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KaCrole Higgins was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020. “In May 2020, I found a lump in my breast. I cried. By June, it was diagnosed as breast cancer, triple positive, stage 1A. While getting this cancer diagnosis was devastating, it also became an opportunity. Suddenly, the cancer gave me clarity. It gave me clarity about what was important, what was good in my life, what was toxic in my life, and what I needed to do.” Click below to read more of KaCrole’s story

https://momentum.vicc.org/2022/04/cancer-gave-me-clarity/

If Landon Ryan had been diagnosed with bilateral retinoblastoma 10, 20 or 30 years ago, she might not be here today with nearly perfect vision.Thanks to recent improvements in the treatment for this rare form of cancer that almost exclusively affects children under the age of 5, the diagnosis had the power to change Landon’s life when she was 11 months old, but not to take it — or her eyesight. Click below to learn more about Landon and her story.

https://momentum.vicc.org/2022/04/brighter-outlook/
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Research Snapshot: DNA replication discovery opens pathways to understanding and treating cancer, aging and degenerative disease

Submitted by sobecksm on

An international collaboration led by biochemist David Cortez reached revelatory conclusions in exploration of how cells tolerate DNA damage and genome instability. Est. reading time: 2 mins.

https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2023/05/02/research-snapshot-dna-replication-discovery-opens-pathways-to-understanding-and-treating-cancer-aging-and-degenerative-disease/
Marissa Shapiro
Locked

Avelumab or Hydroxychloroquine with or without Palbociclib for the Treatment of Stage II-III Breast Cancer, PALAVY Study

This phase II trial investigates the effect of avelumab or hydroxychloroquine sulfate with or without palbociclib in treating patients with stage II-III breast cancer that is positive for disseminated tumor cells (DTCs) after curative therapy. DTCs are breast cancer cells that are asleep (dormant) in the bone marrow. There are multiple ways in which these cells stay alive, and three of these mechanisms are inhibited by the drugs in this trial. First, dormant cancer cells need a protein signal pathway involving CDK 4/6 to start dividing once they wake up in order to survive as an active cancer cell. Palbociclib works by blocking the CDK 4/6 protein and by doing so may limit the dormant cancer cell from being able to survive. In addition, palbociclib may also help both of the other drugs in the trial to work better. Second, dormant cancer cells also use a process called autophagy to generate their own nutrition, which can allow them to stay asleep. Hydroxychloroquine has been shown to block autophagy, which leads to starvation of the cells. Third, dormant cancer cells are able to hide from the bodys immune system. The immune system sends a type of cell called T cells throughout the body to detect and fight infections and diseasesincluding cancers. One way the immune system controls the activity of T cells is through the PD-1/PD-L1 (programmed cell death protein-1) pathway. However, some cancer cells hide from T-cell attack by taking control of the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction and this stops T cells from attacking cancer cells. Avelumab is an antibody designed to block the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and helps the immune system in detecting and fighting dormant cancer cells. Because palbociclib, hydroxychloroquine, and avelumab work on the mechanisms that keep the dormant cells alive, taking one or a combination of these drugs may be able to eliminate DTCs.
Not Available
II
Not Available
NCT04841148
VICCBRE2161

Nivolumab and Ipilimumab for the Treatment of Patients with Locally Advanced, Metastatic, or Unresectable Liver Cancer

This phase II trial tests whether nivolumab and ipilimumab works to shrink tumors in patients with liver cancer that has spread to nearby tissue or lymph nodes (locally advanced), has spread to other places in the body (metastatic), or cannot be removed by surgery (unresectable). Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as nivolumab and ipilimumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Nivolumab and ipilimumab may be effective in killing tumor cells in patients with liver cancer.
Not Available
II
Not Available
NCT05199285
VICCGI2277

Evaluation of Co-formulated Pembrolizumab/Quavonlimab (MK-1308A) Versus Other Treatments in Participants With Microsatellite Instability-High (MSI-H) or Mismatch Repair Deficient (dMMR) Stage IV Colorectal Cancer (CRC) (MK-1308A-008/KEYSTEP-008)

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy and safety of co-formulated
pembrolizumab/quavonlimab versus other treatments in participants with MSI-H or dMMR
Metastatic Stage IV Colorectal Cancer.
Not Available
II
Not Available
NCT04895722
VICCGI2145

Genetic Testing to Select Therapy for the Treatment of Advanced or Metastatic Kidney Cancer, OPTIC RCC Study

Kidney (Renal Cell)

This phase II trial tests whether using genetic testing of tumor tissue to select the optimal treatment regimen works in treating patients with clear cell renal cell (kidney) cancer that has spread to other places in the body (advanced or metastatic). The current Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved regimens for advanced kidney cancer fall into two categories. One treatment combination includes two immunotherapy drugs (nivolumab plus ipilimumab), which are delivered by separate intravenous infusions into a vein. The other combination is one immunotherapy drug (nivolumab infusion) plus an oral pill taken by mouth (cabozantinib). Nivolumab and ipilimumab are immunotherapies which release the brakes of the immune system, thus allowing the patient's own immune system to better kill cancer cells. Cabozantinib is a targeted therapy specifically designed to block certain biological mechanisms needed for growth of cancer cells. In kidney cancer, cabozantinib blocks a tumors blood supply. The genetic (DNA) makeup of the tumor may affect how well it responds to therapy. Testing the makeup (genes) of the tumor, may help match a treatment (from one of the above two treatment options) to the specific cancer and increase the chance that the disease will respond to treatment. The purpose of this study is to learn if genetic testing of tumor tissue may help doctors select the optimal treatment regimen to which advanced kidney cancer is more likely to respond.
Kidney (Renal Cell)
II
Rini, Brian
NCT05361720
VICCURO21103

Loncastuximab Tesirine for the Treatment of Relapsed or Refractory Marginal Zone Lymphoma

Lymphoma

This phase II trial tests whether loncastuximab tesirine works to shrink tumors in patients with marginal zone lymphoma (MZL), a type of immune cell cancer, that has come back (relapsed) or become unresponsive to one or more treatments (refractory). Loncastuximab tesirine is composed of an antibody, called loncastuximab linked to a chemotherapy drug called tesirine. Loncastuximab attaches to specific proteins in the cancer cell and delivers tesirine only to the cancer cells because of this antibody. Ultimately this results in cancer cell death only without exposing normal cells to the tesirine.
Lymphoma
II
Oluwole, Olalekan
NCT05296070
VICC-ITCTT23024

DCIS: RECAST Trial Ductal Carcinoma In Situ: Re-Evaluating Conditions for Active Surveillance Suitability as Treatment

Breast

The goal of this trial is to see if active surveillance monitoring and hormonal therapy in
patients diagnosed with ductal cell carcinoma in situ (DCIS), an early stage of breast
cancer, can be an effective management of the disease.

Participants will be asked to receive control hormonal therapy or an investigational hormonal
therapy treatment. Participants will be asked to return for evaluation with MRI at three
months and six months. Depending on the evaluation participants will have the option to
continue on the treatment. If the evaluation suggests surgery is recommended, the participant
will discontinue the study treatment and will undergo surgery. In addition to the treatment
and MRI evaluation, participants will be asked to provide blood sample to understand their
immune status, provide saliva sample for genetic testing, provide the study with a portion of
the tissue or slides generated from tissue removed during surgery performed as part of their
standard of care.
Breast
II
Meszoely, Ingrid
NCT06075953
VICC-DTBRE23082