Clinical Trials — Page 3 — Stanford Cancer Institute Clinical Trials Office Blog

Clinical Trials Awareness Month – April 2018

March 13, 2018 - SCI Communications

The Stanford Cancer Institute invites the clinical research groups and shared research teams to get involved with the April 2018 Clinical Trials Awareness Month (CTAM) at the Stanford Cancer Centers in Palo Alto and South Bay. Please pass along this information to your team.

This year’s activities will be:
1. Clinical research poster exhibits at the CC Palo Alto (all posters) and CC South Bay (select posters)
  Volunteer sign-up for poster set-up available at http://signup.com/go/MgjWjzc
2. Two days of clinical trials information desk at CC Palo Alto from 10am – 12pm:
  Tuesday April 17th & Thursday April 26th
  30-min volunteer slot sign-up at http://signup.com/go/MgjWjzc
3. Dissemination of Stanford clinical trials buttons and pins
  Supply available at FCTR 800 Welch building. Please inquire with Amanda Sullivan regarding supply needs
  - “Ask Me about Clinical Trial” buttons for CCTO staff, Cancer Center clinicians, other appropriate Cancer Center staff.
  - “Hero for Research” lapel pins for cancer clinical trial participants (study volunteer appreciation gift).
Please notify Ellen DiNucci by THURSDAY MARCH 15th, if your CRG and/or shared research team will participate in any of the following ways:
- Create a new poster for your CRG/shared research team. Provide us a direct main contact for this task. See templates: https://stanfordmedicine.app.box.com/s/529wtsm60z0keuqpp1yjljzck2l69ppj/folder/47349577848
- Re-use a poster from CTAM 2017. Please visit the Box.com folder containing last year’s posters in PDF: https://stanfordmedicine.app.box.com/s/529wtsm60z0keuqpp1yjljzck2l69ppj/folder/47298328019
- Create a clinical trial listing or featured trials handout for the poster and/or the information desk. Provide us a direct main contact for this task. Please see templates: https://stanfordmedicine.app.box.com/s/529wtsm60z0keuqpp1yjljzck2l69ppj/folder/47349577848
  **Please note: 1) New poster templates are size 24″x36″ to help reduce printing time and cost; 2) Handouts will be in B&W printing; 3) The SCI Outreach and Communications Team will take care of your printing needs.

If you have a great idea for shared research area poster and/or handout, clinical research staff/groups are encouraged to work collaboratively. Let us know if you need help in coordinating this effort.

Please contact Ellen and she will provide the designated main contact(s) with further details regarding guidelines and deadlines to complete the task(s). If you have questions or need more information, contact Ellen DiNucci at: 650-725-2839 or edinucci@stanford.edu

Breakthrough Publication by Dr. Levy Showing Efficacy of Two Immunotherapy Drugs in Mice

February 12, 2018 - SCI Communications

Recently Dr. Ron Levy had a breakthrough publication in Science Translational Medicine showing that a combination of two immunotherapy drugs given as a vaccine can eradicate or prevent the occurrence of multiple types of cancers in mice. He is about to open a corresponding Phase I study for non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients. This publication has gotten a lot of media attention and as a result, many interested individuals have reached out hoping to be part of this study.

A landing page with information has been created at: http://cancer.stanford.edu/trials/vaccine.html. If you happen to be contacted, please refer to this webpage.

More information:

New FDA-approved Drug Yescarta available at Stanford for Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

October 24, 2017 - SCI Communications

Last night’s broadcast on KTVU featured an interview with Dr. Miklos about a new immunotherapy drug, Yescarta. KGO TV also interviewed Dr. Miklos and Dr. Mackall as well as two patients who contributed moving stories about their experience with Yescarta. The KTVU segment can be viewed below.

Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel) is a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy, and is the second gene therapy approved by the FDA and the first for certain types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). More information can be found on the FDA’s press release.

For the next year Stanford will be the only cancer center providing Yescarta in northern California, and one of only three treatment centers on the west coast (the others are Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA; and City of Hope, Duarte, CA). Many thanks to the Cancer Cell Therapy team and Dr. Miklos for their work on the Kite Pharma trials studying this drug.

New FDA Approved Drug for Breast Cancer

October 4, 2017 - SCI Communications

On September 28, 2017, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Verzenio (abemaciclib) to treat adult patients who have hormone receptor (HR)-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer that has progressed after taking therapy that alters a patient’s hormones (endocrine therapy). Many thanks to the Breast Group for their hard work on BRS0044, a Phase 3 Eli Lilly trial that studied this drug. More information can be found on the FDA’s press release.

Moving Video about New Gastric Cancer Trial

October 3, 2017 - SCI Communications

The following video about Dr. Kunz’s newly-opened gastric cancer trial was posted recently to Stanford Medicine’s Scope blog. This study was funded by a gift from Jeff Shottenstein, who wanted other gastric cancer patients to have the option of a new innovative treatment despite the fact that his wife wouldn’t benefit. Click play for Jeff’s moving story about his wife Sara.