywords

Unknown Primary TumorsDNA methylationLarge Language ModelPan-cancer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Overall Survival

    Overall survival refers to the length of time that a person lives after being diagnosed with cancer of unknown primary, without regard to any specific cause of death.

    From date of diagnosis until the date of death from any cause, assessed up to 24 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

  • Progression-Free Survival

    From date of diagnosis until the date of first documented progression or date of death from any cause, whichever came first, assessed up to 24 months

Study Arms (2)

Site-Specific Therapy Group

These patients with cancer of unknown primary received site-specific therapy that matched the particular site predicted by the DNA methylation classifier.

Empirical Therapy Group

These patients with cancer of unknown primary received empirical therapy that didn't match the particular site predicted by the DNA methylation classifier.

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 80 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
Sampling MethodNon-Probability Sample
Study Population

The study population consists of patients diagnosed with CUP who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

You may qualify if:

  • The patient specimens were obtained from the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center and affiliated cooperating centers, with written consent from the patients authorizing the use of the specimens for research purposes.
  • Following standard assessments (medical history, physical examination, complete blood count, biochemistry, computed tomography scans of the neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis, targeted evaluations of all symptomatic areas, pathology, and immunohistochemistry), the diagnosis was determined as a primary site unknown tumor (including adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, undifferentiated carcinoma, neuroendocrine carcinoma, sarcoma, etc).
  • The diagnosis was confirmed at the participating institution and the patient had received systemic therapy.
  • Complete clinical, pathological, and follow-up data for the patients can be obtained.
  • ECOG performance status score: 0-2 points.

You may not qualify if:

  • Pregnant or lactating female patients.
  • Tumor tissue sample size is too small (tumor tissue accounts for \<70% in the biopsy or slice tissue).
  • Organ transplant or history of non-autologous (allogeneic) bone marrow or stem cell transplantation.
  • History of previous tumors, with the current condition being a recurrent tumor.
  • Hematological malignancies (excluding lymphoma).
  • Other diseases that may severely impact patient survival, such as severe cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases, sepsis, severe trauma or burns, etc.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Sun Yat-sen university cancer center

Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, China

RECRUITING

Related Publications (16)

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  • Paziewska A, Dabrowska M, Goryca K, Antoniewicz A, Dobruch J, Mikula M, Jarosz D, Zapala L, Borowka A, Ostrowski J. DNA methylation status is more reliable than gene expression at detecting cancer in prostate biopsy. Br J Cancer. 2014 Aug 12;111(4):781-9. doi: 10.1038/bjc.2014.337. Epub 2014 Jun 17.

  • Wehmas LC, Hester SD, Wood CE. Direct formalin fixation induces widespread transcriptomic effects in archival tissue samples. Sci Rep. 2020 Sep 2;10(1):14497. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-71521-w.

  • Capper D, Jones DTW, Sill M, Hovestadt V, Schrimpf D, Sturm D, Koelsche C, Sahm F, Chavez L, Reuss DE, Kratz A, Wefers AK, Huang K, Pajtler KW, Schweizer L, Stichel D, Olar A, Engel NW, Lindenberg K, Harter PN, Braczynski AK, Plate KH, Dohmen H, Garvalov BK, Coras R, Holsken A, Hewer E, Bewerunge-Hudler M, Schick M, Fischer R, Beschorner R, Schittenhelm J, Staszewski O, Wani K, Varlet P, Pages M, Temming P, Lohmann D, Selt F, Witt H, Milde T, Witt O, Aronica E, Giangaspero F, Rushing E, Scheurlen W, Geisenberger C, Rodriguez FJ, Becker A, Preusser M, Haberler C, Bjerkvig R, Cryan J, Farrell M, Deckert M, Hench J, Frank S, Serrano J, Kannan K, Tsirigos A, Bruck W, Hofer S, Brehmer S, Seiz-Rosenhagen M, Hanggi D, Hans V, Rozsnoki S, Hansford JR, Kohlhof P, Kristensen BW, Lechner M, Lopes B, Mawrin C, Ketter R, Kulozik A, Khatib Z, Heppner F, Koch A, Jouvet A, Keohane C, Muhleisen H, Mueller W, Pohl U, Prinz M, Benner A, Zapatka M, Gottardo NG, Driever PH, Kramm CM, Muller HL, Rutkowski S, von Hoff K, Fruhwald MC, Gnekow A, Fleischhack G, Tippelt S, Calaminus G, Monoranu CM, Perry A, Jones C, Jacques TS, Radlwimmer B, Gessi M, Pietsch T, Schramm J, Schackert G, Westphal M, Reifenberger G, Wesseling P, Weller M, Collins VP, Blumcke I, Bendszus M, Debus J, Huang A, Jabado N, Northcott PA, Paulus W, Gajjar A, Robinson GW, Taylor MD, Jaunmuktane Z, Ryzhova M, Platten M, Unterberg A, Wick W, Karajannis MA, Mittelbronn M, Acker T, Hartmann C, Aldape K, Schuller U, Buslei R, Lichter P, Kool M, Herold-Mende C, Ellison DW, Hasselblatt M, Snuderl M, Brandner S, Korshunov A, von Deimling A, Pfister SM. DNA methylation-based classification of central nervous system tumours. Nature. 2018 Mar 22;555(7697):469-474. doi: 10.1038/nature26000. Epub 2018 Mar 14.

