Familial Investigations of Childhood Cancer Predisposition (SJFAMILY)

April 22, 2026 updated by: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

NOTE: This is a research study and is not meant to be a substitute for clinical genetic testing. Families may never receive results from the study or may receive results many years from the time they enroll. If you are interested in clinical testing please consider seeing a local genetic counselor or other genetics professional. If you have already had clinical genetic testing and meet eligibility criteria for this study as shown in the Eligibility Section, you may enroll regardless of the results of your clinical genetic testing.

While it is well recognized that hereditary factors contribute to the development of a subset of human cancers, the cause for many cancers remains unknown. The application of next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies has expanded knowledge in the field of hereditary cancer predisposition. Currently, more than 100 cancer predisposing genes have been identified, and it is now estimated that approximately 10% of all cancer patients have an underlying genetic predisposition.

The purpose of this protocol is to identify novel cancer predisposing genes and/or genetic variants. For this study, the investigators will establish a Data Registry linked to a Repository of biological samples. Health information, blood samples and occasionally leftover tumor samples will be collected from individuals with familial cancer. The investigators will use NGS approaches to find changes in genes that may be important in the development of familial cancer. The information gained from this study may provide new and better ways to diagnose and care for people with hereditary cancer.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE:

  • Establish a registry of families with clustering of cancer in which clinical data are linked to a repository of cryopreserved blood cells, germline DNA, and tumor tissues from the proband and other family members.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE:

  • Identify novel cancer predisposing genes and/or genetic variants in families with clustering of cancer for which the underlying genetic basis is unknown.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Detailed Description

During the study, blood samples or other healthy tissue will be obtained from participants, as well as medical and family histories. When possible, leftover tumor samples will also be collected. If participants agree to be re-contacted in the future, they will be asked about once each year to update their health information and family history.

A blood sample will be drawn at St. Jude or at a convenient place of the participant's choice. Saliva collection will be obtained if a blood draw is not possible. For participants who are present at St. Jude, saliva collection will generally be performed only once using a saliva collection kit. However, if the first collection is not sufficient for protocol required studies, then additional saliva samples may need to be collected, for up to a total of 5 occurrences. For non St. Jude participants, or participants who do not wish or cannot come to St. Jude, saliva will be collected locally and shipped back to the St. Jude. A skin sample will be performed as a source of germline DNA from participants who have undergone an allogeneic bone marrow transplant and do not have a source of pre-transplant DNA available. A skin sample will only be obtained one time.

The biological samples will be stored in the St. Jude Biorepository. The DNA of the samples will be studied to determine if there are changes in specific genes that might explain the cancers in the participant or their family members. When available, and if consent is given by the participant, previously collected and stored leftover tumor samples, bone marrow samples or stored DNA may be analyzed.

Genetic variants of interest include: 1) mutations in known genes that may have escaped detection through prior clinical genetic testing; 2) coding mutations predicted to disrupt protein function, particularly in genes and pathways known to be associated with cancer; 3) potential mutations in regulatory regions of the genome, as predicted by epigenetic studies. In some cases, individuals with known predisposing mutations exhibit milder, more severe or atypical phenotypes. Family members who harbor a predisposing mutation but are discordant for a cancer phenotype will be selected for cellular and genetic studies. These will include DNA sequencing and possibly also creation and analysis of induce pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), transcriptome or epigenetic analysis.

All samples will be identified by a code after removal of all personal identifiable information. Samples will remain in the repository for current and future study.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

1500

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 Locations

  • United States
    • Tennessee
      • Memphis, Tennessee, United States, 38105
        • Recruiting
        • St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Kim E. Nichols, MD
        • 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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Participants with cancer and their family members who meet the eligibility criteria shown below.

Description

NOTE: This is a research study and is not meant to be a substitute for clinical genetic testing. Families may never receive results from the study or may receive results many years from the time they enroll. If you are interested in clinical testing please consider seeing a local genetic counselor or other genetics professional. If you have already had clinical genetic testing and meet eligibility criteria for this study as shown below, you may enroll regardless of the results of your clinical genetic testing.

DEFINITION OF FAMILIAR CANCER FOR THIS PROTOCOL:

In this protocol, the definition of "Familial Cancer" is met if any of the following is present:

  • An individual with a history of cancer diagnosed under 26 years of age who has at least one first, second or third degree relative with a history of cancer diagnosed under 51 years of age; OR
  • An individual who has been diagnosed with more than one cancer, at least one of which was diagnosed under 26 years of age; OR
  • An individual with a clinical or molecular diagnosis of a known cancer predisposition syndrome; OR
  • An individual with a congenital cancer diagnosed before 6 months of age; OR
  • An individual with a rare pediatric cancer or tumor diagnosed before 26 years of age

º Excluding human papilloma virus-associated cervical cancer and non-melanoma skin cancer occurring in adults.

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • An individual who meets this protocol's definition of "Familial Cancer," as above.
  • Biologic relatives of an individual meeting this protocol's definition of "Familial Cancer," who are either affected or unaffected by cancer.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • An inability or unwillingness of the research participant or his/her legally authorized representative (LAR) to provide written informed consent.
  • The participant has received allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and has NO pre-transplant germline (cancer-unaffected) DNA available AND is unwilling to provide a skin sample.

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

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Identification of novel cancer predisposing genes
Time Frame: Up to 20 years following study activation
Probands and cancer affected and unaffected relatives from selected families will be sequenced using Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) or possibly Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) and analyzed to identify new predisposing genetic variants that co-segregate with the tumor phenotype. Data will be analyzed using annotation and filtering strategies to identify potentially deleterious germline mutations that co-segregate with disease.
Up to 20 years following study activation

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Kim E. Nichols, MD, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

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)

April 6, 2017

Primary Completion (Estimated)

March 31, 2037

Study Completion (Estimated)

March 31, 2037

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 8, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 8, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

February 10, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 23, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 22, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SJFAMILY

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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