Colorectal Omics and ofCS Proteoglycans (COCO) in Screening and a Diagnostic Pathway
This is not medical advice. AI-assisted translation — inaccuracies may occur. Always verify the original and consult your oncologist before taking any steps.
About the trial
Colorectal Cancer (CRC), or bowel cancer, is a serious disease that affects many people globally. The earlier CRC is diagnosed, the better the patient outcomes. The problem with the current diagnostic methods is that they lead to many unnecessary endoscopies (colonoscopies). In Denmark alone, over 30,000 patients every year undergo a colonoscopy without having a serious disease. This puts a major strain on both patients and the healthcare system. This research project aims to solve that problem. COCO-S is investigating oncofoetal chondroitin sulphate-modified proteoglycans (ofCS) to see if ofCS can be used as a novel, unique cancer marker found in the blood. ofCS are special molecules that reappear in most tumour tissues. A method has been developed to detect ofCSs in a simple blood sample. Initial findings from an ongoing study are highly promising. A test using five different ofCS markers has shown very high accuracy in detecting CRC: it correctly identifies 86% of cancer cases (sensitivity) and correctly gives a "negative" result in 97% of cases without cancer (specificity). The results also suggest that high ofCS levels might help clinicians detect adenomas (polyps), which are early precursors to cancer. Combining the analysis of ofCS in the blood with the existing stool test (FIT) and other promising blood markers can significantly improve patient selection for a colonoscopy. This project will collect blood samples from patients scheduled for a colonoscopy. The blood will be analysed for ofCS and other substances to determine the combined predictive value for patients who truly require the procedure. The findings from this project could revolutionize CRC diagnosis. By more accurately identifying patients who need a colonoscopy, the number of unnecessary, invasive procedures can be reduced while maintaining patient safety and ensuring cancer is found in time.
Original English text from ClinicalTrials.gov
Who can (and can't) join
✓ Qualifies
- •Pacjenci zaplanowani do badania endoskopowego jelita grubego w ramach programu przesiewowego lub w związku z podejrzeniem raka
- •Umiejętność porozumiewania się w języku duńskim, angielskim lub innym przy wsparciu tłumacza
- •Zdolność do wyrażenia świadomej zgody na udział w badaniu
✗ Disqualifies
- •Wcześniejszy udział w tym badaniu
- •Ciąża
- •Zamieszkanie poza Danią
Simplified criteria — AI translation
Trial details
- Minimum age
- 18 Years
- Last updated (source)
- August 24, 2026
- Sex
- No restrictions
Therapies / drugs in trial
Locations (2)
Copenhagen University Hospital - North Zealand
Hillerød, Denmark
Copenhagen University Hospital - Amager-Hvidovre
Hvidovre, Denmark
Trial contact
Claus Anders Bertelsen, PhD MD
Christina Therkilsen, PhD MSc
Contact information from ClinicalTrials.gov. Contact in English.
Share this trial
Data from ClinicalTrials.gov. AI-assisted translation, last sync: 8/25/2026.
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