A trial of endobronchial ultrasound or endoscopic ultrasound to diagnose lung cancer and see how far it has spread (Lung-BOOST)

Please note this trial is no longer recruiting patients.

This trial is looking at tests called endobronchial ultrasound and endoscopic ultrasound after a CT scan to diagnose lung cancer.

Doctors usually use tests such as CT scan and bronchoscopy to diagnose lung cancer. You may need other tests to work out how far the cancer has grown and if it has spread (the stage). Knowing the stage of the cancer is important as it helps doctors to work out the best treatment.

In this trial, researchers are looking at tests called endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) to diagnose and stage lung cancer. EBUS is similar to having a bronchoscopy, but the doctor can see more. EUS is similar to having an endoscopy. During either of these tests, the doctor can take samples of lung tissue and lymph nodes.

The researchers think that having one of these ultrasound tests after a CT scan will help doctors to diagnose and stage lung cancer faster. This means they can make decisions about the best treatment sooner. And it may mean that people need to have fewer tests.

The aims of the trial are to see if using endobronchial ultrasound or endoscopic ultrasound

Leads to decisions about treatment being made sooner
Is as accurate as other tests for lung cancer

Recruitment

Start 01/04/2008

End 01/07/2011

Phase

Phase 3

Who can enter

You can enter this trial if you

Have had a CT scan that shows you may have lung cancer
Are able to have a bronchoscopy

You cannot enter this trial if you

Have had a CT scan that shows cancer has spread outside your chest
Have swollen lymph nodes in your neck
Have fluid on the lung (a pleural effusion)
Have any other serious medical condition

Trial design

The trial will recruit 168 people. It is a randomised trial. The people taking part will be put into treatment groups by a computer. Neither you nor your doctor will be able to decide which group you are in.

People in group 1 have tests currently used for lung cancer. If lung cancer is diagnosed, they will have further tests to work out the stage of the disease.

People in group 2 have an endobronchial ultrasound or endoscopic ultrasound. The type of ultrasound you have depends on the results of your earlier CT scan. Depending on the results of the ultrasound, you may need to have other tests such as a PET scan before your doctors can confirm the diagnosis or stage of disease.

If you are diagnosed with lung cancer, your doctors will plan your treatment with the rest of the multidisciplinary team.

The trial team will ask people in group 2 to take part in a sub study looking at MRI scans. They want to see if an MRI scan is better than a CT scan at showing doctors where to take samples during the ultrasound. If you agree to take part in this sub study, you will have an MRI scan before your ultrasound. If you don’t agree to take part in the sub study, you can still take part in the trial.

The researchers will also look at medical records of 200 people diagnosed with lung cancer in the past. They will compare the number of tests that these people had and see how long it took to diagnose their cancer.

Hospital visits

If you are having tests for lung cancer, you may have to go to hospital a number of times.

You have an endobronchial ultrasound or endoscopic ultrasound as an outpatient. Your doctor will ask you not to eat anything for 4 hours beforehand. You will have a sedative to make you sleepy. And the doctor will spray an anaesthetic on your throat to make it numb.

The test takes about 30 minutes. You should not eat or drink anything for an hour after the test because your throat will be numb. You may feel sleepy for a while, so you should arrange for someone to take you home. You should not drive for the next 24 hours.

Side effects

After a bronchoscopy, endobronchial ultrasound or endoscopic ultrasound you may have a sore throat for about 24 hours. You may also cough up a small amount of blood.

There is more information about other tests for lung cancer on CancerHelp UK.