`Research autopsy' enable scientists study why certain cancer therapies
stop working
Patients agree in life to donate biological samples in death for cancer research

Date:
September 28, 2021
Source:
Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center
Summary:
A new research study turns cancer scientists into molecular
detectives, searching for clues for why certain cancers are able
to spread and evolve by studying tissues collected within hours
of death.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A new research study at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer
Center - - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC -- James) turns cancer scientists into molecular
detectives, searching for clues for why certain cancers are able to
spread and evolve by studying tissues collected within hours of death.


==========================================================================
Led by Dr. Sameek Roychowdhury, this unique clinical research study --
known as the Rapid Cancer Research Autopsy Trial -- allows scientists to
gather biological samples after a patient's death to conduct research
otherwise not possible, with the goal of better understanding how the
cancer cells overcame different treatments.

"As patients undergo cancer treatment and, in some instances, succumb to
their disease, there's limited opportunity to understand their cancer and
what made it so lethal and what took their lives," said Roychowdhury,a
medical oncologist and researcher with the OSUCCC -- James Translational Therapeutics Program.

"The rapid autopsy program allows us to sample every site of cancer
in the body. This can help us understand how the cancer cells overcame different treatments and then go back to the drawing board to develop
better therapies targeted to different genes and types of cancer."
For this Pelotonia-funded study, patients consent during life to donate biological samples upon death for the purposes of cancer research. When
the patient passes, researchers rapidly mobilize to perform an autopsy
before tissues degrade. Samples are preserved to "freeze/pause" the
tissue characteristics at that moment so that they can go back to the
lab and identify potential genetic mutations or cellular characteristics
that could explain why therapy stopped working, in hopes of guiding
future therapies.

Study Findings Impacting Cancer Care Since the trial's launch in
2016, the OSUCCC -- James rapid research autopsy team has performed 55 autopsies. Data gathered from these autopsies has already led to novel
findings about drug resistance mechanisms for a recently approved, novel targeted therapy called infigratinib (pronounced "IN fig RA ti nib,"
marketed as Truseltiq, pronounced "troo-SEL-tik"). This drug targets
FGFR2 gene mutations known as fusions in cholangiocarcinoma and other
cancer types.

The team recently published findings in the medical journal Lancet: Gastroenterology & Hepatology from a single-arm, multicenter, phase 2
study of the drug infigratinib in previously treated patients with locally advanced or metastatic cholangiocarcinoma, a rare and difficult-to-treat
form that occurs in the bile duct. Results showed meaningful impact
on tumor response and led to the FDA-approval of this therapy for cholangiocarcinoma and these specific FGFR2 fusions in May 2021. Going
beyond cholangiocarcinoma, OSUCCC -- James investigators are enrolling
patients to a phase 2 study of infigratinib for patients with other
cancer types that harbor FGFR gene mutations. This study was designed and developed by the OSUCCC -- James team as an investigator- initiated trial
in partnership with the drug development industry. Roychowdhury notes this study could provide evidence that more patients with FGFR gene mutations
could benefit from new therapy approaches that directly target FGFR.

"This represents a strong potential new therapy option for diseases that
have limited treatment options," Roychowdhury said. "We are so humbled
by our patients' selflessness by participating in research that will help others. It is a legacy of hope and exciting to see both precision cancer medicine and the research autopsy trial translating into discoveries at
the patient's bedside." Roychowdhury says his team is continually humbled
by patients' eagerness to help advance research in any way possible, even
if those discoveries will not come in time to eradicate their own disease.

"Everyone on our team sees it as a privilege and duty to care for them
in that research study and to use that autopsy to help others as that
patient would have wanted," he said. "We're understanding how to better
take care of patients with cancer, find better ways to develop therapies
and to understand biology.

But even more rewarding is the fact that almost
every single family member has said to me how grateful
they are that their loved one could be part of the study." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Ohio_State_University_Wexner_Medical_Center. Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Milind Javle, Sameek Roychowdhury, Robin Kate Kelley, Saeed Sadeghi,
Teresa Macarulla, Karl Heinz Weiss, Dirk-Thomas Waldschmidt, Lipika
Goyal, Ivan Borbath, Anthony El-Khoueiry, Mitesh J Borad, Wei Peng
Yong, Philip A Philip, Michael Bitzer, Surbpong Tanasanvimon,
Ai Li, Amit Pande, Harris S Soifer, Stacie Peacock Shepherd,
Susan Moran, Andrew X Zhu, Tanios S Bekaii-Saab, Ghassan K
Abou-Alfa. Infigratinib (BGJ398) in previously treated patients
with advanced or metastatic cholangiocarcinoma with FGFR2 fusions
or rearrangements: mature results from a multicentre, open-label,
single-arm, phase 2 study. The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology,
2021; 6 (10): 803 DOI: 10.1016/S2468-1253 (21)00196-5 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210928121338.htm

--- up 3 weeks, 5 days, 8 hours, 25 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3)