Karen Winkfield, MD, PhD, executive director of the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance, has been named a fellow of the American Society for Radiation Oncology.
This phase III trial uses the Decipher risk score to guide therapy selection. Decipher score is based on the activity of 22 genes in prostate tumor and may predict how likely it is for recurrent prostate cancer to spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Decipher score in this study is used for patient selection and the two variations of treatment to be studied: intensification for higher Decipher score or de-intensification for low Decipher score. Patients with higher Decipher risk score will be assigned to the part of the study that compares the use of 6 months of the usual treatment (hormone therapy and radiation treatment) to the use of darolutamide plus the usual treatment (intensification). The purpose of this section of the study is to determine whether the additional drug can reduce the chance of cancer coming back and spreading in patients with higher Decipher score. The addition of darolutamide to the usual treatment may better control the cancer and prevent it from spreading. Alternatively, patients with low Decipher risk score will be assigned to the part of the study that compares the use of radiation treatment alone (de-intensification) to the usual approach (6 months of hormone therapy plus radiation). The purpose of this part of the study is to determine if radiation treatment alone is as effective compared to the usual treatment without affecting the chance of tumor coming back in patients with low Decipher score prostate cancer. Radiation therapy uses high energy to kill tumor cells and reduce the tumor size. Hormone therapy drugs such as darolutamide suppress or block the production or action of male hormones that play role in prostate cancer development. Effect of radiation treatment alone in patients with low Decipher score prostate cancer could be the same as the usual approach in stabilizing prostate cancer and preventing it from spreading, while avoiding the side effects associated with hormonal therapy.
This phase III trial compare the effects of adding definitive treatment (either radiation therapy or prostate removal surgery) to standard systemic therapy in treating patients with prostate cancer that has spread to other places in the body (advanced). Removing the prostate by either surgery or radiation therapy in addition to standard systemic therapy for prostate cancer may lower the chance of the cancer growing or spreading.
This phase II/III trial aims to determine the type of chemotherapy that will benefit patients who have had surgery for their stage II or III colon cancer based on presence or absence of circulating tumor deoxyribonucleic acid (ctDNA). In ctDNA positive patients, this trial compares the effect of usual chemotherapy versus mFOLFIRINOX. In ctDNA negative patients, this trial compares the effect of usual chemotherapy versus ctDNA testing every 3 months to determine which approach might be better to prevent colon cancer from returning. Oxaliplatin is in a class of medications called platinum-containing antineoplastic agents. It works by damaging cells DNA and may kill cancer cells. Leucovorin is in a class of medications called folic acid analogs. It works by protecting healthy cells from the effects of chemotherapy medications while allowing chemotherapy agent to enter and kill cancer cells. Fluorouracil is in a class of medications called antimetabolites. It stops cells from making DNA and may slow or stop the growth of cancer cells. Capecitabine is in a class of medications called antimetabolites. It Is taken up by cancer cells and breaks down to a substance that kills cancer cells. Irinotecan is in a class of antineoplastic medications called topoisomerase I inhibitors. It works by stopping the growth of cancer cells. This trial may help doctors determine what kind of chemotherapy to recommend to colon cancer patients based on the presence or absence of ctDNA after surgery for colon cancer.
This phase III trial compares the effect of radiation therapy combined with hormonal therapy versus hormonal therapy alone in treating patients with low risk, early stage breast cancer with Oncotype Dx Recurrence =< 18. Oncotype DX is a laboratory test which results in a score that is used to help predict whether breast cancer will spread to other parts of the body or come back. Radiation therapy uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors but may result in some side effects. Hormones called estrogen and progesterone may contribute to the growth of breast tumor cells. Hormone therapy, also called endocrine therapy, may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking or removing these hormones. This clinical trial may help researchers understand if patients with low-risk, early stage breast cancer who have Oncotype recurrence score of =< 18 can safely omit radiation therapy and only be treated with hormonal therapy without losing any radiation treatment benefit.
This phase II trial compares the effect of usual treatment approach alone (FOLFOX or CAPOX after chemoradiation) with using FOLFIRINOX after chemoradiation in patients with stage II-III rectal cancer. Combination chemotherapy regiments, such as FOLFIRINOX [folinic acid (leucovorin), fluorouracil, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin], FOLFOX (leucovorin, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin), or CAPOX (capecitabin and oxaliplatin) use more than one anticancer drug that work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. FOLFOX or CAPOX are used after chemoradiation as usual treatment for rectal cancer. Giving FOLFIRINOX after chemoradiation may increase the response rate for the primary rectal tumor and lead to higher rates of clinical complete response (and thus a chance to avoid surgery) compared to FOLFOX or CAPOX after chemoradiation in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer.
This phase III trial compares the combination of four drugs (daratumumab-hyaluronidase, bortezomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone) to the use of a three-drug combination (daratumumab-hyaluronidase, lenalidomide and dexamethasone) in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma. Bortezomib may stop the growth of cancer cells by blocking some of the enzymes needed for cell growth. Chemotherapy drugs, such as lenalidomide, work in different ways to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Daratumumab-hyaluronidase is a monoclonal antibody that may interfere with the ability of cancer cells to grow and spread. Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as dexamethasone lower the bodys immune response and are used with other drugs in the treatment of some types of cancer. Adding bortezomib to daratumumab-hyaluronidase, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone may be more effective in shrinking the cancer or preventing it from returning, compared to continuing on a combination of daratumumab-hyaluronidase, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma.
Rhabdomyosarcoma is a type of cancer that occurs in the soft tissues in the body. This phase III trial aims to maintain excellent outcomes in patients with very low risk rhabdomyosarcoma (VLR-RMS) while decreasing the burden of therapy using treatment with 24 weeks of vincristine and dactinomycin (VA) and examines the use of centralized molecular risk stratification in the treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma. Another aim of the study it to find out how well patients with low risk rhabdomyosarcoma (LR-RMS) respond to standard chemotherapy when patients with VLR-RMS and patients who have rhabdomyosarcoma with DNA mutations get separate treatment. Finally, this study examines the effect of therapy intensification in patients who have RMS cancer with DNA mutations to see if their outcomes can be improved.
