Randomized Trial Comparing Performance of Molecular Markers for Indeterminate Thyroid Nodules

December 15, 2025 updated by: Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center
The purpose of this study is to compare the performance of Afirma GSC and ThyroSeq v.3 in indeterminate thyroid nodules to determine which test can allow more patients to avoid unnecessary surgery and preserve quality of life. In the initial phase of this study, the performance of Afirma GEC and ThyroSeq v.2 were compared.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

  1. All patients undergoing thyroid FNA within the UCLA Health System will be randomized at the time of FNA to a single molecular test (GSC or ThyroSeq v.3). In the previous phase of the study, patients were randomized to the previous versions of a single molecular test (GEC or ThyroSeq v.2).
  2. During the FNA, a sample will be collected for the molecular test.
  3. If the cytology results are indeterminate (Bethesda categories 3 or 4), the molecular test will be reflexively sent off.
  4. We will help patients with indeterminate thyroid nodules to establish care with an endocrinologist, if they do not already have one. The physicians will make treatment recommendations using best practices and incorporating the results of the molecular test. We anticipate that most patients with a positive molecular test will undergo surgery, while the majority with a negative test will be surveiled.
  5. Patients who undergo surgery will have histopathologic evaluation of the thyroid, which will determine whether the index thyroid nodule was benign or malignant.
  6. Patients who do not undergo surgery will have a followup ultrasound at 6 and 12 months, or sooner at the discretion of the treating physician.
  7. We will assess thyroid-specific quality of life at baseline (following initial diagnosis of an indeterminate thyroid nodule) and during followup (at 6 and 12 months) using the short version of Thyroid-Related Patient-Reported Outcome.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
328

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90095-1781
        • Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center at UCLA

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 100 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients undergoing thyroid fine needle aspiration (FNA) within the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Health System

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patients with a thyroid nodule who have a thyroid biopsy performed at UCLA health will be eligible for the study and consented if they agree to participate.
  • Patients who have an indeterminate FNA biopsy result (Bethesda category 3 or 4) will be enrolled in the study if they agree to participate.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who do not have an indeterminate biopsy result (either patients who have a benign, insufficient, or malignant result).

Study Plan

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

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Observational Models: Cohort
  • Time Perspectives: Prospective

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Afirma GEC
single molecular test GEC of collected tissue
Other: Afirma GEC
Afirma GEC molecular test on collected thyroid tissue
ThyroSeq v.2
single molecular test ThyroSeq v.2 of collected tissue
Other: ThyroSeq v.2
ThyroSeq v.2 molecular test on collected thyroid tissue
Afirma GSC
single molecular test GSC of collected tissue
Other: Afirma GSC
Afirma GSC molecular test on collected thyroid tissue
ThyroSeq v.3
single molecular test ThyroSeq v.3 of collected tissue
Other: ThyroSeq v.3
ThyroSeq v.3 molecular test on collected thyroid tissue

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Afirma GEC vs. ThyroSeq v.2 in indeterminate thyroid nodules post best practices surgery
Time Frame: 12 months. [This phase of the study is now completed]
compare the performance of Afirma GEC and ThyroSeq v.2 in indeterminate thyroid nodules to determine which test can allow more patients to avoid unnecessary surgery and preserve quality of life. (5) Patients who undergo surgery will have histopathologic evaluation of the thyroid, which will determine whether the index thyroid nodule was benign or malignant.
12 months. [This phase of the study is now completed]
2. Afirma GSC vs. ThyroSeq v.3 in indeterminate thyroid nodules post best practices surgery
Time Frame: 12 months.
compare the performance of Afirma GSC and ThyroSeq v.3 in indeterminate thyroid nodules to determine which test can allow more patients to avoid unnecessary surgery and preserve quality of life. (5) Patients who undergo surgery will have histopathologic evaluation of the thyroid, which will determine whether the index thyroid nodule was benign or malignant.
12 months.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Avoidance of unnecessary surgeries
Time Frame: 12 months
Determine the number of unnecessary surgeries avoided based on the number of false-positive test results, and assess whether this translated into improved quality of life.
12 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Masha Livhits, MC, Visiting Assistant Professor

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 1, 2016

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
December 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 10, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 10, 2016

First Posted (Estimated)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 12, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
December 22, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 15, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 16-000055

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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