The Vanguard Study: Testing a New Way to Screen for Cancer

Last updated: February 18, 2026
Sponsor: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Overall Status: Active - Recruiting

Phase

N/A

Condition

Pancreatic Cancer

Gastric Cancer

Stomach Cancer

Treatment

Multi-Cancer Detection Test

Device Usage

Electronic Health Record Review

Clinical Study ID

NCT06995898
NCI-2024-10793
UG1CA286954
NCI-2024-10793
CSRN1
P30CA015704
  • Ages 45-75
  • All Genders
  • Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Summary

The Vanguard Study is a feasibility study to explore several aspects of evaluating multi-cancer detection (MCD) tests in a future definitive randomized controlled trial. An MCD test measures markers in the blood in order to screen for multiple cancers simultaneously. There is a need to understand how MCDs may work as cancer screening tools. The goal of cancer screening is to reduce the burden of cancer by identifying cancers before they show symptoms or signs, when treatment is likely to be most effective. In this study, adults aged 45-75 without cancer will be randomly assigned to one of 3 groups: 2 separate MCD test groups or a control group. These two MCD tests will not be compared to each other but will be compared to cancers detected in the control group. This study will provide early information on how well MCD tests perform as cancer screening tools. It will also help researchers understand how patients and their doctors make decisions about their care when the MCD test result comes back as normal (negative) or abnormal (positive).

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Ages 45-75 years old

  • Agree to provide blood samples for possible MCD testing at enrollment and at 1 yearfollowing enrollment

  • Agree to allow collection of information from their medical records forstudy-related purposes

  • Understand and be able to complete informed consent and participant questionnairesin English, Spanish, or Arabic

  • Note: Eligibility for Spanish and Arabic languages are at the Hub's discretion

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Solid malignant tumor or blood cancer diagnosis, with or without treatment, withinthe last 5 years

  • Note: Persons with a history of in situ cancers (e.g., ductal carcinoma in situof the breast, cervical cancer in situ, atypical melanocytic hyperplasia ormelanoma in situ) or nonmelanoma skin cancer are eligible

  • Ongoing cancer diagnostic work-up

  • Ongoing participation in another study of an investigational cancer screening testor technology

  • Currently breastfeeding or pregnant, or planning to become pregnant in the next year

Study Design

Total Participants: 24000
Treatment Group(s): 5
Primary Treatment: Multi-Cancer Detection Test
Phase:
Study Start date:
June 16, 2025
Estimated Completion Date:
June 30, 2029

Study Description

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

I. Assess the feasibility of recruitment and adherence to protocol-required baseline and follow-up data and blood collection.

II. Assess the feasibility of achieving representative enrollment across participating recruitment sites.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVES:

I. To assess the impact of participant blinding on willingness to participate, adherence to protocol required baseline and follow-up data, blood collection, and rates of standard of care screening.

II. To determine the timeliness of returning test results to participants. III. To understand the factors contributing to lack of diagnostic resolution of an abnormal MCD test.

IV. To examine the effects of participant characteristics, including cancer risk factors and social determinants of health, on all aspects of feasibility.

V. To estimate the proportion of participants receiving an MCD test outside of the trial.

VI. To assess the feasibility of a staggered introduction of the second MCD assay intervention arm.

VII. To estimate the proportion of abnormal MCD tests that are diagnostically resolved, and the time to resolution.

VIII. To compare the proportion of participants who receive standard of care screening during follow-up between the intervention and control arms.

IX. To assess the accuracy of tissue of origin prediction for each MCD assay. X. To estimate the incidence of complications related to diagnostic evaluation of an abnormal MCD test result.

XI. To assess the effect of an abnormal MCD test and diagnostic workup on anxiety and cancer worry.

XII. To evaluate the clinical diagnostic performance of the MCD assays.

EXPLORATORY OBJECTIVES:

I. To estimate rates of late-stage cancer, and the distribution of cancer stage.

II. To estimate assay-targeted cancer-specific mortality of each MCD assay, all cancer-specific mortality, and all-cause mortality.

OUTLINE: Participants are randomized to 1 of 3 arms.

ARM I: Participants undergo blood collection for Shield MCD testing at enrollment and after one year on study. Participants at unblinded sites are provided results of tests and those with abnormal results follow up with their clinician for additional testing. Participants at blinded sites are provided abnormal results and will follow up with their clinician for additional testing.

