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Molecular Testing for Personalized Cancer Therapy at MD Anderson

This study, called the MD Anderson Cancer Center Personalized Cancer Therapy Program, uses molecular testing to understand the specific genetic changes (mutations) in your tumor. The goal is to help doctors find personalized treatment options for you, including identifying relevant clinical trials. Researchers are also building a database of these mutations and your health information. You can join if you have a documented cancer, suspected glioma, sarcoma, melanoma, or hematologic cancer. The study is looking at how often certain mutations occur and how they might affect your response to treatments like immunotherapy and targeted therapy. This is an observational study with a planned enrollment of 12,000 people, and its current status is unclear.

Study design
This is an observational study with a planned enrollment of 12,000 participants. It is not specified if it is randomized or blinded.
What's involved
You would provide blood and saliva/buccal swab samples, and your medical records would be reviewed.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
The primary endpoints, such as the frequency and distribution of mutations, will be measured at 20 years.

AI-generated from the public study record. Only the study team can confirm whether you're eligible — confirm details with them before making decisions.

NCT01772771

Molecular Testing for the MD Anderson Cancer Center Personalized Cancer Therapy Program

Recruiting
Not specifiedAll AgesObservational
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
~12,000 participants
Updated 2026-08-21 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:Biospecimen CollectionGenetic TestingMedical Chart Review

At a glance

Recruiting sites
1 of 1 listed site is recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Frequency of mutations and co-mutations
Measured over 20 years
+2 more outcomes measured

Conditions

Glioma
Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Cell Neoplasm
Malignant Solid Neoplasm
Melanoma
Sarcoma

Explore related trials

GliomaHematologic NeoplasmMelanomaSarcomaSolid Neoplasm

Where it's being run

1 sites across 1 states
Texas1

Study leadership

  • Funda Meric-Bernstam · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Who to contact

Funda Meric-Bernstam, MD
[email protected]
713-792-6940
Email the study team

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Do you actually qualify for this trial?

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Patients must have histologically, radiographic, or cytologically documented cancer, suspected glioma, sarcoma, melanoma or hematologic cancer. Patients with benign tumors may also be consented at the discretion of the attending physician if molecular profiling is felt to have potential clinical implications.
Patients must have the ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document
Patients may be consented without confirming the amount and quality of archival diagnostic or residual tissue available. However, research testing will only be performed on patients who have sufficient archived diagnostic tissue or residual tissue banked in one of the authorized tissue banks at MD Anderson available to proceed with testing. The extent of testing may be modified based on amount of tissue available. If any new tissue acquisition including a biopsy and/or surgical resection etc. is being ordered for clinical care or another research study, or an operation is being performed testing can be ordered on that sample
Circulating cell-free deoxyribonucleic acid (cfDNA) Cohort: Circulating cell-free DNA next generation sequencing (NGS) testing will be performed with the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act (CLIA)-certified Guardant360 panel (or equivalent) for select patients. This particular cohort of research collaboration will be supported by Guardant Health, Inc. at no charge to MD Anderson. Patients who are being considered for enrollment into clinical trials in the next 2 lines of therapy may be enrolled. Selected patients may have cfDNA, circulating RNA /exosome/circulating tumor cell testing approaches performed on alternate platforms (eg Foundation ACT)

What this trial measures

  • Frequency of mutations and co-mutations20 years

    Will be assessed with descriptive statistics along with 95% Wilson score confidence intervals.

  • Distributions of mutations (including on gene expressions)20 years

    Distributions of mutations (including on gene expressions) between different tumor types and levels of clinical-pathological factors will be compared using the chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate for categorical variables

  • Database of somatic mutations and clinical characteristics20 years

    Collection and storage of tumor tissue specimens, blood and/or saliva samples of patients with cancer for somatic mutation analysis for assessing patients that may be eligible for new targeted therapy trials.