Targeted Therapy for Liver or Biliary Tract CancerUntitled Document
Name of the Trial
Phase II Study of Lapatinib in Patients With Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma
or Biliary Tract Carcinoma (OSU-0447). See the protocol
abstract.
Principal Investigator
Dr. Tanios Bekaii-Saab, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research
Institute at Ohio State University.
Why This Trial Is Important
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Dr. Tanios Bekaii-Saab
Principal Investigator |
Hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) and biliary tract carcinoma (cancer
of the bile ducts) are rare in the United States; however, patients with these
cancers face a bleak prognosis if their tumors cannot be surgically removed.
In this clinical trial, researchers are testing the ability of a new drug called
lapatinib to delay tumor growth and possibly improve the survival
of patients
with inoperable hepatocellular or biliary tract cancer. Lapatinib works by disrupting
chemical signals that stimulate the growth and spread of cancer cells. Specifically,
this drug blocks the activity of two tyrosine kinases (proteins involved in
cell communication) called EGFR and HER2, which are found in increased amounts
on some types of cancer cells, including hepatocellular and biliary tract cancers.
"Lapatinib represents a new generation of targeted therapies in that it
targets multiple proteins that affect the growth and metastatic potential of
cancer cells," said Dr. Bekaii-Saab. "The EGFR and HER2 proteins may
work in tandem in these tumors, so it makes sense to employ an agent that can
effectively block the activity of both proteins.
"Patients with inoperable liver or biliary tract cancer have very few
options available to them," Dr. Bekaii-Saab said. "We hope that lapatinib
will offer these patients a new and more effective treatment choice than traditional
chemotherapy."
Contact Information
This clinical trial is no longer accepting new patients. To locate other clinical
trials for liver or biliary tract cancer, search the NCI's
database of clinical trials or call the NCI's Cancer Information Service
at 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237). The toll-free call is completely confidential.
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