The cancer center is participating in a first-of-its-kind study with the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
As part of Levine Cancer Institute’s mission of bringing patients increased access to the newest therapies and treatment options available, the Institute is one of only three sites nationwide that will begin enrolling patients in a clinical trial with implications that could shape the future of individualized cancer therapy.
In June 2015, the
TAPUR (Targeted Agent and Profiling Utilization Registry) was announced at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)’s annual meeting, as the first-ever clinical trial to be sponsored by the organization. The breakthrough study will give patients with various forms of advanced-stage cancer access to molecularly targeted drugs, while providing oncologists new knowledge that could allow them to treat a wider range of patients more effectively, and precisely.
Tailoring treatment for an individual’s specific tumor has proven to be a valuable, and effective approach. Due to varying gene expressions that make certain patients resistant to the standard types of treatment, one of the goals of the TAPUR study will be to determine which subset of cancer patients benefit most from drugs that target a specific genetic mutation – and why.
“TAPUR signifies an important milestone towards our continued effort to better understand the emerging field of personalized medicine,” said Edward S. Kim, MD, Chair of Solid Tumor Oncology & Investigational Therapeutics at Levine Cancer Institute. “For patients who have stopped responding to traditional treatments, this trial will bring them unprecedented access to other, potentially life-saving, options. Levine Cancer Institute is honored to be one of the initial sites involved in this important study.”
Unique to TAPUR, is the fact that it will include a broader patient population than in most clinical trials. Any advanced solid tumor, multiple myeloma, or B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma patient who is no longer benefiting from other treatments is eligible to participate.
