October 20, 2011 (ATLANTA) – Georgia Cancer Specialists (GCS) researchers participated in two groundbreaking clinical trials for breast cancer whose results were recently published. GCS enrolled a large number of patients on two breast cancer trials that evaluated adjuvant chemotherapy in women following surgical removal of breast cancer. The BCIRG-005 study evaluated two different sequences of adjuvant chemotherapy for patients with Her2-negative breast cancer, while BCIRG-006 evaluated the efficacy and safety of a new nonanthracycline regimen in combination with Herceptin in patients with Her2-positive breast cancer.
Dr. Mansoor Saleh, Director of Clinical Research at GCS, was a contributing author on the BCIRG-005 study to determine whether giving breast cancer patients the drugs Adriamycin, Cytoxan, and Taxane together is better than giving them sequentially. The results of the BCIRG-005 trial, which were published in the September 2011 issue of theJournal of Clinical Oncology[1], led researchers to conclude that the sequential and combination regimens incorporating the three drugs were equally effective but differed in toxicity profile.
The New England Journal of Medicine published results from BCIRG 006 trial in their October 2011 issue[2]. The trial, which followed over 3,000 women with Her2-positive early-stage breast cancer, showed the addition of one year of adjuvant trastuzumab significantly improved disease-free and overall survival among women with Her2-positive breast cancer. Furthermore, the risk-benefit ratio favored the nonanthracycline regimen, since it produced similar efficacy but reduced toxicity.
“The results of the BCIRG-005 and 006 trials give us important information that directly benefits patients with breast cancer and helps us tailor treatment to improve patients’ quality of life without sacrificing efficacy,” Dr. Saleh said.
“Such progress, which directly benefits our patients, is only possible through active participation and dedication to clinical research. We at GCS are committed to ensuring that our patients have access to these cutting-edge clinical trials.”
GCS – a top 10 cancer practice in the U.S. – is committed to making targeted cancer therapy accessible to as many patients as possible. With five research sites in Metro Atlanta, Macon, and Athens, GCS patients across the state were able to take part in the trials. GCS is the only private cancer practice in Georgia to offer Phase I trials.
Georgia Cancer Specialists is a Top 10 private cancer practice in the U.S. and a leader in advanced cancer treatment and research. The practice supports more than 200,000 patient visits each year. GCS offers community-based medical oncology and hematology services and is the first private oncology practice to also provide a full range of support services for patients in Georgia, including wellness counseling and home health coordination. The GCS research department, whose focus is bringing targeted cancer therapy to communities, is the first in Georgia to offer Phase I clinical trials, the most novel cancer therapies available. GCS has 29 offices, 45 physicians, and more than 500 support staff members located in Metro Atlanta, and North and Central Georgia. Georgia Cancer Specialists can be found on the web at www.gacancer.com. GCS is The Cancer Answer.
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