BC Cancer Foundation - Spring 2016 - (Page 10)

Clinical Trials Bring Hope to Cancer Patients in B.C. Researchers and patients collaborate to overcome ovarian and lung cancers T he cancer treatments prescribed each day to patients all had their start in a lab. Introducing a new drug or treatment method takes years of research before entering a critical phase known as clinical trials. Clinical trials are studies that involve people, whether testing brand new, tweaked or combination therapies in patients. It's a stringent system of three phases that ultimately determines safety and whether the treatment works. Drs. Cheryl Ho and Nevin Murray lead clinical trials at the BC Cancer Agency to improve lung cancer treatment. 10 PARTNERS IN DISCOVERY It has been proven that patient outcomes (or survival rates) are better at care centres that offer clinical trials. Participants help improve care and advance the research while working to get healthy. TESTING IMMUNE-BASED TREATMENTS FOR OVARIAN CANCER Currently, radiation is one of the most widely used forms of cancer therapy. More than 50 per cent of all patients receive it during their treatment. Lab-based research has proven that radiation can stimulate the patient's immune system. Based on this, the BC Cancer Agency's Dr. Julian Lum and Dr. Anna Tinker have begun the first-ever Phase I clinical trial that combines immune-based treatments with radiation therapy for ovarian cancer. "When Dr. Tinker, who treats ovarian cancer, and I first discussed the idea, she pointed out that ovarian cancer would be the perfect cancer to test this new concept, as there is an urgent need for new treatments," Dr. Lum explains. Drs. Tinker and Lum consulted expert radiation oncologists Drs. Peter Lim, Mohamed Khan and Christina Parsons, who helped develop a combination radiation and immunotherapy treatment plan. When the trial design finally came together, Dr. Lum realized how immensely satisfying it was to work as a team to bring this first trial to the Agency. As a Phase I trial, their main goal is to determine if the combination of radiation and immunotherapy is safe. "We have great hopes that we may be working on a major advancement in the treatment of ovarian cancer, and we're inspired by our patients to think creatively and push the boundaries of what we know," Dr. Tinker says.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BC Cancer Foundation - Spring 2016

BC Cancer Foundation - Spring 2016
Opening Thoughts
Contents
Healthy Insights
Why I Give
Researcher Profile
Defying the Odds: New Prostate Cancer
Clinical Trials Advance Cancer Care for All
Malaria Protein Shows Promise
Legacy Giving
Regional Roundup

BC Cancer Foundation - Spring 2016