Suspended

A Case-Control Study of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Lilongwe, Malawi

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What is being collected

Data Collection

Who is being recruted

Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma+12

+ Carcinoma

+ Carcinoma, Squamous Cell

From 18 to 99 Years
See all eligibility criteria
How is the trial designed

Case-Control

Comparing exposures between individuals with and without disease in order to identify potential risk factors.
Observational
Study Start: August 2017
See protocol details

Summary

Principal SponsorNational Cancer Institute (NCI)
Last updated: January 28, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Study start date: August 1, 2017

Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.

Background: Esophageal cancer causes an estimated 400,000 deaths per year and ranks as the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide, just after breast cancer. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) accounts for 89% of all esophageal cancer cases worldwide and many of the cases originate in two high risk regions, one in Asia and the other in Africa. Smoking tobacco and heavy alcohol consumption do not explain the incidence rates in the high-risk regions. It is therefore important to consider a wide range of etiologic factors to explain the high rates of cancer in these populations. Malawi has the highest incidence rates of ESCC in Africa. Our previous studies in Kenya and preliminary studies in Malawi point to a number of potential ESCC risk factors. Objectives: Our study aims to enhance our understanding of the causes and outcomes for ESCC in Malawi Eligibility: All suspected ESCC cases will be eligible for enrollment. Design: We will conduct a case-control study of ESCC jointly at Kamuzu Central Hospital and St. Gabriel s Hospital, recruiting 300 ESCC cases and 300 controls, to (1) evaluate exposures (including consumption of very hot beverages, use of firewood as fuel, tooth loss and animal exposure) which may influence risk of ESCC in Malawi and (2) collect biological samples to quantify exposures of interest (included in the current proposal) and to study the genetics and genomics of ESCC tumors (to be included in a future proposal).

Official TitleA Case-Control Study of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Lilongwe, Malawi
NCT03206125
Principal SponsorNational Cancer Institute (NCI)
Last updated: January 28, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
Design Details

648 patients to be enrolled

Total number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.

Case-Control

These studies compare people who have a disease (cases) with those who don't (controls). The goal is to look back at previous exposures or risk factors to identify what might have contributed to the disease.

Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Conditions
Criteria

Any sex

Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.

From 18 to 99 Years

Range of ages for which participants are eligible to join.

Healthy volunteers allowed

If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.

Conditions

Pathology

Esophageal Squamous Cell CarcinomaCarcinomaCarcinoma, Squamous CellDigestive System DiseasesDigestive System NeoplasmsEsophageal DiseasesEsophageal NeoplasmsGastrointestinal DiseasesGastrointestinal NeoplasmsHead and Neck NeoplasmsNeoplasmsNeoplasms by Histologic TypeNeoplasms by SiteNeoplasms, Glandular and EpithelialNeoplasms, Squamous Cell

Criteria

* INCLUSION CRITERIA: * All suspected ESCC cases will be eligible for enrollment. * All KCH and St Gabriel s patients greater than or eqaul to 18 years of age who are residents of the Central Region of Malawi and are diagnosed with histology-confirmed ESCC will be invited to participate as cases in the study. EXCLUSION CRITERIA: * Patients \<18 years old * Those living outside the Central Region, those who are medically unable to complete the study procedures (including questionnaire, biosample collection or endoscopy), and those who are unable to understand the study procedures or give informed consent. While we do expect to see younger people with ESCC in Malawi (as we have seen in Kenya), cases under the age of 18 are rare: the field team would expect to see one or two a year. This estimate is in line with the cancer registry data from Malawi. Therefore, we will not enroll subjects younger than 18 years old.

Study Plan

Find out more about all the medication administered in this study, their detailed description and what they involve.
Study Objectives

Study Objectives

Primary Objectives

Study Centers

These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.

This study has 2 locations

Suspended

Kazumu Central Hospital (KCH)

Lilongwe, MalawiOpen Kazumu Central Hospital (KCH) in Google Maps
Suspended

St Gabriel's Hospital

Namitete, Malawi
Suspended2 Study Centers
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