Nutlin (p53) activator for high grade sarcomas
Nutlin is chemical that stimulates the expression of the the gene, p53. This gene is the natural killer of cancer cells and is often supressed by cancer cells through a multitude of mechanisms. This study takes fresh samples of sarcomas and treats them in the lab with nutlin to determine if p53 can be enhanced and stimulate sarcoma death.
High grade soft tissue sarcomas
High grade soft tissue sarcomas are rare but deadly killers. Traditional treatment has consisted of surgery and radiation but often this cancer has already spread so this treatment fails to cure in 50%. Treating the entire body is therefore necessary if all are to be cured. To this end, whole body treatment with chemotherapy drugs (dox/ifos/dac) that have been shown to have activity against sarcomas is being trialled.
Rhabdomyosarcoma COG ARST0331
Localised embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in patients under 50 with either favourable sites and gross residual or unfavourable sites with complete or microscopic residual
Rhabdomyosarcoma COG ARST0531
For localised alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma and for gross residual embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma at unfavourable sites in patients under 50 years old.
Non-RMS soft tissue sarcoma COG ARST0332
Soft tissue sarcomas (excluding rhabdmyosarcoma) under the age of 30 except unresectable or metastatic dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, desmoplastic small round cell tumour and infantile fibrosarcoma.
Osteosarcoma COG AOST0331
Newly diagnosed resectable osteosarcoma (includes those with resectable lung metastases) between 5 and 40 years.
Ewings sarcoma with lung metastases COG AEWS0331
A comparison of Bu-Mel autografting versus continuing chemotherapy and whole lung radiation treatment following definitive surgery after chemotherapy (vinc/ifos/dox/etop) induction.
Studies due to start in 2011:
All solid tumours ACCT CLBH589AAU03T
A new drug (panabinostat). All refractory solid tumours eligible, patients under 18; likely to commence by about late March 2011
Ewings sarcoma COG AEWS1031
Localised Ewings under 50 years. New chemotherapy regime with extra chemotherapy agents added. Likely to start mid-March 2011
Metastatic Rhabdomyosarcoma COG ARST08P1
New drugs (temozolomide and cituxumumab aka IMC-A12) to interval compressed Chemotherapy (vinc/dox/cyclo plus ifos/etop). Likely to start mid-April 2011
For more information call (08) 8222 0772.