The University of Kansas Cancer Center Leads the Way in Clinical Trial

From studying a new drug combination in women at high risk for breast cancer to looking at a new agent in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers, researchers at The University of Kansas Cancer Center continually conduct clinical trials that shape tomorrow’s treatments.

Understanding Clinical Trials
Clinical trials – research studies that test new treatments, interventions or devices on volunteers – are essential for advancing medical knowledge and improving health outcomes. Clinical trials aim to answer specific questions about the safety, effectiveness and side effects of these innovations. They also help regulators and health authorities make informed decisions about approving and recommending new treatments for diseases and conditions.

Cancer clinical trials focus on important topics, including:

• Prevention;
• Screening;
• Diagnostics;
• Treatments;
• Supportive care; and
• Quality of life.

The infrastructure and expertise required to run a clinical trial is complex. It takes specialized staff, equipment, facilities and resources. KU Cancer Center employs more than 180 staff members and 75 oncologists. Most KU Cancer Center early phase clinical trials take place at the JCERT-funded KU Clinical Research Center, which features state-of-the-art operations housing all clinical research functions. Conducting clinical research involves many steps, such as designing the trial protocol; recruiting and screening participants; obtaining ethical approval; assessing study progress; collecting and analyzing data; reporting and disseminating results; and ensuring participant safety throughout the trial.

KU Cancer Center Leading the Way
The KU Cancer Center has garnered an excellent reputation for its clinical trials work and contributed to significant national studies. It has participated in exclusive NCI clinical trial network groups, including the Experimental Therapeutics Clinical Trials Network (ETCTN) and NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP). At any given time, the cancer center has nearly 600 studies in various stages.

Highlighted below are a few examples of clinical trials KU Cancer Center principal investigators are leading.

• Breast Cancer: Phase IIB Trial of Bazedoxifene plus Conjugated Estrogens
  In this prevention trial, researchers are studying a drug combination in women at high risk for breast cancer and experiencing menopausal symptoms to see if it reduces mammographic breast density and other risk biomarkers for breast cancer. View complete trial details at ClinicalTrials.gov.
   
• Pancreatic, Colon and Appendiceal Cancer: CEND-1 in Combination with Neoadjuvant FOLFIRINOX with or without Panitumumab (CENDIFOX)
  This is a phase IB/IIA treatment trial to determine if adding a novel agent called CEND-1 enhances chemotherapy’s efficacy in pancreatic, colon and appendiceal cancers. View complete trial details at ClinicalTrials.gov.

Physicians, clinicians and patients interested in learning about other trials offered at the KU Cancer Center can download its Clinical Trial Finder app. To download, go to the App Store or Google Play Store and search for “KUCC Clinical Trial Finder.”