Doctors at New York University are searching for candidates for a a new brain cancer vaccine. This brain cancer vaccine may increase the survival rate of patients by more than 50%. The doctors are looking for 250 candidates for Phase II of the clinical trials. NYU is only 1 of 5 medical centers in the country to begin utilizing the vaccine, and these trials are integral in pushing the vaccine forward.
From: NYU Medical Center’s Department of Neurology and neurosurgery
Contact: DKC
Bruce Bobbins / Sujata Sinha
212-981-5190 / 212-981-5235
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CLINICAL TRIAL OF BRAIN CANCER VACCINE BEGINS
AT NEW YORK UNIVERSITY’S DEPARTMENT OF NEUROLOGY AND NEUROSURGERY
Doctors First In State Using Cutting Edge Personalized Vaccine;
May Increase Survival Rate More Than 50%
New York, NY, February 4, 2008 – Doctors at New York University Medical Center’s Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery are seeking candidates to participate in Phase II clinical trials of a new cutting-edge personalized brain cancer vaccine.
Dr. Patrick Kelly, the world renowned neurosurgeon who is Professor of Neurosurgery at NYUMC, and Dr. Michael Gruber, the prominent neuro-oncologist who is Clinical Professor at NYUMC, are the first doctors in New York State – and NYUMC is only one of five centers nationwide – to utilize this personalized vaccine. It is created by taking a portion of a patient’s brain tumor and combining it with dendritic white blood cells. Once the vaccine is injected intra-dermally, it creates an immune reaction resulting in the remaining cancer cells being killed. If successful, the patient’s survival rate may increase over 50%.
In fact, in the initial study of this vaccine (conducted at UCLA), two-thirds of the patients were still alive after two years, compared to one-third who only received standard treatment. Moreover, two-fifths of the vaccine-treated patients who survived two years showed no evidence of the disease.
Patients who are candidates for the Phase II trial at NYUMC must be newly-diagnosed, and have not had any other treatment, including chemotherapy and/or radiation. They will first undergo a minimally-invasive procedure to remove the tumor.
Interested candidates should contact Dr. Kelly at Patrick.kelly@med.nyu.edu or Dr. Gruber at Michael.gruber@nyumc.org .
There are two main types of brain cancer. Primary brain cancer starts in the brain. Metastatic brain cancer starts somewhere else in the body and moves to the brain. Brain tumors can be benign, with no cancer cells, or malignant, with cancer cells that grow quickly. Brain cancer affects about 29,000 Americans each year. About 13,000 die from a brain tumor a year.
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