F-Tryptophan PET/CT in Human Cancers

January 21, 2026 updated by: Csaba Juhasz, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute

A Pilot Study of 1-(2-[18f]Fluoroethyl)-L-Tryptophan PET/CT Imaging In Human Cancers

Imaging procedures such as 1-(2-[18F]FLUOROETHYL)-L-Tryptophan PET/CT in patients with cancers may help doctors assess a patient's response to treatment and help plan the best treatment in the future. The purpose is to see if there can be a better differentiation of tumor and non-tumor tissue where the tumor tissue has a higher uptake of Tryptophan.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
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

In this research study, we will compare the uptake of the tracer on F-Tryp PET/CT in patients with cancers; specifically, to evaluate whether the tumors show increased tracer uptake as compared to non-tumor tissues, using F-Tryp PET/CT. Additionally, we will evaluate the biodistribution (i.e. track where the tracer has traveled in the body) and radiation dosimetry (i.e., absorbed dose of tracer in tissue). These changes may be compared with results of the physical examination and scans (CT and MRI or standard clinical PET) that are done as part of routine clinical care or as part of other studies. Pictures (images) from the PET scan will be made showing the distribution throughout the body of substances containing a small amount of radioactive material.

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 (Estimated)

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.
24

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
    • Michigan
      • Detroit, Michigan, United States, 48201
        • Recruiting
        • Karmanos Cancer Institute
        • Contact:

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:

  • Age ≥18 years.
  • Targeted lesion (tumor) is at least 1 cm in diameter as shown by clinical imaging.
  • Patient is able to lie in the PET/CT scanner for at least 70 minutes while undergoing scanning.
  • Women of childbearing potential must not be pregnant or breastfeeding.
  • Recent anatomic imaging with visible disease (tumor) for comparison with the PET/CT. .
  • Physical exam within 28 days of PET imaging, CBC and Multiphasic (including electrolytes, BUN, creatinine, total bilirubin, AST and ALT) within 14 days.
  • Patients must sign an informed consent indicating that they are aware of the investigational nature of this study.

Inclusion Criteria Specific for Intracranial Tumors

- Clinical and MRI diagnosis of an intracranial lesion suspicious for a brain tumor, including gliomas or metastatic brain tumors; primary, residual, or recurrent brain tumors (judged by clinical imaging) will qualify.

Inclusion Criteria Specific for Extracranial Neuroendocrine Tumors:

  • Histopathologically confirmed, well-differentiated metastatic neuroendocrine tumor.
  • ECOG performance status of 2 or better.
  • Patients receiving stable-dose somatostatin analogs (SSAs, long-acting release [LAR], depot) for >3 months before enrollment may be enrolled on the study, but such treatment is not required.

Inclusion Criteria specific for Extracranial Primary Breast tumors:

  • Clinical and radiological diagnosis of a breast cancer
  • ECOG performance status of 2 or better.

Inclusion Criteria specific for Rectal tumors:

  • Histologically confirmed colorectal cancer, which is located in the rectum.
  • ECOG performance status of 2 or better.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients who are pregnant or lactating are excluded.

Exclusion Criteria Specific for Intracranial Tumors:

  • Severe increased intracranial pressure, status epilepticus, or other symptoms requiring emergency or urgent intervention.
  • Tumor surgery or radiation within 1 month prior to the PET scan

Exclusion Criteria Specific for Extracranial Neuroendocrine Tumors:

  • Tumor-directed therapy within 3 months to the area of planned imaging.
  • Ongoing treatment with a targeted agent (e.g., sunitinib or everolimus) or receiving cytotoxic chemotherapy (e.g., capecitabine or temozolomide).
  • Use of telotristat ethyl (a tryptophan-hydroxylase inhibitor) within one month.

Exclusion Criteria for Extracranial Primary Breast tumors:

-Recent (within 1 month) tumor resection or radio-chemotherapy (acute/subacute post-treatment inflammatory changes may cause false positive increases on PET).

Exclusion Criteria for Rectal tumors:

-Active inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's or Ulcerative colitis) involving the rectum.

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: [18F]FETrp PET radiotracer
All participants will receive the tracer to evaluate the uptake of [18F]FETrp PET/CT on intra- and extracranial cancers.
Drug: 1-(2-[18F]FLUOROETHYL)-L-Tryptophan
Radioactive tracer 1-(2-[18F]FLUOROETHYL)-L-Tryptophan 0.14mCi/kg/5MBq/kg injection given one time prior to PET Scan.
Other Names:
  • [18F]FETrp PET radiotracer

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
The percent difference in tracer uptake values between the tumor mass and the background (non-tumor tissue)
Time Frame: During procedure (from right after tracer injection to 1-hour post-injection)
The percent difference in 1-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-L-tryptophan tracer standardized uptake values, measured between tumor and non-tumor (normal) tissues by PET/CT imaging, in each subject, will be calculated. Mean and standard deviation of the percent differences will be calculated for each tumor type.
During procedure (from right after tracer injection to 1-hour post-injection)
Correlation between the 1-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-L-tryptophan tracer uptake values and the tracer transport rates measured in the same breast tumor tissue.
Time Frame: During procedure (from right after tracer injection to 1-hour post-injection)
The 1-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-L-tryptophan tracer standardized uptake values and the volume of distribution (characterizing the tracer transport rates) will be measured by PET/CT imaging in the same breast tumor tissues, and the correlation of these two measures will be calculated.
During procedure (from right after tracer injection to 1-hour post-injection)

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
Radiation doses to the various organs.
Time Frame: During procedure (from right after tracer injection to 1-hour post-injection)
Radiation doses received by the various organs (heart, lungs, pancreas, gallbladder, liver, small intestines, kidneys, muscle, bladder, ovaries/testes) will be measured from the dynamic 1-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-L-tryptophan PET/CT images. Mean and standard deviation of the radiation doses will be calculated for each organ.
During procedure (from right after tracer injection to 1-hour post-injection)
Overall radiation dose to the study participants.
Time Frame: During procedure (from right after tracer injection to 1-hour post-injection)
Overall radiation dose received by the study participants from the PET/CT scan will be calculated from the dynamic 1-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)-L-tryptophan PET/CT images. Mean and standard deviation of the overall radiation dose will be calculated.
During procedure (from right after tracer injection to 1-hour post-injection)

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.
Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Washington University School of Medicine

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: Csaba Juhasz, M.D.,Ph.D, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute

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.
September 29, 2022

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 31, 2027

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 31, 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).
September 22, 2022

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 22, 2022

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 27, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

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 23, 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.
January 21, 2026

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.
January 1, 2026

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.
  • 2022-010

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

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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