Diagnostic Utility of Culdocentesis in Patients With a Suspicious Adnexal Mass (NCT02109367) | Clinical Trial Compass
CompletedNot Applicable
Diagnostic Utility of Culdocentesis in Patients With a Suspicious Adnexal Mass
United States52 participantsStarted 2014-02
Plain-language summary
This study involves women who are scheduled to have surgery for a pelvic or ovarian mass that is suspicious for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). The physician will perform an additional procedure on all consented subjects known as 'culdocentesis'. This will be done just prior to their scheduled surgery while the patient is under general anesthesia. Culdocentesis is a procedure typically used to check for abnormal fluid in the space just behind the vagina. This pocket of space is called the cul-de-sac. The purpose of this study is to determine if levels of tumor markers, CA-125 and HE4, are measurable from the cul-de-sac fluid. If these tumor markers are measurable from the cul-de-sac fluid and correlate with the patient's diagnosis, this procedure may be used in the future as an additional diagnostic tool for EOC. In addition, a single urine sample will be collected from each patient to measure the ratio of "good" to "bad" estrogen. Investigators hypothesize this ratio will also correlate with EOC diagnosis. Study results could lead to development of an alternative, minimally invasive and low risk diagnostic tool in patients with an ovarian mass suspicious for malignancy.
Who can participate
Age range
30 Years
Sex
FEMALE
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria:
* Patients age ≥ 30.
* Adnexal mass or suspected ovarian carcinoma.
* Patient has been scheduled for oophorectomy, bilateral salpingo- oophorectomy (BSO), hysterectomy, hysterectomy/BSO, staging or debulking.
* Willingness to sign an Informed Consent document.
Exclusion criteria:
* Patients previously diagnosed with a malignancy within the pelvis or abdomen.
* Patients in which culdocentesis is technically unfeasible due to previous surgery (extensive pelvic floor repair/colpocleisis) or other anatomic abnormalities that make the cul-de-sac inaccessible.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.