Risk Factors for Postoperative Outcomes and Complications in Patients With Large Intrathoracic Tumors: A Multicenter Analysis

November 5, 2026 updated by: IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna

Risk Factors for Outcomes and Postoperative Complications in Patients with Large Intrathoracic Neoplasms (GIANTOR) What is the purpose of this study? The main goal of this study is to evaluate the results of surgery for removing very large tumors inside the chest. While common lung cancers are well-studied, other types of chest tumors (like solitary fibrous tumors or nerve-related tumors) can grow slowly and reach a massive size (over 5 cm) before they are found. Because these cases are rare, there is little data on the best way to operate on them. Researchers want to identify the risks and complications associated with these surgeries to improve patient care.

Why is this study important? Operating on large chest tumors is technically difficult because they often press against or grow into nearby vital organs. Currently, doctors mostly rely on reports of single cases rather than large groups of patients. This study will look at a large multicenter group to provide more reliable information on surgical techniques (such as open surgery vs. minimally invasive) and long-term recovery.

Who can participate in this study? The study includes patients who meet the following criteria:Adults aged 18 years or older.Patients with intrathoracic tumors measuring 5 cm or larger.Tumors that can be either benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).Patients who underwent surgery with the intent to completely remove the tumor.The study excludes patients with common non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), thymomas, or sarcomas of the chest wall.

How is the study designed? This is a multicenter, retrospective and prospective cohort study. It is led by the IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna and involves six other major thoracic surgery centers in Italy (Rome, Padua, Turin, Pisa, and Milan).Researchers will review medical records of approximately 400 patients who had surgery between January 2005 and December 2024. Data will be collected on:Surgical complications during and after the operation.The type of surgical access used.Patient survival and disease recurrence.

What are the expected outcomes? Researchers hope to:Determine the rate of complications and deaths related to the surgery.Find specific risk factors (like patient health or tumor size) that lead to more complications.Compare different surgical methods to see which works best for large tumors.Measure long-term survival and how long patients stay free of disease after surgery.The results will be shared through scientific journals and international conferences to help surgeons worldwide manage these complex cases more safely.

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.

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 (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.
400

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

  • Italy
    • Bologna
      • Bologna, Bologna, Italy, 40138
        • Recruiting
        • IRCSS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna
        • 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

N/A

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of patients who underwent surgery for large intrathoracic tumors at the participating centers between January 2005 and December 2024. Subjects will be identified through a review of medical records, surgical registries, and outpatient documentation available at the participating facilities, and enrollment will take place during scheduled outpatient follow-up visits or via telephone contact made during postoperative follow-up, in accordance with the standard care pathway. In both cases, patient selection will be conducted in accordance with the inclusion and exclusion criteria established in the protocol, following verification of the available clinical documentation.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age ≥ 18 years
  • Intrathoracic tumors ≥ 5 cm in size
  • Tumors with either benign or malignant histology
  • Tumors treated surgically with the aim of complete resection

Exclusion Criteria:

  • NSCLC
  • Thymomas
  • Wall sarcomas

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: RETROSPECTIVE

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
Time Frame
Intraoperative complication rate, postoperative complication rate
Time Frame: baseline
baseline
Relationship between the development of complications and the presence of pre- or intraoperative risk factors
Time Frame: baseline
baseline

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
Time Frame
Perioperative mortality rate
Time Frame: baseline
baseline
Rate of surgical approach utilization
Time Frame: baseline
baseline
Overall Survival and Disease-Free Survival
Time Frame: baseline
baseline
association of surgical approach utilization with postoperative complications
Time Frame: baseline
baseline

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.
IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna

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.
November 30, 2025

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.
May 30, 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.
May 30, 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).
July 20, 2026

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.
November 5, 2026

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.
November 9, 2026

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.
November 9, 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.
November 5, 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.
March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.
  • GIANTOR

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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