MedBlog

Cancer

Cancer clinical trials open for participants

Cancer

Patrick Sutphin, M.D., Ph.D.

Patients at UT Southwestern’s Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, the only NCI-designated cancer center in North Texas, have access to treatment options that would otherwise be unavailable to them in the region.

As one of only 30 U.S. cancer research centers named a National Clinical Trials Network Lead Academic Participating Site, UT Southwestern participates in numerous clinical trials in a variety of diseases, and in many cases UTSW physicians and researchers serve as the principal investigators.

Below is a small sampling of cancer clinical trials at UT Southwestern that are currently recruiting appropriate patients.

Clinical Trial: A phase III study evaluating TheraSphere® in patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma of the liver who have failed first-line chemotherapy

Summary:
This is a randomized trial to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of TheraSphere in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer of the liver who have disease progression after first-line chemotherapy.

Patient Eligibility: A patient may be eligible for this trial if he/she:
PI: Patrick Sutphin, M.D., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Radiology

Clinical Research Manager:
Julia Spesivtseva
214-648-7753
Email

  • Has unresected, metastatic disease to the liver that has progressed after the first treatment
  • Is eligible for second-line chemotherapy
  • Has a performance status of 0-1
Muhammad Shaalan Beg, M.D.

Clinical Trial: A phase III study of pembrolizumab (MK-3475) vs. chemotherapy in microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) stage IV colorectal carcinoma (KEYNOTE-177)

Summary: This is a two-arm, multicenter, international, randomized, open-label, controlled trial of pembrolizumab (MK-3475) monotherapy versus standard chemotherapy in subjects who have stage IV microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) colorectal carcinoma (CRC).

Patient Eligibility: A patient may be eligible for this trial if he/she has:

  • Stage IV metastatic colorectal cancer exhibiting MSI-H or dMMR
  • Performance status of 0-1
  • No prior systemic therapy for stage IV colorectal cancer (prior adjuvant therapy is permitted)

PI: Muhammad Shaalan Beg, M.D.

Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine

214-648-7031

Clinical Research Manager:

Ying Dong, Ph.D.

Email

Robert Collins, M.D.

Clinical Trial: The Beat AML study – a master trial for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to investigate promising new experimental therapies

Summary: The current standard of care for AML includes chemotherapy regimens that haven’t changed in 40 years. Recent major advances in leukemia biology have suggested novel molecular-targeted and immunologic approaches to treating this disease.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, in association with UTSW and 10 other academic medical centers, has opened a master trial to spearhead this new approach to AML treatment. Newly diagnosed patients will receive rapid molecular testing of their AML and be assigned to a novel therapy based on their molecular subtype. The study includes a “marker-negative” arm to ensure all patients are assigned to a treatment arm. Responding patients may stay on medication or be transitioned to other therapies, including reduced-intensity transplants.

Prapti Patel, M.D.

Patient Eligibility: A patient may be eligible for this trial if he/she is:

  • Newly diagnosed with AML
  • 60 years of age or older

PI: Robert Collins, M.D.
Professor of Internal Medicine

Co-Investigator: Prapti Patel, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine

Referrals/Questions:
AML hotline at 844-508-0265
Email