Clinical Corner
Trials + Updates
Clinical Snapshot: A Second Chance at Life
Cristina Matos was referred to the UF Health Cancer Center by a nurse friend. Together, they were searching for possible solutions to Cristina’s debilitating diagnoses, a glioblastoma and spine metastasis. Cristina was in horrible pain and bedridden. She was on multiple medications, and had been told by her local doctors she had only weeks to live.
When she arrived at the Preston A. Wells Jr. Center for Brain Tumor Therapy at UF, Cristina met David Tran, M.D., a UF Health Cancer Center neuro-oncologist. He was able to use a genomic therapy to determine targeted chemotherapy for Cristina.
Tran reduced Cristina’s medications, and put her on chemo medication only. Within days, she began to feel positive effects, and within weeks she was able to walk.
“My pain is minimal at this point. It’s been about a year since I met Dr. Tran, and life is good. I’m happy,” she said. Cristina is traveling the world with her family, exercising at the gym, going out with friends, driving and enjoying being a mom to her young son.
Tran said her response to this medication is unprecedented. And she agrees. “I had a death sentence. I was lying in my bedroom waiting to die,” Cristina said. “I am so glad I listened to my heart, chose to fight and found this option.”
Clinical Trial Highlight: Refractory Cancers
A selection of clinical trials currently recruiting patients with refractory malignancies
This is a Phase 2 study to investigate newly diagnosed patients with glioblastoma. Patients will receive chemotherapy and radiation with randomization to one of three vaccine groups: placebo, pp65 CMV RNA dendritic cell vaccine using shLAMP or pp65 CMV RNA dendritic cell vaccine with flLAMP.
Principal Investigator: Maryam Rahman, MD, cell: 352.682.6717
This is a Phase 2 study to determine if a therapy designed for each individual tumor will improve recurrence and survival over standard of care. Patients with residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for triple negative breast cancer undergo genomic testing on the surgical specimen. Following post-op radiation, if indicated, patients receive 12-16 weeks of investigational adjuvant therapy versus standard of care which may otherwise include observation or capectabine for 8 cycles.
Principle Investigator: Karen Daily, DO, cell: 352.222.1423
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