Burn Pit–Exposed Veterans Cancer Screening Pilot at Inova Saville Center
Official title: Burn Pit Exposure in Veterans: A Cancer Screening Pilot Study at the Inova Saville Cancer Screening & Prevention Center
Run by Inova Health Care Services · NCT07485322 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This pilot tests a more intensive cancer screening approach for veterans exposed to burn pits to see if it is feasible, satisfactory, and informative about cancer detection and care use.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 35 Years to 85 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 100 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Inova Health Care Services Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Fairfax, Virginia) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | June 17, 2026 |
| Main results expected | April 28, 2029 |
| Study ends | July 31, 2029 |
| Registry record updated | July 2, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07485322 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are U.S. veterans ≥35 years with burn pit exposure for more than a week who are willing to consent and undergo the required procedures.
✕Probably not a fit
Participants not exposed to burn pits or with recent cancer history may see limited or no benefit from this screening approach.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
The study enrolls veterans ≥35 years with burn pit exposure and assigns them to an intensive screening schedule over 36 months, including baseline, 12-, and 24-month visits, plus a final follow-up. It uses investigational tools like a multi-cancer detection blood test and nasal brush to detect cancer early alongside conventional screening. Outcomes include feasibility, participant satisfaction, cancer detection rates, and subsequent healthcare utilization. The research is interventional and explores how these new tools perform in a real-world veteran population. Procedures are not routine clinical care and are performed as part of the trial protocol.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, participants may receive earlier cancer detection and enhanced monitoring through an intensive screening approach.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has explored multi-cancer detection methods, but this specific intensive screening in burn pit-exposed veterans is a novel approach with emerging, not yet proven, utility.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * ≥ 35 years * Veteran of the United States Armed Forces (retired/no longer enlisted) with a prior deployment resulting in exposure (based on self-report or official records, if available) to burn pits for \>1 week (exposure defined as on the base or close enough to the base to see the smoke from the burn pit, an area of land used for the open-air combustion of trash and other solid waste products). * Ability to understand and willing to sign informed consent * Ability to understand and willing to sign HIPAA Authorization Exclusion Criteria: * No history of malignancy within the past 5 years (non-melanoma skin cancer and in situ carcinoma would still be eligible) and not currently being worked up clinically for suspicion of cancer. * For women of childbearing potential, not pregnant.
Where it's running
-
Inova Schar Cancer Institute
Fairfax, Virginia, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Rebecca Kaltman, MD — Inova Health Care Services
- Study coordinator: Bryan Bassig, PhD
- Email: bryan.bassig@inova.org
- Phone: (571) 472-3500
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.