Gastrointestinal & Liver Disease
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Cancer
MMRF researchers at the HCMC Comprehensive Cancer Center are committed to research into the treatment and prevention of many forms of cancer and the training of physicians and other health care professionals.
The majority of MMRF's cancer research involves the evaluation of cancer treatments. Breast cancer studies are comparing new therapies to those currently used. Research in colon cancer is comparing the effectiveness of an oral chemotherapy versus an intravenous chemotherapy in treating the disease. Research in the area of rectal cancer is evaluating whether chemotherapy both preoperatively and postoperatively is more effective than the current treatment of chemotherapy only after surgery. The Cancer Research Program was also involved in the only nationwide breast cancer prevention study, the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial (BCPT). The study showed that women who are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer show a 49 percent reduction in breast cancer incidence when taking the drug Tamoxifen.
Current Research
The Cancer Research Program is a Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation (MMRF) designated research program. MMRF cancer research supports and collaborates with numerous local and national organizations to study the most applicable, pertinent, and cutting edge drugs, strategies, and therapies. MMRF's Cancer Research Program is also an affiliate member of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Program (NSABP), which is a National Cancer Institute funded cooperative group of institutions nationwide whose mission is to study treatment and prevention of breast and colorectal cancer. For more information on the following studies, please contact Carol Schmidt, 612-873-5911.
Breast Cancer Treatment
NSABP B-35 – (Open for enrollment) A Clinical Trial Comparing Anastrozole with Tamoxifen in Postmenopausal Patients with Ductal Carcinoma In-Situ (DCIS) Undergoing Lumpectomy with Radiation Therapy. A trial for women with cancer that has not spread into the local tissue (ductal carcinoma in-situ, or DCIS) will compare the benefits and risks of using a class of drugs called aromatase inhibitors in place of tamoxifen. Estrogen has been shown to help most breast cancers grow; both the tamoxifen and the anastrazole starve the breast tissue and potential cancer cells of needed estrogen: tamoxifen blocks estrogen from the breast tissue, while anastrazole stops all production of estrogen in a woman’s body. Investigators want to know if anastrazole is as effective in the prevention of breast cancer recurrence as the standard treatment with tamoxifen. Assignment to therapy is by chance, like the flip of a coin, and neither the patient nor their doctor will know which drug they are taking.
NSABP B-36 – (Open for enrollment) A Clinical Trial of Adjuvant Therapy Comparing Six Cycles of 5-Fluorouracil, Epirubicin, and Cyclophosphamide (FEC) to Four Cycles of Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide (AC) in Patients with Node-Negative Breast Cancer. For years the Europeans have been using FEC while the U.S. has been using AC in the treatment of breast cancer. The goal of this study is to find out if one combination is better in the treatment of breast cancer which has not spread to the lymph nodes under the arm. Assignment is by chance and every woman has a 50-50 chance of being assigned to FEC or AC.
NSABP B-38 – (Open for enrollment) A Phase III Adjuvant Trial Comparing Three Chemotherapy Regimens in Women with Node-Positive Breast Cancer: Docetaxel/Doxorubicin/Cyclophosphamide (TAC); Dose-Dense (DD) Doxorubicin/Cyclophosphamide Followed by DD Paclitaxel (DD AC->P); DD AC Followed By DD Paclitaxel Plus Gemcitabine (DD AC->PG). This is a three arm study designed for women with cancer that has spread into the lymph nodes under the arm. Investigators are matching up two proven regimens: the triple drug regimen of TAC, given every 3 weeks, with the dose-dense doublet regimen followed by a taxane, given every 2 weeks to find out if one regimen is more effective than the other. Additionally, the study will look at the effectiveness of adding a new drug, gemcitabine, to the dose-dense chemotherapy regimen. Gemcitabine has shown a lot of activity in treatment of metastatic breast cancer (cancer that has spread to other parts of the body), and researchers hope to show that this drug will be an effective treatment for women before the cancer spreads. Patients will be split equally between the three treatments, and assignment is by chance.
Colon Cancer Treatment
NSABP C-08 – (Open for enrollment) A Phase III Clinical Trial Comparing Infusional 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU), Leucovorin, and Oxaliplatin (mFOLFOX6) Every Two Weeks with Bevacizumab to the Same Regimen without Bevacizumab for the Treatment of Patients with Resected Stages II and III Carcinoma of the Colon. A new “targeted therapy” drug, bevacizumab, prevents new blood supplies from developing around cancer tumors, starving the tumor of necessary nutrients to survive. Because this drug only targets the blood supply to cancer cells, it has far fewer side effects than standard chemotherapy. The drug is being used widely in the treatment of colon cancer that has spread to other parts of the body (metastatic cancer). The purpose of this study is to find out if giving bevacizumab before the cancer has spread can prevent the cancer from coming back. Half of the participants will be assigned to receive bevacizumab, and assignment is by chance.
Rectal Cancer Treatment
NSABP R-04 – (Open for enrollment) A Clinical Trial Comparing Preoperative Radiation Therapy and Capecitabine with Preoperative Radiation Therapy and Continuous Intravenous Infusion (CVI) of 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) in the Treatment of Patients with Operable Carcinoma of the Rectum. A new study in rectal cancer will compare the effects of an oral chemotherapy drug, capecitabine, to the standard chemotherapy drug given in the vein. Capecitabine works actively against rectal cancer and the study would like to show which therapy is more effective or which therapy is better tolerated. The chemotherapy will be given with radiation therapy before the participant has surgery to remove their cancer. Patients will be split equally between each treatment and assignment is by chance.
Other Treatments
Other research projects are available through association with outside cooperative groups.
Richard Zera, M.D., Ph.D.
Chief of Surgery/Surgical Oncology, Hennepin County Medical Center
Joan Van Camp, M.D.
Department of Surgery, Hennepin County Medical Center
Douglas Rausch, M.D.
Medical Director, Hennepin Comprehensive Cancer Center
Chief of Medical Oncology, Hennepin County Medical Center
Michael Belzer, M.D.
Department of Medical Oncology, Hennepin County Medical Center
Kathleen Ogle, M.D.
Department of Medical Oncology, Hennepin County Medical Center
Rachel Lerner, M.D.
Department of Medical Oncology, Hennepin County Medical Center
Gregory Meyers, M.D.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Hennepin County Medical Center
Carol Schmidt, R.N., OCN, CCRP
Clinical Research Nurse
612-873-5911
©2008 Minneapolis Medical Research Foundation
MMRF Webmaster
Last Modified:
June 6, 2008
