About our research
Ongoing projects / research:
There is a continual monitoring of complications and survival (quality assurance) following resection for esophageal- and gastric cancer
A biobank was established 2013, many patients have been recruited with biological material (blood samples and tumor specimens). A major aim is to do research on potential biomarkes than can discriminate malignant from non-malignant alterations, to be used as an aid in treatment of these patients. An phd project is ongoing in this regard in collaboration with the Dep. Molecular Oncology. Furthermore, a patient registry includes data related to the treatment and the disease that will allow quality assurance studies and research studies based on patient data from Oslo University Hospital and in collaboration with other hospitals. Robotic surgery has been introduced at the hospital and quality assurance and research projects are ongoing to elucidate outcome of this surgical approach locally and in collaboration with international centers such as with the UGIRA Registry.
The national NORECa collaboration ensures broad clinical and research collaboration across the four hospitals in Norway performing surgical treatment for esophageal and gastric cancer. The collaboration includes registry data and biobanking of tissue and blood samples. Patients being treated with surgery, endoscopic resection or by definitic radiochemotherapy are included in three different registries.
Nordic NEC registry (registry study for all patients with neuroendocrine carcinoma of the GI-tract (GEP-NEC)). Inclusion from 2013. NNTG (Nordic Neuroendocrine Tumor Group).
The SARONG-II trial is an ongoing randomized controlled trial comparing intensive or less intensive follow-up after resection for gatsroesophageal cancer. This is an international study aiming to define potential differences releted to overall survival depending on follow-up program. Secundary endpoints include quality of life outcome.
The NEEDS trial is a randomised controlled trial for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma comparing overall survival and quality of life after standard treatment (chemotherapy, radiation and later surgery) with chemotherapy and radioation treatment only and surgery as needed.
Prospective observational study of gastropexy druing tretament of paraesophageal hernias. Multisenter study aimin to reduce risk of re-herniation.
Planned research / long term objectives for the group:
One long-term objective for the group is to explore molecular changes in esophageal- and gastric cancer and seek for potential tumor and blood derived biomarkers than can facilitate early discovery of premalignant and malignant changes in these patients. Accordingly, early detection of such changes would improve the treatment result because of identification of an early stage of the cancer. In addition, biomarkers could be used to monitor effect of neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment and a recurrence could be potentially discovered in a treatable stage of the cancer.
Treatment of gastric cancer in patients with carcinomatosis by use of intraperotoneal chemotherapy through a catheter, the randomised controlled IPa Gastric trial, will proably start enrolling patients at Oslo University during 2026. The study will exlore standard treatment for these patients with added intraperitoneal chemotherapy over time. Primary endpoint will be overall survival.
The randomized clinical OMEC-5 trial will probably also start during 2026. This study will explore duration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to treatment of gastroesophageal cancer in patients with oligo (limited) metastatic disease. Main end point is progression free survival.
The PROTECT trial will randomising patients with esophageal cancer to traditional radiotherapy or photon therapy with endpoint treatment related pulmonary complications.
The BALANCE trial is in pipeline and will randomise patients to postoperative epidural analgesia og peroperative paravertebral block with the main endpoint rate of postoperative anastomotic leak.
The JEDI study will also start during 2026. This is an observational longitudinal study exploring associations between radiological findings of gastric conduit dysfunction after esophagectomy and symptoms, end effects of treatment on symptoms and radiological findings (dynamic upper GI contrast swallow).