Glutamine PET Imaging Colorectal Cancer

December 29, 2025 updated by: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Glutamine PET Imaging of Colorectal Cancer

The clinical trial studies how well 11C-glutamine and 18F-FSPG positron emission tomography (PET) imaging works in detecting tumors in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer compared to standard imaging methods such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) scanning.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Terminated

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

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To establish and validate a 11C-glutamine (11C-Gln) and fluorine F 18 L-glutamate derivative BAY94-9392 (18F-FSPG) PET image guided gene signature to predict response to EGFR-targeted therapy in patients with advanced wild-type RAS colorectal cancer (CRC).

OUTLINE:

Patients receive 11C-glutamine intravenously (IV) and undergo PET imaging over 120 minutes. Beginning 2 hours to 7 days after 11C-glutamine PET, patients receive fluorine F 18 L-glutamate derivative BAY94-9392 IV and also undergo PET imaging over 120 minutes. During each of the 11C-Glutamine and 18F-FSPG PET/CT scans, venous blood draws will be performed.

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.
Interventional

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.
6

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Phase 1

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
    • Texas
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
        • M D Anderson Cancer Center

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 and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • ≥18 years of age;
  • Pathologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of metastatic (Stage IV) RAS wildtype CRC;
  • Eligible for anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy as standard-of-care (SOC), either as a single agent or in combination with approved SOC therapies or investigational agents as part of IRB-approved clinical trials;
  • Archived tissue from the CRC primary tumor in sufficient amounts to allow RNA-seq gene analysis; specimen from metastatic sites are not required but highly preferred;
  • Documented results from (or scheduled to undergo) CT or MRI of the chest, abdomen and pelvis as a standard-of-care procedure within 28 days of baseline investigational 11C-Gln PET/CT and 18F-FSPG PET/CT;
  • Measurable disease by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) v1.1;
  • At least one lesion >2 cm in diameter and thus will be measurable according to PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (PERCIST) v1.0 to avoid PET partial volume effects;
  • Ability to provide written informed consent in accordance with institutional policies.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Any other current or previous malignancy within the past 5 years
  • Previous EGFR-directed therapy
  • Body weight ≥ 400 pounds or body habitus or disability that will not permit the imaging protocol to be performed
  • Pregnant or lactating females

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

  • Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
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.
Experimental: Treatment
Patients receive carbon C 11 Glutamine (11C-glutamine) IV and undergo PET imaging over 120 minutes. Beginning 2 hours to 7 days after 11C-glutamine PET, patients receive fluorine F 18 L-glutamate derivative BAY94-9392 (18F-FSPG) IV and also undergo PET imaging over 120 minutes. During each of the 11C-Glutamine and 18F-FSPG PET/CT scans, venous blood draws will be performed.
Procedure: Positron Emission Tomography
Undergo PET scan
Biological: Carbon C 11 Glutamine
Given by IV
Biological: Fluorine F 18 L-glutamate Derivative BAY94-9392
Given by IV
Procedure: Blood Draw
Undergo venous blood draws

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
Pet imaging
Time Frame: Baseline prior to treatment with anti-EGFR mAb
Assessed in terms of Standardized Uptake Values (SUVs)
Baseline prior to treatment with anti-EGFR mAb
Pharmacokinetic rate constants for 11C-Glutamine and 18F-FSPG
Time Frame: Baseline prior to treatment with anti-EGFR mAb
The pharmacokinetic rate constants for 11C-Glutamine and 18F-FSPG will be determined using compartmental modeling of PET imaging data. Venous samples will be collected over the course of both 11C-Glutamine and 18F-FSPG scans for use in modeling.
Baseline prior to treatment with anti-EGFR mAb
Change in tumor size
Time Frame: Baseline prior to treatment with anti-EGFR mAb and every 8 weeks while on treatment (after every two (2) cycles of anti-EGFR mAb therapy (each cycle is 4 weeks)); through treatment completion, an average of 24 weeks (6 cycles)
Change in tumor size will be derived from standard-of-care computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The tumor size will be reported as either the long-axis diameter or as tumor volume.
Baseline prior to treatment with anti-EGFR mAb and every 8 weeks while on treatment (after every two (2) cycles of anti-EGFR mAb therapy (each cycle is 4 weeks)); through treatment completion, an average of 24 weeks (6 cycles)

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
Gene expression
Time Frame: Prior to treatment with anti-EGFR mAb
Gene expression will be determined using RNA-Seq of archived primary (and if available, metastatic) tissues.
Prior to treatment with anti-EGFR mAb
Progression free survival
Time Frame: every 8 weeks while on treatment (after every two (2) cycles of anti-EGFR mAb therapy (each cycle is 4 weeks)); Up to 4 years after treatment
Progression-free survival is defined as the time from start of therapy to disease progression by RECIST criteria or death for any reason.
every 8 weeks while on treatment (after every two (2) cycles of anti-EGFR mAb therapy (each cycle is 4 weeks)); Up to 4 years after treatment
Overall survival
Time Frame: Up to 4 years after treatment
Overall survival is defined as the time from start of treatment to death for any reason.
Up to 4 years after treatment

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.
M.D. Anderson 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: Simone Krebs, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

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.

Helpful Links

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.
April 27, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

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 23, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

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 23, 2025

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).
August 30, 2017

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.
September 5, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

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.
September 8, 2017

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.
January 2, 2026

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 29, 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.
September 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.
  • 2020-1083
  • NCI-2017-01543 (Other Identifier: NCI-CTRP Clinical Trials Reporting Registry)

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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