Patient-Derived Xenografts to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities

August 18, 2026 updated by: University of California, Davis

University of California Minority Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) Development and Trial Center (UCaMP) to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities

This trial establishes patient-derived cancer xenografts in addressing cancer health and treatment disparities that disproportionately affect racial/ethnic minorities. Understanding the genetic and response differences among racial/ethnic minorities may help researchers enhance the precision of therapeutic treatments.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Develop and characterize over 200 patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), with at least 50 PDXs each for gastric, liver, bladder, and lung cancers with 60% (approximately) of the PDXs from minority patients, focusing on Hispanic/Latino Americans [HLAs], African Americans [AAs], and Asian American/Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders [AANHPIs].

II. Utilize these PDXs in preclinical testing of single agents and drug combinations to guide precision cancer medicine decision-making with a focus upon the predominant racial/ethnic minority populations residing in California compared to non-Hispanic Whites [NHWs].

III. Conduct "Characterizing Treatment Responses with PDX Models for Gastric and Liver Tumors" as Research Project 1, focused on the most common histological forms of gastric cancer (GC) and liver cancers (LC) primarily from HLAs and AANHPI patients.

IV. Conduct "Characterizing Treatment Responses with PDX Models for Lung and Bladder Tumors" as Research Project 2, focused on lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and advanced urothelial or bladder cancer (aBC) primarily from AA and NHW patients.

V. Collaborate with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), other PDX Development and Trial Centers (PDTCs), non-PDXNet, PDXNet Data Commons and Coordinating Centers to fulfill the mission of the PDXNet.

VI. Select and conduct pilot projects through the Pilot Projects and Trans-Network Activities Core (PPTNAC) inclusive of UCaMP members, other PDTCs and beyond that will evaluate comparative therapeutic responses using PDX models and contribute to the elucidation of biological determinants of cancer health disparities in gastric, liver, bladder, and lung cancers.

OUTLINE:

Patients undergo collection of tumor tissue samples during standard of care tumor biopsy or surgical resection to establish PDXs. Patients may also undergo collection of blood, saliva, and urine samples to compare deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) abnormalities to noncancer cells in order to determine if they were present before the cancer started or developed with it.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

500

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

  • Name: Asst. Clinical Research Coordinator
  • Phone Number: 916-734-1587
  • Email: tfle@ucdavis.edu

Study Locations

  • United States
    • California
      • Orange, California, United States, 92868
        • Recruiting
        • UC Irvine Health/Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Marian Waterman
      • Sacramento, California, United States, 95817
        • Recruiting
        • University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Luis G. Carvajal-Carmona

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

21 years to 100 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients diagnosed with bladder cancer, lung cancer, gastric/stomach cancer, or liver cancer seen in routine clinic appointments within the University of California (UC) Davis Health System and contributing University of California Minority PDX (UCaMP) institutions

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Patient receiving treatment for the above 4 cancers (bladder cancer, lung cancer, gastric/stomach cancer, and liver cancer)
  • Signed informed consent that will be put on file

Exclusion Criteria:

  • No informed consent obtained
  • Specimen unacceptable/degraded/etc.
  • Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers)
  • Pregnant women
  • Prisoners
  • Adults unable to consent

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: Case-Only
  • Time Perspectives: Cross-Sectional

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Ancillary-correlative (biospecimen collection)
Patients undergo collection of tumor tissue samples during standard of care tumor biopsy or surgical resection to establish PDXs. Patients may also undergo collection of blood, saliva, and urine samples to compare DNA abnormalities to noncancer cells in order to determine if they were present before the cancer started or developed with it.
Procedure: Biospecimen Collection
Undergo collection of tumor tissue, blood, saliva, and urine samples

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Establish and characterize at least 200 patient-derived cancer xenografts (PDXs)
Time Frame: Up to 4 years
The investigators will establish and characterize at least 200 PDXs, and utilize these PDXs in preclinicial testing of single agents and drug combinations that help guide future clinical decision-making emphasizing the largest racial/ethnic minority populations residing in California: Hispanic/Latino Americans ([HLAs), Asian Americans/Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders (AANHIPIs), and African Americans (AAs) compared to Non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs).
Up to 4 years

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

University of California, Davis

Collaborators

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Luis G Carvajal-Carmona, University of California, Davis

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)

November 12, 2019

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 27, 2020

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 27, 2020

First Posted (Actual)

June 1, 2020

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 20, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 18, 2026

Last Verified

July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 1420270
  • P30CA093373 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
  • NCI-2020-01323 (Registry Identifier: CTRP (Clinical Trial Reporting Program))
  • 1420270-1 (Other Identifier: University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center)
  • U54CA233306 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

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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