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NCT Number: NCT06530615

Investigation of MP Pollution in the Human Respiratory System and Its Relationship to Lung Cancer

This project will study and characterize Microplastic (MP) burden in the lungs of patients undergoing Bronchoalveolar Levage (BAL) in thoracic clinics at Moffitt.

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This study is active but is not currently recruiting participants.

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Key information

Conditions

Lung Cancer Lung Diseases Lung Neoplasms Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Respiratory Tract Diseases Respiratory Tract Neoplasms Thoracic Neoplasms

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

Moffitt Cancer Center

Tampa, Florida, 33612, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • English or Spanish-speaking patients scheduled for bronchoscopy/bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) in thoracic clinics at Moffitt.

Exclusion criteria

  • Patients with a known prior history of lung cancer or that have undergone a Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) procedure at any time in the past in the involved lung targeted for BAL.
  • Patients that have had any prior lung or thoracic or surgeries or procedures (examples: removal of lung or portions of the involved lung (lobectomy, pneumonectomy, wedge resection/segmentectomy).
  • Patients with specimens that are considered to be non-adequate as true Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid (BALF) (i.e., absence of alveolar macrophages) after pathologist's evaluation will be excluded from the study.

Treatment and study plan

Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) during Bronchoscopy

Procedure

Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) is a standard diagnostic tool for the evaluation of lower respiratory tract pathology including respiratory infections and unexplained radiographic pulmonary lesions including lung neoplasia. It is a minimally invasive procedure that involves introduction of the bronchoscope, installation of sterile normal saline into a subsegment of the lung, and suction and collection of the recovered saline for diagnostic evaluation.

Primary outcomes

  1. Characterization of Microplastic (MP) Burden in the Lungs

    Time frame: Up to 24 Months

    Microplastic (MP) Burden in the Lungs will be determined by the results of the Bronchoscopy/Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL).

    MPs isolated from Bronchoalveolar Fluid (BALF) will be characterized using Raman spectroscopy (RS). RS is a vibrational spectroscopy technique based on the inelastic scattering of light that provides information on the molecular vibrations of a system in the form of a vibrational spectrum. The Raman spectrum is akin to a fingerprint of chemical structure allowing identification of the components present in the sample.

    For each sample, data will be generated on the presence or absence of MPs, total number of MPs, and polymer subtype distribution of MPs identified in the samples.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Concentration of Microplastics (MPs) in Lung Cancer Patients

    Time frame: Up to 24 Months

    Concentration of Microplastics (MPs) will be determined by the number of MPs identified in 10-mLs of Bronchoalveolar Fluid (BALF).

  2. Concentration of Microplastics (MPs) in Non-Lung Cancer Patients

    Time frame: Up to 24 Months

    Concentration of Microplastics (MPs) will be determined by the number of MPs identified in 10-mLs of Bronchoalveolar Fluid (BALF).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Investigation of Microplastic Pollution in the Human Respiratory System and Its Relationship to Lung Cancer

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Jul 31, 2024
Registry last updated
Dec 4, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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