Could microplastics sabotage cancer treatment? new study investigates

NCT ID NCT07690631

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 08, 2026 · Last updated Jul 16, 2026 · Updated 3 times

Summary

This study looks at whether tiny plastic particles released from medical masks during radiation therapy could affect treatment for head and neck cancer. Researchers will measure microplastic exposure and track patient outcomes to see if there is any link. The goal is to improve safety and understand how environmental factors might influence cancer care.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to
If microplastics are found to interfere with treatment, this could lead to safer radiotherapy practices and new guidelines to protect patients.
What could go wrong
This is an early observational study, so it may not prove cause and effect. The findings might not change current treatment or apply to all patients.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Participants

About 500 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Sep 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Oct 2030

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Who is studied

Patients with head and neck malignancies undergoing radiation therapy

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Any stage head and neck cancer patients * Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0-2 * Undergoing radiotherapy with/without cisplatin chemopotentiation * Signed informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Pregnancy or lactation * Mental illness * Prior or concurrent malignancies * Immunotherapy or immunosuppressive therapy * Immune diseases

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

head and neck cancer Head and Neck Neoplasms

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

How to take part

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  1. The official record

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  2. A doctor treating you

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