ARM II: Participants undergo blood collection for Avantect MCD testing at enrollment and after one year on study. Participants at unblinded sites are provided results of tests and those with abnormal results follow up with their clinician for additional testing. Participants at blinded sites are provided abnormal results and will follow up with their clinician for additional testing.

ARM III (Control): Participants undergo blood collection at enrollment and after one year on study.

After completion of study intervention, participants are followed passively up to 10 years.

Connect with a study center

  • Kaiser Permanente-Division of Research

    Pleasanton 5383777, California 5332921 94588
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Keefe Memorial Hospital

    Cheyenne Wells 5416855, Colorado 5417618 80810
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Kaiser Permanente-Franklin

    Denver 5419384, Colorado 5417618 80205
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Cancer Care and Hematology-Fort Collins

    Fort Collins 5577147, Colorado 5417618 80528
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Poudre Valley Hospital

    Fort Collins 5577147, Colorado 5417618 80524
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • UCHealth Greeley Hospital

    Greeley 5577592, Colorado 5417618 80631
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Kaiser Permanente-Rock Creek

    Lafayette 5427771, Colorado 5417618 80026
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Kaiser Permanente-Lone Tree

    Lone Tree 5429208, Colorado 5417618 80124
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Medical Center of the Rockies

    Loveland 5579368, Colorado 5417618 80538
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center

    Honolulu 5856195, Hawaii 5855797 96819
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Cancer Institute-Downriver

    Brownstown, Michigan 5001836 48183
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Health Center - Brownstown

    Brownstown, Michigan 5001836 48183
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Health Center - Chesterfield

    Chesterfield 4988681, Michigan 5001836 48047
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Macomb Hospital-Clinton Township

    Clinton Township 4989133, Michigan 5001836 48038
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Medical Center-Fairlane

    Dearborn 4990510, Michigan 5001836 48126
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Hospital

    Detroit 4990729, Michigan 5001836 48202
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Medical Center - Detroit Northwest

    Detroit 4990729, Michigan 5001836 48235
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Medical Center-Cottage

    Grosse Pointe Farms 4994864, Michigan 5001836 48236
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Medical Center - Livonia

    Livonia 4999837, Michigan 5001836 48150
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Medical Center-Columbus

    Novi 5004062, Michigan 5001836 48377
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Medical Center - Plymouth

    Plymouth 5006059, Michigan 5001836 48170
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Medical Center - Royal Oak

    Royal Oak 5007804, Michigan 5001836 48067
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Medical Center

    Sterling Heights 5011148, Michigan 5001836 48310
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Medical Center - Troy

    Troy 5012639, Michigan 5001836 48083
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital

    West Bloomfield 7259621, Michigan 5001836 48322
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital

    Wyandotte 5015599, Michigan 5001836 48192
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Washington University School of Medicine

    St Louis 4407066, Missouri 4398678 63110
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Chapel Hill 4460162, North Carolina 4482348 27599
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

    Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center

    Oklahoma City 4544349, Oklahoma 4544379 73104
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital

    Charlottesville, Virginia 22911
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Inova Fair Oaks Hospital

    Fairfax, Virginia 22033
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Inova Schar Cancer Institute

    Fairfax, Virginia 22031
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Sentara Norfolk General Hospital

    Norfolk, Virginia 23507
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • VCU Massey Cancer Center at Stony Point

    Richmond, Virginia 23235
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Richmond, Virginia 23298
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Virginia Commonwealth University/Massey Cancer Center

    Richmond, Virginia 23298
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • VCU Community Memorial Health Center

    South Hill, Virginia 23970
    United States

    Site Not Available

  • Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital

    Charlottesville 4752031, Virginia 6254928 22911
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Inova Fair Oaks Hospital

    Fairfax 4758023, Virginia 6254928 22033
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Inova Schar Cancer Institute

    Fairfax 4758023, Virginia 6254928 22031
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • Sentara Norfolk General Hospital

    Norfolk 4776222, Virginia 6254928 23507
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • VCU Massey Cancer Center at Stony Point

    Richmond 4781708, Virginia 6254928 23235
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center

    Richmond 4781708, Virginia 6254928 23298
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

  • VCU Community Memorial Health Center

    South Hill 4786619, Virginia 6254928 23970
    United States

    Active - Recruiting

Map preview placeholder

Not the study for you?

Let us help you find the best match. Sign up as a volunteer and receive email notifications when clinical trials are posted in the medical category of interest to you.