Glow-in-the-Dark dye helps surgeons spot hidden cancer
NCT ID NCT07039526
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests a dye called CYTALUX (pafolacianine) that attaches to cancer cells and glows under a special camera during surgery. About 50 adults with certain cancers (like esophageal, pancreatic, or gynecologic) will get the dye before surgery. The goal is to see if the glowing helps surgeons find and remove tumors that are not visible under normal light. Participation lasts about 2 months.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- pafolacianine (CYTALUX)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could help surgeons see and remove more cancer during surgery, potentially improving outcomes.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small early-phase study (50 people) testing an already-approved drug for a new use. It may not work for all cancer types, and the dye could cause allergic reactions or false positives.
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.
- Phase
-
Phase 2
Tests whether the treatment actually works, and watches for side effects, in a larger group.
- Participants
-
About 50 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Aug 2025
- Expected to finish
-
Dec 2027
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.
- Ages
-
18 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide 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: 1. Male and Female patients 18 years of age and older 2. Have a primary diagnosis, or a high clinical suspicion, of gastrointestinal, fore gut, pancreatic, hepatobiliary, esophageal malignancies and gyn malignancies planned for HIPEC/debulking, warranting surgery. 3. Are scheduled to undergo surgical intervention for tumor resection or diagnostic laparoscopy for assessment of disease burden. 4. Willingness to stop the use of folate, folic acid, or folate-containing supplements within 48 hours before administration of Cytalux 5. Willingness of research participant or legal guardian/representative to give written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Any medical condition that in the opinion of the investigators could potentially jeopardize the safety of the subject 2. History of anaphylactic reactions to products containing indocyanine green for near infrared imaging. Subjects with a medical history of 'idiopathic anaphylaxis' will require evaluation. 3. History of allergy to any of the components of CYTALUX™ (pafolacianine) injection 4. Presence of any psychological, familial, sociological condition or geographical challenges potentially hampering compliance with the study protocol or follow-up schedule
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Esophageal cancer are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Clemments University Hospital
RECRUITINGDallas, Texas, 75235, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a blood test before pancreatic surgery predict a dangerous leak?
- New chemo cocktail targets pancreatic cancer at every stage
- Bacteria-Based immunotherapy targets pancreatic tumors in first human test
- Can a new radiation machine cut breath holds for cancer patients?
- Two oral drugs join chemotherapy in a bid to shrink pancreatic tumors
- Blood proteins may predict who beats esophageal cancer with chemoradiation