  • Koelsche C, Schrimpf D, Stichel D, Sill M, Sahm F, Reuss DE, Blattner M, Worst B, Heilig CE, Beck K, Horak P, Kreutzfeldt S, Paff E, Stark S, Johann P, Selt F, Ecker J, Sturm D, Pajtler KW, Reinhardt A, Wefers AK, Sievers P, Ebrahimi A, Suwala A, Fernandez-Klett F, Casalini B, Korshunov A, Hovestadt V, Kommoss FKF, Kriegsmann M, Schick M, Bewerunge-Hudler M, Milde T, Witt O, Kulozik AE, Kool M, Romero-Perez L, Grunewald TGP, Kirchner T, Wick W, Platten M, Unterberg A, Uhl M, Abdollahi A, Debus J, Lehner B, Thomas C, Hasselblatt M, Paulus W, Hartmann C, Staszewski O, Prinz M, Hench J, Frank S, Versleijen-Jonkers YMH, Weidema ME, Mentzel T, Griewank K, de Alava E, Martin JD, Gastearena MAI, Chang KT, Low SYY, Cuevas-Bourdier A, Mittelbronn M, Mynarek M, Rutkowski S, Schuller U, Mautner VF, Schittenhelm J, Serrano J, Snuderl M, Buttner R, Klingebiel T, Buslei R, Gessler M, Wesseling P, Dinjens WNM, Brandner S, Jaunmuktane Z, Lyskjaer I, Schirmacher P, Stenzinger A, Brors B, Glimm H, Heining C, Tirado OM, Sainz-Jaspeado M, Mora J, Alonso J, Del Muro XG, Moran S, Esteller M, Benhamida JK, Ladanyi M, Wardelmann E, Antonescu C, Flanagan A, Dirksen U, Hohenberger P, Baumhoer D, Hartmann W, Vokuhl C, Flucke U, Petersen I, Mechtersheimer G, Capper D, Jones DTW, Frohling S, Pfister SM, von Deimling A. Sarcoma classification by DNA methylation profiling. Nat Commun. 2021 Jan 21;12(1):498. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20603-4.

  • Hovestadt V, Remke M, Kool M, Pietsch T, Northcott PA, Fischer R, Cavalli FM, Ramaswamy V, Zapatka M, Reifenberger G, Rutkowski S, Schick M, Bewerunge-Hudler M, Korshunov A, Lichter P, Taylor MD, Pfister SM, Jones DT. Robust molecular subgrouping and copy-number profiling of medulloblastoma from small amounts of archival tumour material using high-density DNA methylation arrays. Acta Neuropathol. 2013 Jun;125(6):913-6. doi: 10.1007/s00401-013-1126-5. Epub 2013 May 14. No abstract available.

  • Pajtler KW, Witt H, Sill M, Jones DT, Hovestadt V, Kratochwil F, Wani K, Tatevossian R, Punchihewa C, Johann P, Reimand J, Warnatz HJ, Ryzhova M, Mack S, Ramaswamy V, Capper D, Schweizer L, Sieber L, Wittmann A, Huang Z, van Sluis P, Volckmann R, Koster J, Versteeg R, Fults D, Toledano H, Avigad S, Hoffman LM, Donson AM, Foreman N, Hewer E, Zitterbart K, Gilbert M, Armstrong TS, Gupta N, Allen JC, Karajannis MA, Zagzag D, Hasselblatt M, Kulozik AE, Witt O, Collins VP, von Hoff K, Rutkowski S, Pietsch T, Bader G, Yaspo ML, von Deimling A, Lichter P, Taylor MD, Gilbertson R, Ellison DW, Aldape K, Korshunov A, Kool M, Pfister SM. Molecular Classification of Ependymal Tumors across All CNS Compartments, Histopathological Grades, and Age Groups. Cancer Cell. 2015 May 11;27(5):728-43. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2015.04.002.

