Fredericksburg said that the trial, supported by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to evaluate treatment for metastatic (advanced stage) melanoma, is expected to enroll 148 patients across the country.
The current trial, designed at the Mayo Clinic, combines chemotherapy with targeted molecular agents in an effort to improve control of this difficult disease, reports Frederick Tucker, who heads the practice.
According to the Clinical Research Nurse, Brenda McClafferty, the drugs are FDA approved to treat some other cancers, but their use for metastatic malignant melanoma is considered investigational.
Ms McClafferty said: “Such trials help us find the most effective doses, monitor side effects and evaluate the efficacy of new treatments. In the case of melanoma, we are still at the starting lines, and we need clinical trials to find treatments that will truly make a difference.”