Studies families with several cancers to find genes that raise cancer risk
Collects health information and samples from families with cancer to look for inherited gene changes.
Key facts
- Who runs it
- St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
- Where
- Memphis, United StatesSee the site
- Trial code
- Registry title
- Familial Investigations of Childhood Cancer Predisposition
- Status
- Recruiting
- People taking part
- 1,500 people, planned
- Started
- 6 Apr 2017
- Expected to end
- 31 Mar 2037
- Type of study
- Observational
- 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 people with a cancer that runs in the family, and for their blood relatives, with or without cancer. It collects health information and blood samples to find new cancer-causing genes.
- Sex
- All sexes can join.
- Disease stage
- Familial cancer as the study defines it. For example: cancer before age 26 with a close relative who had cancer before age 51, more than one cancer with one before age 26, a known cancer predisposition syndrome, cancer before 6 months of age, or a rare childhood cancer before age 26.
Main reasons for not taking part
- Cannot give written informed consent, or a legal representative cannot give it
- Had an allogeneic bone marrow transplant, has no germline DNA from before the transplant, and is unwilling to give a skin sample
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 12 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- An individual who meets this protocol's definition of "Familial Cancer," as above
- Biologic relatives of an individual meeting this protocol's definition of "Familial Cancer," who are either affected or unaffected by cancer
Who cannot take part
- The participant has received allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and has NO pre-transplant germline (cancer-unaffected) DNA available AND is unwilling to provide a skin sample
- An inability or unwillingness of the research participant or his/her legally authorized representative (LAR) to provide written informed consent
Other criteria
- NOTE: This is a research study and is not meant to be a substitute for clinical genetic testing. Families may never receive results from the study or may receive results many years from the time they enroll. If you are interested in clinical testing please consider seeing a local genetic counselor or other genetics professional. If you have already had clinical genetic testing and meet eligibility criteria for this study as shown below, you may enroll regardless of the results of your clinical genetic testing
- DEFINITION OF FAMILIAR CANCER FOR THIS PROTOCOL:
- In this protocol, the definition of "Familial Cancer" is met if any of the following is present:
- An individual with a history of cancer diagnosed under 26 years of age who has at least one first, second or third degree relative with a history of cancer diagnosed under 51 years of age; OR
- An individual who has been diagnosed with more than one cancer, at least one of which was diagnosed under 26 years of age; OR
- An individual with a clinical or molecular diagnosis of a known cancer predisposition syndrome; OR
- An individual with a congenital cancer diagnosed before 6 months of age; OR
- An individual with a rare pediatric cancer or tumor diagnosed before 26 years of age; º Excluding human papilloma virus-associated cervical cancer and non-melanoma skin cancer occurring in adults
Where in United States
- St. Jude Children's Research HospitalMemphis, United StatesContact: Kim E. Nichols, MDTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
NOTE: This is a research study and is not meant to be a substitute for clinical genetic testing. Families may never receive results from the study or may receive results many years from the time they enroll. If you are interested in clinical testing please consider seeing a local genetic counselor or other genetics professional. If you have already had clinical genetic testing and meet eligibility criteria for this study as shown in the Eligibility Section, you may enroll regardless of the results of your clinical genetic testing.
Read full original descriptionShow less
While it is well recognized that hereditary factors contribute to the development of a subset of human cancers, the cause for many cancers remains unknown. The application of next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has expanded knowledge in the field of hereditary cancer predisposition. Currently, more than 100 cancer predisposing genes have been identified, and it is now estimated that approximately 10% of all cancer patients have an underlying genetic predisposition.
The purpose of this protocol is to identify novel cancer predisposing genes and/or genetic variants. For this study, the investigators will establish a Data Registry linked to a Repository of biological samples. Health information, blood samples and occasionally leftover tumor samples will be collected from individuals with familial cancer. The investigators will use NGS approaches to find changes in genes that may be important in the development of familial cancer. The information gained from this study may provide new and better ways to diagnose and care for people with hereditary cancer.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:
* Establish a registry of families with clustering of cancer in which clinical data are linked to a repository of cryopreserved blood cells, germline DNA, and tumor tissues from the proband and other family members.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVE:
* Identify novel cancer predisposing genes and/or genetic variants in families with clustering of cancer for which the underlying genetic basis is unknown.
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Familial Investigations of Childhood Cancer Predisposition
- Plain-language title
- Studies families with several cancers to find genes that raise cancer riskGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
- AI summary
- From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
- Record updated
- 17 June 2026