HOUSTON, Dec. 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading cancer researchers affiliated with the US Oncology Research Network were on hand at the 28th Annual San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Dec. 8-11 to present the findings of several of their recent breast cancer clinical research studies.
The closing day of the symposium featured an oral presentation by Dr. Stephen Jones, medical director of US Oncology Research and director of breast cancer research at the Texas Oncology - Sammons Cancer Center in Dallas. Dr. Jones presented the final analysis of an AC/TC adjuvant chemotherapy trial showed that TC (Docetaxel/Cyclophosphamide, 4 cycles) produced a superior disease-free survival compared to four cycles of standard AC (Doxorubicin/Cyclophosphamide) in 1,016 women at five years of observation.
“At five years, the disease-free survival rate was significantly superior for TC compared to AC,” said Dr. Jones. “Overall survival differences between treatments were not yet statistically significant, but there is a strong trend in favor of TC.”
Dr. Jones, the lead researcher for the study, explained that researchers designed a trial to test the efficacy of the non-anthracycline-based regimen of TC, marketed as Taxotere from sanofi aventis, compared to standard AC in the adjuvant setting. Patients were eligible if they had Stage I, II or operable Stage III invasive-breast cancer; had complete surgical excision of the primary tumor; were over 18 years old; had adequate renal, hepatic and hematologic functions; and had Karnofsky PS of 80 percent or greater. Exclusion criteria included other significant malignancies or illness or neoadjuvant chemotherapy.
Additional US Oncology-affiliated researchers participating in the study include Michael Savin, Texas Oncology - Medical City (Dallas); Joyce O’Shaughnessy, Joanne L. Blum, Robert Mennel and John Pippen of Texas Oncology - Sammons Cancer Center (Dallas), Sasha J. Vukelija and William J. Hyman of Texas Oncology - Tyler Cancer Center; T.K. George of Texas Oncology - West Texas Cancer Center (Odessa); Kristi J. McIntyre of Texas Oncology - Dallas Presbyterian; John Sandbach of Texas Oncology - Balcones; Robert L. Kirby of Texas Oncology - North Texas Regional Cancer Care Center - Plano; Angel G. Negron and John Nugent of Texas Oncology - Texas Cancer Center of Fort Worth; Manatosh Banerji of Hematology Oncology Associates of Illinois; Gerald Edelman of Texas Oncology - Irving; Rudolph H. Good of Texas Cancer Center - Sherman; Robert Ruxer of Texas Oncology - Fort Worth; Carsten Kampe of Texas Oncology - South Austin; Nicholas Koutrelakos of Maryland Oncology, PA - Columbia; Wally G. Meyer and Lina Asmar of US Oncology Research; and Mammo Amare of Texas Oncology - Dallas Southwest Cancer Center.
Other top breast cancer experts affiliated US Oncology, one of the nation’s largest health care services network focused exclusively on cancer treatment and research, presented findings during poster sessions at the international scientific symposium. These sessions included:
* Final analysis of a planned comparison of menopausal symptoms in 1618 patients receiving either exemestane (E) or tamoxifen (T) in a blinded adjuvant hormonal study. The lead researcher was Lina Asmar of US Oncology Research and other researchers affiliated with US Oncology were Svetislava J. Vukelja of Tyler Cancer Center; Joyce O’Shaughnessy, Joanne L. Blum and John Pippen of Texas Oncology - Sammons Breast Care Center; Robert Brooks of Hematology Oncology Physicians - Eastside - Tuscon; Stephanie Mull and Des Ilegbodu of US Oncology Research; and Stephen Jones, US Oncology Medical Director, also of Sammons Cancer Center. * Phase II trial of gemcitabine plus carboplatin (plus trastuzumab in HER2+ subjects) in metastatic breast cancer patients. The lead researcher was David Loesch of Central Indiana Cancer Center (Indianapolis). Other researchers affiliated with US Oncology include Lina Asmar, Feng Zhan and Kristi A. Boehm of US Oncology Research; Joyce O’Shaughnessy of Texas Oncology - Sammons Cancer Center; Svetislava J. Vukelja of Texas Oncology - Tyler Cancer Center; Kristi J. McIntyre of Texas Oncology - Dallas Presbyterian; Richard McKittrick of Kansas City Cancer Center; Michael Monticelli of Williamette Valley Cancer Center; Devchand Paul of Rocky Mountain Cancer Center - Denver; and Lisa Doane of Kansas City Cancer Center - Overland Park. * Results of a Phase II Trial of Combination Therapy with Oral Capecitabine and Weekly Paclitaxel for Metastatic Breast Cancer: Preliminary Results in Taxane Pre-treated Women. The lead researcher was Joanne L. Blum of Texas Oncology - Sammons Cancer Center, and other researchers affiliated with US Oncology were Lina Asmar, Kristi A. Boehm and Des Ilegbodu of US Oncology Research; Joyce O’Shaughnessy of Texas Oncology - Sammons Cancer Center; Svetislava J. Vukelja of Texas Oncology - Tyler Cancer Center; Mammo Amare of Texas Oncology - Dallas Southwest Cancer Center; David Gill of Texas Oncology - Deke Slayton Cancer Center (Webster); and Richard McMahon of Rocky Mountain Cancer Center - Littleton.
Details on the presentations are available upon request from US Oncology; abstracts are also available at the SABCS Website at http://www.sabcs.org/Index.asp .
About Breast Cancer
While early detection efforts have decreased mortality rates for breast cancer, roughly 220,000 women were diagnosed with the disease in 2004, according to the American Cancer Society. One of nearly every three cancers diagnosed in the United States is breast cancer, and it’s the most common cancer among women. Survival rates have increased significantly for cancers that have not spread to lymph nodes or locations outside the breast (97 percent survival rate today vs. 72 percent in 1940). However, survival after diagnosis continues to decline beyond five years. In women with distant metastases, the five-year survival rate is 23 percent.
About the US Oncology Research Network
The US Oncology Research Network is an established community-based research operation specializing in all phases of cancer clinical trials. The network currently has more than 300 physicians actively enrolling patients, and 88 regulatory sites, and is currently involved in approximately 88 research trials. The network has contributed to the development of 23 of 29 of the latest cancer-fighting drugs approved by the FDA for use. Since 1993, nearly 30,000 patients have participated in clinical trials managed by US Oncology network practices. For more information visit: http://www.usoncology.com .
About US Oncology, Inc.
US Oncology, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is one of the nation’s largest healthcare services networks dedicated exclusively to cancer treatment and research. US Oncology provides extensive services and support to its affiliated cancer care sites nationwide to help them expand their offering of the most advanced treatments and technologies, build integrated community- based cancer care centers, improve their therapeutic drug management programs, and participate in many of the new cancer-related clinical research studies. US Oncology is affiliated with 985 physicians operating in 494 locations, including 97 radiation oncology facilities in 33 states.
US Oncology, Inc.
CONTACT: Kimberly Rutherford of US Oncology, Inc., +1-832-601-6193, orkimberly.rutherford@usoncology.com
