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Deonni Stolldorf, Ph.D.

  • Associate Professor of Nursing

Deonni Stolldorf, Ph.D.

  • Associate Professor of Nursing

615-343-0637

deonni.stolldorf@vanderbilt.edu

Research Program

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This phase I/II trial studies the side effects and best dose of a combination of gabapentin and ketamine and to see how well it works to prevent acute and chronic pain in patients receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy (chemoradiation) for head and neck cancer that has spread to nearby tissue or lymph nodes (locally advanced). Gabapentin is a medication that is commonly used to treat nerve related pain. Specifically, it has been used to treat pain involving the mouth, throat and nasal passages in head and neck cancer patients treated with radiation. Ketamine is a type of general anesthetic that blocks pathways to the brain involved with sensing pain. This trial may help doctors determine how patients tolerate the combination of gabapentin and ketamine and to find the correct dosing for ketamine in those taking gabapentin. This will be the basis for a future, larger study to look at how effective this combination is at reducing and/or preventing pain in head and neck cancer patients.

Danxia Yu, Ph.D.

  • Associate Professor of Medicine (Epidemiology)

Danxia Yu, Ph.D.

  • Associate Professor of Medicine (Epidemiology)

615-936-7389

danxia.yu@vumc.org

Research Program

Research Description

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Christine Smith, M.D.

  • Assistant Professor

Christine Smith, M.D.

  • Assistant Professor

christine.m.smith.2@vumc.org

Research Program

Research Description

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The purpose of this study is to find out whether the study drug, LY3537982, is safe and effective in cancer patients who have a specific genetic mutation (KRAS G12C). Patients must have already received or were not able to tolerate the standard of care, except for specific groups who have not had cancer treatment. The study will last up to approximately 4 years.
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.

Eben Rosenthal, M.D.

  • Professor and Chair, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
  • Co-Leader, Translational Research and Interventional Oncology Research Program
  • Guy M. Maness Professor of Otolaryngology
  • Barry and Amy Baker Chair in Laryngeal, Head and Neck Research
  • Professor, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

Eben Rosenthal, M.D.

  • Professor and Chair, Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
  • Co-Leader, Translational Research and Interventional Oncology Research Program
  • Guy M. Maness Professor of Otolaryngology
  • Barry and Amy Baker Chair in Laryngeal, Head and Neck Research
  • Professor, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology

e.rosenthal@vumc.org

Research Program

Research Description

Have any questions? Contact Us 1-877-936-8422 for more information
This phase II trial studies whether adding pembrolizumab to olaparib (standard of care) works better than olaparib alone in treating patients with pancreatic cancer with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations that has spread to other places in the body (metastatic). BRCA1 and BRCA2 are human genes that produce tumor suppressor proteins. These proteins help repair damaged deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and, therefore, play a role in ensuring the stability of each cells genetic material. When either of these genes is mutated, or altered, such that its protein product is not made or does not function correctly, DNA damage may not be repaired properly. As a result, cells are more likely to develop additional genetic alterations that can lead to some types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer, and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Olaparib is an inhibitor of PARP, a protein that helps repair damaged DNA. Blocking PARP may help keep tumor cells from repairing their damaged DNA, causing them to die. PARP inhibitors are a type of targeted therapy. The addition of pembrolizumab to the usual treatment of olaparib may help to shrink tumors in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations.

Courtney Penn, M.D.

  • Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Courtney Penn, M.D.

  • Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology

courtney.penn@vumc.org

Research Program

Research Description

Have any questions? Contact Us 1-877-936-8422 for more information

Juan Arroyo Ornelas, M.D., Ph.D.

  • Assistant Professor of Medicine

Juan Arroyo Ornelas, M.D., Ph.D.

  • Assistant Professor of Medicine

juan.p.arroyo@vumc.org

Research Program

Have any questions? Contact Us 1-877-936-8422 for more information
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