Taking people in United StatesNo phase

Detecting Melanoma Cells Circulating in the Blood

Tests a device that detects melanoma cells moving through the blood in people.

Key facts

Who runs it: University of Arkansas
Where: Little Rock, United StatesSee the site
Trial code: NCT01776905
Registry title: In Vivo Real-time Detection of Circulating Melanoma Cells
Status: Recruiting
People taking part: 75 people, planned
Started: Feb 2013
Expected to end: Jul 2027
Type of study: Observational, 3 groups
Record updated: 17 June 2026

Who can take part

AI summary

From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.

The trial is looking for adults with melanoma confirmed by tissue examination. A device will try to find melanoma cells in their blood in real time.

Age: 18 to 80 years
Sex: All sexes can join.
Disease stage: Melanoma confirmed by tissue examination (histology). No stage is named.

Main reasons for not taking part

Active infection
Current and significant medical or surgical condition, as decided by the Investigator
Diagnosis or evidence of organic brain syndrome
Pregnancy or breastfeeding

The registry criteria, word for word

Show all 8 criteriaShow less

Who can take part

Age 18 to 80 years
Histological documented diagnosis of melanoma
Signed informed consent form approved by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Must be able to sit still for 90 minutes

Who cannot take part

Active infection
Current and significant medical or surgical condition as determined by the Investigator
Diagnosis or evidence of organic brain syndrome
Pregnancy or breastfeeding

Check if you might fit

Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.

Are you between 18 and 80 years old?

Where in United States

University of Arkansas for Medical SciencesLittle Rock, United StatesContact: Jumin Sunde, MDTaking people

About the trial

What the trial wants to find out

The objective of this clinical trial is to determine whether a Photoacoustic flow cytometry (PAFC)-based prototype device can detect circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood of melanoma patients in vivo, in real time, and do so at detection limits at least one order of magnitude below the detection limits of currently existing ex vivo methods.

The 3 groups in the trial

Healthy control subjects
Characterize the baseline PA signals produced by the in vivo PAFC prototype device in healthy volunteers or Develop Standard Curves for the ex vivo CTC assays.
Advanced-Stage Melanoma
To validate the in vivo PAFC method of melanoma CTC detection, we will use the PAFC-based prototype device to noninvasively determine CTC concentrations in the blood of subjects who have advanced-stage (Stage III or Stage IV)melanoma, and we will also use current ex vivo methods to determine the CTC concentration in samples of blood drawn from the same subjects.
Early-Stage Melanoma
To determine whether in vivo PAFC can detect melanoma CTCs at concentrations below the detection limits of the ex vivo methods, we will use the PAFC-based prototype device to noninvasively detect CTCs in the blood of subjects who have early-stage (Stages I or II) melanoma, and we will also use current ex vivo methods to detect CTCs in samples of blood drawn from the same subjects.