Clinical trial to look for genetic information in cancer patients

Sanford Health is working to enroll approximately 50 adult patients whose cancer has progressed after the first line of treatment or who have rare cancers without standard treatment options in a clinical trial to look for genetic information that could help customize treatment options. The Genetic Exploration of the Molecular Basis of Malignancy in Adults (GEMMA) began in the middle of May.

Enrollees are consenting adult patients with advanced cancers whose disease has progressed on at least one line of therapy or who have a rare cancer with no standard treatment. DNA will be extracted from tumor samples and tested to identify targets for treatment.

"DNA contains genetic information that acts as a blue print for how our bodies are made and work," said Steven Powell, M.D., a Sioux Falls oncologist and clinical researcher. "A single change in the sequence of DNA can lead to cancer, and while we know some the genetic changes that can cause disease, we have much more to discover. We are learning that some of these changes can be targeted with new therapies. This could change the face of cancer care."

Patients enrolled in GEMMA are screened over a period of up to two weeks to determine if they fit the study criteria. Upon enrollment, tissues are analyzed, and the patient's case is reviewed by their physician and the Sanford Genomic Tumor Board, a panel of experts in cancer care and genetics, to determine the best course of treatment.

Next-generation sequencing technology will be used to analyze the tumor samples and provide real-time clinical information for each patient's care team.

Throughout the study, patients will regularly meet a research coordinator for progress updates. Following treatment, patients will be monitored for two years.

"GEMMA patients receive treatment in line with the best in the world," said Anu Gaba, M.D., a hematologist and oncologist based in Fargo. "The experts tasked with studying a patient's tumor provide a diverse prospective and allow for a personalized treatment regimen that will consider each person's unique genomic composition."

This study is the beginning of a focused effort to provide patients access to novel personalized therapies. To complement the GEMMA study, Sanford will open several additional clinical trials that utilize novel therapies that treat genetic targets found on the GEMMA study.