E-Newsletter - February 2018

Recent Alliance protocol activations

Alliance A221505: Hypofractionated radiation therapy after mastectomy in preventing recurrence in patients with stage IIa-IIIa breast cancer

Overview: This Alliance andomized phase III trial studies how well hypofractionated radiation therapy works in preventing recurrence in patients with stage IIa-IIIa cancer who have undergone mastectomy. Hypofractionated radiation therapy delivers higher doses of radiation therapy over a shorter period of time and may kill more tumor cells that remain after surgery and have fewer side effects.

Study Chair: Matthew M. Poppe, MD - Huntsman Cancer Hospital, University of Utah
E-mail: matthew.poppe@hci.utah.edu
Activated: 02/01/2018
Link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT03414970


Alliance A091605: Pembrolizumab with or without stereotactic body radiation therapy in treating patients with advanced or metastatic Merkel cell cancer

Overview: This Alliance randomized phase II trial studies how well pembrolizumab with or without stereotactic body radiation therapy works in treating patients with Merkel cell cancer that has spread to other places in the body. Monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Stereotactic body radiation therapy is a specialized radiation therapy that sends x-rays directly to the tumor using smaller doses over several days and may cause less damage to normal tissue. Giving pembrolizumab with stereotactic body radiation therapy may work better in treating patients with Merkel cell cancer.

Study Chair: Jason Luke, MD - University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center
E-mail: julke@medicine.bsd.uchicago.edu
Activated: 02/01/2018
Link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03304639

Alliance A221504: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of an oral, selective peripheral opioid receptor antagonist in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (adenocarcinoma)

Overview: This Alliance randomized pilot clinical trial studies the side effects and best dose of naloxegol and to see how well it works in treating patients with stage IIIB-IV non-small cell lung cancer. Naloxegol may relieve some of the side effects of opioid pain medication and fight off future growth in the cancer.

Study Chair: Pankaj Gupta, MD - Minneapolis VA Health Care System
E-mail: pankaj.gupta@va.gov
Activated: 10/13/2017
Link: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03087708
 

 

For other articles in this issue of the Alliance E-News newsletter, see below.