Using genetic testing to improve pain management in cancer patients
Official title: C-PAIN: Catalyzing Pharmacogenomic Analysis for Informing Pain Treatment
Run by University of Chicago · NCT06511401 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether genetic testing can help doctors choose the right opioid doses to better manage pain for adults with cancer.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 800 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of Chicago Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | radiation |
| Locations | 1 site (Chicago, Illinois) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | July 30, 2024 |
| Main results expected | January 7, 2028 |
| Study ends | March 31, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | May 4, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT06511401 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults receiving ongoing oncology care who are expected to require opioid pain medication in the near future.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients currently taking opioids, undergoing palliative radiation, or with certain medical conditions such as chronic kidney disease or active blood cancers may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study evaluates the impact of preemptive pharmacogenomic testing on opioid dosing decisions and pain management in adult cancer patients. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive pharmacogenomic results that may guide their opioid therapy. The goal is to determine if this approach can lead to better pain control and more personalized treatment plans for patients undergoing oncologic care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could lead to more effective pain management strategies tailored to individual genetic profiles.
How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown promise in using pharmacogenomic approaches for pain management, indicating potential success for this method.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Persons receiving ongoing oncology care at the University of Chicago Medical Center for whom near-future pain opioid pain medication therapy is anticipated * Subjects must be at least 18 years of age. Exclusion Criteria: * Subjects taking an opioid at the time of enrollment, or within the past 30 days * Subjects who are currently undergoing palliative radiation * Subjects who have undergone, or are being actively considered for, bone marrow, liver or kidney transplantation. * Subjects with a history of or active blood cancer (e.g., leukemia). * Chronic kidney disease, as defined by Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) \< 30/mL/min/1.73m2, due to the risk of decreased drug excretion. * Liver dysfunction, as defined by the following laboratory values, due to the risk of decreased drug metabolism: Total bilirubin greater than or equal to1.5 mg/dL, Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) greater than or equal to 2.5 X upper limit of normal\*. (\*Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) and Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) \\ greater than or equal to 5 X upper limit of normal if hepatic metastases are present). * Inability to understand and give informed consent to participate in the opinion of the investigator * Subjects who are known to be pregnant at the time of enrollment * Subjects who have previously or are currently enrolled in another institutional pharmacogenomic genotyping study, or are known to have previously undergone pharmacogenomic genotyping for the gene(s) of interest via another commercial or other means.
Where it's running
-
University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
Chicago, Illinois, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Peter H O'Donnell — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Clinical Trials Intake
- Email: cancerclinicaltrials@bsd.uchicago.edu
- Phone: 1-855-702-8222
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
PMOS and Sleep Apnea: A Pilot Look at Mitochondrial Function
In women with PMOS, this pilot study tests whether sleep apnea treatment with CPAP improves mitochondrial function in leg muscle tissue.
-
Medial knee osteoarthritis: inside vs outside corticosteroid injection
This study tests whether injecting a steroid inside the knee joint leads to different pain results than injecting it on the outside of the knee in people with medial knee osteoarthritis.
-
See if tirzepatide helps with lorlatinib-related weight gain in NSCLC patients
This study tests whether tirzepatide can reduce rapid weight gain in adults with non-small cell lung cancer who are already taking lorlatinib.
-
Pain control after wrist/hand surgery using ketorolac and nerve block
This study tests whether a ketorolac plus acetaminophen pain plan with a regional nerve block can reduce opioid use after hand and wrist surgery.
-
Gut microbiome and metabolomics after stereotactic radiosurgery
This study will see if the gut microbiome and blood metabolites change after stereotactic radiosurgery and whether those changes relate to adverse effects like radiation necrosis.
-
Recovery Legal Care: a program to help firearm-injury patients through legal support
This trial tests a medical-legal partnership that connects legal help with hospital-based violence recovery to address social and economic risks for patients treated for firearm or other violent injuries.
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.