A New Phase 2 Clinical Trial for Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer

• As a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Fox Chase Cancer Center offers our patients the most advanced treatment options through clinical trials, many of which are not readily available elsewhere. Our nationally ranked doctors specialize in the development of these studies — specifically phase 1 and 2 trials.

  

  In this issue we highlight a phase 2 clinical trial for Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer that is led by Elias Obeid, MD, MPH, a medical oncologist at Fox Chase who specializes in Breast Cancer and Cancer Genetics. Dr. Obeid worked closely with Lori Goldstein, MD, who also specializes in Breast Cancer and Cancer Genetics, to develop this trial.

  The purpose of the clinical trial is to find out if adding pembrolizumab to the treatment regimen Carboplatin and Gemcitabine can improve your disease and increase progression free survival; to determine the tolerability and safety of pembrolizumab with carboplatin and gemcitabine; and if there are markers or special characteristics in the cancer tissue and blood that go along with response to treatment and survival. Pembrolizumab is an immunotherapy drug which may help the immune system to target and destroy cancer cells.

  About 75 female patients over the age of 18 years with metastatic triple negative breast cancer will participate in this study. Patients must have metastatic disease and have received no more than 2 prior regimens of therapy for their disease in the metastatic setting. Triple negative breast cancer as defined by negative hormone receptor status (ER and PR) and negative HER2 status must be confirmed. Patients who have received prior therapy using carboplatin and gemcitabine less than 12 months from the beginning of enrollment or have progressed while on treatment with either carboplatin or cisplatin may not participate.

  Learn more about clinical trials offered at Fox Chase.