Clinical trial needs patients

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Clinical trial needs patients

The Marquette General Cancer Center is participating in a nationwide clinical trial to test a new drug in lung cancer. The ATLAS study will focus on lung cancer patients whose tumors cannot be treated with radiation or surgery.

Eligible patients are those with locally advanced, recurrent, or metastatic, non-small cell lung cancer.

Marquette General is the only institution in Upper Michigan and northeastern Wisconsin to make this clinical trial available to local patients.

Eligible patients will receive 4 cycles of chemotherapy and bevacizumab. After four cycles, participants who do not have disease progression will be randomized into either a bevacizumab + erlotinib or bevacizumab + placebo group.

Approximately 1200 patients nationwide will be appropriate for the trial, and MGH seeks to enroll a minimum of 10 patients. There is no additional cost to patients for the medications or any other testing such as lab work and CT scans required as part of this clinical. All portions for the “standard” treatment” will be covered as usual by the patient’s insurance.

Patients must be referred to one of these medical oncologists associated with U.P. Hematology-Oncology Associates: Dr. Aaron Scholnik, Dr. Sheetal Acharya and Dr. Shahid Shekhani in Marquette at 225-3922; Dr. Irina Sachelarie in Hancock at 483-1730; Dr. Mohammad Nsour in Escanaba at 786-2172; and Dr. Gustavo Morel in Iron Mountain at 774-6257.

For information on trial eligibility, contact the Marquette General Cancer Center research department at 225-3467 or 1-800-562-9753, Ext. 3467, or visit www.mgh.org/cancer