The Cancer Program at White Plains Hospital's goal is to always deliver the very best individualized patient care by providing our skilled and dedicated physicians with the newest technologies, techniques and therapies available. Our research program allows White Plains Hospital physicians to offer you the newest and most cutting- edge treatments.
A Randomized, Phase III Study of Standard Dosing Versus Longer Dosing Interval of Zoledronic Acid in Metastatic Cancer (Cancer and Leukemia Group B- 70604)
The purpose of this study is to compare the effects (good, bad or no difference) of less frequent treatment (every 12 weeks) with zoledronic acid (Zometa) compared to standard treatment (every 4 weeks) with zoledronic acid. Zoledronic acid has been FDA approved. We know that treatment with zoledronic acid decreases the risk of certain bone related complications in people with breast cancer, prostate cancer, or multiple myeloma AFTER the cancer has spread to the bones and continues to grow even with standard anti-cancer therapy. This research is being done because we do not know whether giving zoledronic acid less frequently will be as good as the standard dosing at preventing bone complications due to cancer. The research also hopes to find out whether less frequent dosing (every 12 weeks) of zoledronic acid is safer than more frequent dosing (every 4 weeks).
CHAARTED: ChemoHormonal Therapy versus Androgen Ablation Randomized Trial for Extensive Disease Prostate Cancer (E3805)
The purpose of this study is to evaluate a new way of treating patients with prostate cancer. In Arm A, patients will receive docetaxel chemotherapy both at the time they are starting hormonal therapy and later when/if the hormonal therapy is no longer working. In Arm B, patients only get chemotherapy when/if the hormonal therapy is no longer working. This study is being done to see if there is a benefit to giving chemotherapy at the beginning. This trial will let us know which approach is more effective in treating your disease.
A Phase III Clinical Trial Comparing Trastuzumab Given Concurrently with Radiation Therapy and Radiation Therapy Alone for Women with HER2-Positive Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Resected by Lumpectomy (B-43)
This study is being done to compare the effects, good and/or bad, of adding the drug trastuzumab (also called Herceptin) to breast radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is the standard treatment for patients with DCIS. This study will find out if adding trastuzumab to breast radiation therapy is more effective than radiation therapy without trastuzumab in preventing occurrence of breast cancer in the same breast, in the other breast, or in other parts of the body in patients with HER2-positive DCIS.
A Randomized Phase III Trial of Adjuvant Therapy Comparing Chemotherapy Alone (Six Cycles of Docetaxel Plus Cyclophosphamide or Four Cycles of Doxorubicin Plus Cyclophosphamide Followed by Weekly Paclitaxel) to Chemotherapy Plus Trastuzumab in Women with Node-Positive or High-Risk Node-Negative HER2-Low Invasive Breast Cancer (B-47)
The main purpose of this study is to learn if adding a targeted therapy, trastuzumab (Herceptin), to standard treatment with chemotherapy for early stage, HER2-low breast cancer, will prevent breast cancer from returning. A second purpose of this study is to learn if adding trastuzumab to treatment with chemotherapy will help women with HER2-low breast cancer live longer. Another goal of this study is to find out how the drugs used in this study affect menstrual cycles and if these changes in menstrual cycles have any effect on breast cancer.
A Randomized Phase III Trial to Test the Strategy of Changing Therapy Versus Maintaining Therapy for Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients Who Have Elevated Circulating Tumor Cell Levels at First Follow-up Assessment (S0500)
The purpose of this experimental study is to find out if the CellSearch® blood test, which identifies tumor cells in the blood, can predict survival outcome in patients with metastatic breast cancer. These tumor cells are called circulating tumor cells (CTCs). The CellSearch® blood test may allow doctors to tell if your current chemotherapy is not working before you show signs that your cancer is getting worse. This is based upon a prior study that showed that most women with high numbers of CTCs had worsening of their breast cancer within 1-3 months. In this prior study, increase in the size of a tumor or spread of cancer in the body was determined by standard clinical tests such as physical examinations, x-rays and scans, and not by the CellSearch® blood test. This study will test whether switching to another form of treatment based upon the results of the CellSearch® blood test helps people live longer. In addition, this study will be used to further confirm results of the prior study, which showed that patients with < 5 CTCs before they begin treatment are more likely to live longer than those with = 5 CTCs.
EVEREST: Everolimus for Renal Cancer Ensuing Surgical Therapy, a Phase III Study (S0931)
The purpose of this study is to see whether treatment with everolimus after surgery for kidney cancer will increase the time without cancer returning. The current standard treatment after surgery is careful monitoring with no immediate treatment. Studies suggest that one way kidney cancer may grow is through chemical signaling through a protein named "mTOR". Everolimus is a drug that stops signaling through mTOR and may therefore stop the growth of kidney cancer. Everolimus is a drug currently approved for the treatment of patients with advanced or metastatic kidney cancer. It is considered investigational for use after surgery. In this study, patients will get either everolimus or placebo (a pill with no medication).
For more information about these or other available research therapies, ask your physician or call the Dickstein Cancer Program, at 914-681-2700, or wphcmail@wphospital.org.