Advances in the treatment of cancer continue to improve with the help of clinical research trials like those conducted at Atlantic Health System. “Most clinical trials are related to chemotherapy,” says Steven Halpern, MD, director, Pediatric Oncology Center. “Because of that, we’ve changed the way the chemotherapy is given to help better kill the cancer cells. But now, we’re seeing more targeted therapy used in conjunction with chemotherapy.”
Targeted Therapy
In targeted therapy, the unique properties of the cancer cell are attacked directly. “We had a child recently who had the most common type of leukemia. We treated her with one round of chemotherapy, and it didn’t work. She got sick and lost her hair and was in the hospital quite a bit,” says Dr. Halpern. “We then gave her targeted therapy once a week as an outpatient. She felt much better within a short time and after just three weekly treatments of this targeted therapy, the leukemia was completely eradicated.”
For more information on this clinical trial, please call 973-971-6720.
Minimally Invasive Neuro Evacuation Device (MIND) Study
In addition to the pediatric cancer research, we are conducting clinical studies in adults at Atlantic Health System’s Overlook Medical Center. Overlook Medical Center is the only hospital in New Jersey involved in the MIND Study of Artemis’ minimally invasive neuro evacuation device to remove intracerebral hemorrhage. The device is inserted through a small incision into the affected area of the brain and removes the clot by suctioning it out through a catheter-like device. The study is open to patients 18 to 80 years old with an intracerebral hemorrhage.
“Our interventionalist team has performed about 60 of these procedures using the Artemis device over a two-year period and has seen an increase in survival rate with the device pre-trial,” according to principal investigator Paul Saphier, MD, an endovascular neurosurgeon for the Atlantic Neuroscience Institute. “We are proud to be a major participant in this trial, as well as many others, that provide a benefit to our patients.”
For more information on this clinical trial, call 833-733-4641.
Visit Atlantic Center for Research for more information.