Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials in Dallas, Texas Area

I went to your blog to see about posting a note for patients who are in the Dallas area. I wanted to make your readers/bloggers aware of the availability of several clinical trials for prostate cancer here in Dallas.

My name is Barry Mirtsching, MD. I have directed a clinical research program here at Medical City Dallas Hospital for about 10 years. We now have about 60 studies for various malignancies that are active at the Center for Oncology Research & Treatment. We have expanded to a second location in Plano, TX, for patients who live farther to the North. I believe we have the most comprehensive program of clinical studies for prostate cancer in the Dallas area. We attempt to have multiple options open for our prostate cancer patients, so they can sequentially have access to a series of therapies. I believe that has tremendously improved survival and disease control in the hormone-refractory patient group of patients that we see.

Our current trials for prostate cancer and renal carcinoma (urologic cancer) patients include (with brief descriptions of the studies and risks):

G-VAX Vaccine Study for Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer

G-VAX is a cellular vaccine against prostate cancer. Initial studies have demonstrated activity of G-VAX in prostate cancer patients who have failed hormone treatments (hormone refractory prostate cancer, HRPC). Two national studies of G-VAX for HRPC have been conducted at CORT. The first, VITAL-1, is no longer enrolling patients. This study tested the G-VAX therapy against standard therapy with docetaxel (Taxotere) and prednisone in patients who do not have bone pain related to metastatic disease. The second study, VITAL-2, is continuing at CORT, enrolling patients who have active bone pain related to their metastatic disease. This study tests standard therapy with Taxotere and prednisone with or without the G-VAX vaccine. All patients do receive standard therapy.

The risks of chemotherapy for HRPC in this study are fatigue, nausea, vomiting, muscle or bone aches, sensory neuropathy, fever, allergic reaction, or low blood counts. These risks are those of standard treatment. The risk of G-VAX is injection site swelling and discomfort.

DN-101 (Ascentar) for Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer

DN-101 (Ascentar) is a high-dose formulation of the active form of vitamin D. Vitamin D, once thought of as only a hormone that regulates calcium metabolism, is now known to be an important growth regulator in many types of tissues, by its action on vitamin D receptors. Activation of vitamin D receptors slows or stops cell division, and promotes differentiation of cells, the process of cells taking on normal functions. In an initial phase II study, addition of DN-101 to standard chemotherapy with docetaxel (Taxotere) and prednisone has been shown to increase response to treatment and prolong disease control in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). CORT is conducting a phase III study of standard Taxotere and prednisone therapy with or without Ascentar for the first-line treatment of HRPC. All patients do receive standard therapy.