Cancer Clinical Trials during Coronavirus - National Cancer Institute

Cancer Clinical Trials during Coronavirus - National Cancer Institute

Clinical Trials
Updates from the National Cancer Institute
Clinical Trials News
Cancer Clinical Trials during COVID-19 The coronavirus has forced some changes to cancer clinical trials. Read how COVID-19 has affected some NCI trials and what patients in these trials should know.
		Study Clarifies Timing of Immunotherapy for Advanced Bladder Cancer Results from a large clinical trial show that, for most people with advanced bladder cancer, starting immunotherapy with avelumab (Bavencio) shortly after initial treatment with chemotherapy is better than delaying treatment.
		Selpercatinib Approved for Thyroid and Lung Cancers with RET Gene Alterations FDA has granted accelerated approval for selpercatinib (Retevmo) to treat certain people with thyroid cancer or non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors have RET gene alterations. The drug, which works by blocking the activity of RET proteins, was approved based on the results of the LIBRETTO-001 trial.
		Olanzapine Reduces Nausea and Vomiting Caused by Advanced Cancer Many people with advanced cancer suffer from chronic nausea and vomiting and there aren’t many treatments available. But a small pilot trial suggests that the drug olanzapine (Zyprexa) may fill that gap.
Prostate Cancer Treatment Enters the PARP Era with Two FDA Approvals Based on results from two separate clinical trials, FDA has approved olaparib (Lynparza) and granted accelerated approval to rucaparib (Rubraca) to treat some men with metastatic prostate cancer. The PARP inhibitors are approved for men whose cancers have stopped responding to hormone treatment and have specific genetic alterations.
Acalabrutinib Possible Treatment for Severe Respiratory Distress in Patients With COVID-19 Early data from a clinical study suggest that blocking the Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) protein helped a small group of patients with severe COVID-19. Researchers observed that use of the cancer drug acalabrutinib, a BTK inhibitor that is approved to treat several blood cancers, was associated with reduced respiratory distress and a reduction in the overactive immune response in most of the treated patients.
		Atezolizumab Plus Bevacizumab Approved to Treat Liver Cancer FDA has approved atezolizumab (Tecentriq) plus bevacizumab (Avastin) as an initial treatment for some people with advanced liver cancer. The approval, based on results from the IMbrave150 phase 3 trial, is the first in 13 years for a treatment that is more effective than the current standard, sorafenib.
Clinical Trials Information for Patients and Caregivers
What Are Clinical Trials? Clinical trials are research studies that involve people. They are an essential step in developing treatments as well as screening and diagnostic tests and finding ways to prevent cancer. This page can help people who want to learn more about what clinical trials are and why they are important.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Treatment Clinical Trials Clinical trials can be confusing for people with cancer. This page includes questions that patients thinking about taking part in a cancer treatment clinical trial can ask their health care providers.
		Find NCI-Supported Clinical Trials Use our search form to find a clinical trial or other research study that may be right for you or a loved one.
NCI-Supported Clinical Trials That Are Recruiting Patients
Experimental Drug for Relapsed Low-Grade and Anaplastic Ependymomas This phase 2 trial will test how well the experimental drug marizomib works for adult patients with relapsed low-grade ependymoma or anaplastic ependymoma of the brain or spinal cord. Ependymomas are rare tumors of the central nervous system and may form anywhere in the brain or spinal column. Doctors want to see if marizomib can stop ependymomas from growing and prolong the duration of tumor control.
Treating Widespread Peritoneal Tumors in People with Metastatic Stomach Cancer This phase 2 trial will test how well delivering oral capecitabine combined with paclitaxel chemotherapy administered as injection into a vein and through a port directly into the stomach cavity work for patients with advanced stomach cancer that has spread to the lining of the abdominal cavity. Researchers want to see if this chemotherapy combination and method of delivery can improve how long patients live without their cancer getting worse.
Combining Targeted and Radioactive Drugs for Metastatic Prostate Cancer This phase 1/2 trial will test olaparib, a PARP inhibitor, combined with radium Ra 223 dichloride for men with castrate-resistant prostate cancer that has spread to the bone and other places in the body. Doctors want to determine the best dose and side effects of olaparib and radium Ra 223 dichloride and see how well the combination works to prevent prostate cancer that has spread from progressing.