  • Sturm D, Orr BA, Toprak UH, Hovestadt V, Jones DTW, Capper D, Sill M, Buchhalter I, Northcott PA, Leis I, Ryzhova M, Koelsche C, Pfaff E, Allen SJ, Balasubramanian G, Worst BC, Pajtler KW, Brabetz S, Johann PD, Sahm F, Reimand J, Mackay A, Carvalho DM, Remke M, Phillips JJ, Perry A, Cowdrey C, Drissi R, Fouladi M, Giangaspero F, Lastowska M, Grajkowska W, Scheurlen W, Pietsch T, Hagel C, Gojo J, Lotsch D, Berger W, Slavc I, Haberler C, Jouvet A, Holm S, Hofer S, Prinz M, Keohane C, Fried I, Mawrin C, Scheie D, Mobley BC, Schniederjan MJ, Santi M, Buccoliero AM, Dahiya S, Kramm CM, von Bueren AO, von Hoff K, Rutkowski S, Herold-Mende C, Fruhwald MC, Milde T, Hasselblatt M, Wesseling P, Rossler J, Schuller U, Ebinger M, Schittenhelm J, Frank S, Grobholz R, Vajtai I, Hans V, Schneppenheim R, Zitterbart K, Collins VP, Aronica E, Varlet P, Puget S, Dufour C, Grill J, Figarella-Branger D, Wolter M, Schuhmann MU, Shalaby T, Grotzer M, van Meter T, Monoranu CM, Felsberg J, Reifenberger G, Snuderl M, Forrester LA, Koster J, Versteeg R, Volckmann R, van Sluis P, Wolf S, Mikkelsen T, Gajjar A, Aldape K, Moore AS, Taylor MD, Jones C, Jabado N, Karajannis MA, Eils R, Schlesner M, Lichter P, von Deimling A, Pfister SM, Ellison DW, Korshunov A, Kool M. New Brain Tumor Entities Emerge from Molecular Classification of CNS-PNETs. Cell. 2016 Feb 25;164(5):1060-1072. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.01.015.

  • Pisanic TR 2nd, Wang Y, Sun H, Considine M, Li L, Wang TH, Wang TL, Shih IM. Methylomic Landscapes of Ovarian Cancer Precursor Lesions. Clin Cancer Res. 2020 Dec 1;26(23):6310-6320. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-20-0270. Epub 2020 Aug 17.

  • Muller D, Gyorffy B. DNA methylation-based diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive biomarkers in colorectal cancer. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer. 2022 May;1877(3):188722. doi: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188722. Epub 2022 Mar 17.

  • Liu MC, Oxnard GR, Klein EA, Swanton C, Seiden MV; CCGA Consortium. Sensitive and specific multi-cancer detection and localization using methylation signatures in cell-free DNA. Ann Oncol. 2020 Jun;31(6):745-759. doi: 10.1016/j.annonc.2020.02.011. Epub 2020 Mar 30.

  • Nunes SP, Moreira-Barbosa C, Salta S, Palma de Sousa S, Pousa I, Oliveira J, Soares M, Rego L, Dias T, Rodrigues J, Antunes L, Henrique R, Jeronimo C. Cell-Free DNA Methylation of Selected Genes Allows for Early Detection of the Major Cancers in Women. Cancers (Basel). 2018 Sep 26;10(10):357. doi: 10.3390/cancers10100357.

  • Moran S, Martinez-Cardus A, Sayols S, Musulen E, Balana C, Estival-Gonzalez A, Moutinho C, Heyn H, Diaz-Lagares A, de Moura MC, Stella GM, Comoglio PM, Ruiz-Miro M, Matias-Guiu X, Pazo-Cid R, Anton A, Lopez-Lopez R, Soler G, Longo F, Guerra I, Fernandez S, Assenov Y, Plass C, Morales R, Carles J, Bowtell D, Mileshkin L, Sia D, Tothill R, Tabernero J, Llovet JM, Esteller M. Epigenetic profiling to classify cancer of unknown primary: a multicentre, retrospective analysis. Lancet Oncol. 2016 Oct;17(10):1386-1395. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(16)30297-2. Epub 2016 Aug 27.

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  • Greco FA, Lennington WJ, Spigel DR, Hainsworth JD. Molecular profiling diagnosis in unknown primary cancer: accuracy and ability to complement standard pathology. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2013 Jun 5;105(11):782-90. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djt099. Epub 2013 May 2.

  • Maros ME, Capper D, Jones DTW, Hovestadt V, von Deimling A, Pfister SM, Benner A, Zucknick M, Sill M. Machine learning workflows to estimate class probabilities for precision cancer diagnostics on DNA methylation microarray data. Nat Protoc. 2020 Feb;15(2):479-512. doi: 10.1038/s41596-019-0251-6. Epub 2020 Jan 13.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neoplasms, Unknown Primary

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neoplasm MetastasisNeoplastic ProcessesNeoplasmsPathologic ProcessesPathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Central Study Contacts

Study Design

Study Type
observational
Observational Model
COHORT
Time Perspective
PROSPECTIVE
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

November 14, 2023

First Posted

November 21, 2023

Study Start

July 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

December 31, 2026

Last Updated

April 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations