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Consuelo Wilkins, MD, MSCI, Senior Vice President for Health Equity and Inclusive Excellence for Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and Senior Associate Dean for Health Equity and Inclusive Excellence for Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, always knew she wanted to be a physician. "Health equity was built into everything I did, even if I didn’t know it or recognize it at the time," Wilkins said. "I have always learned and believed that people are the same — everyone deserves to be healthy, and everyone should have the best opportunities to take care of themselves and their families." Click below to learn more about health equity initiatives.

https://momentum.vicc.org/2021/09/everyone-deserves-to-be-healthy/
Vanderbilt was the lead site for an NIH-funded, phase 2, multicenter influenza vaccine study in pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) recipients that may lead to a change in the current flu vaccine recommendations in this vulnerable population. Natasha Halasa, MD, MPH and colleagues recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine, that two doses of high-dose trivalent flu vaccine resulted in higher amounts of influenza-specific antibodies than two doses of standard dose quadrivalent vaccine.

https://news.vumc.org/2023/03/02/high-dose-flu-vaccine-beneficial-for-pediatric-stem-cell-transplant-patients/

Displaying 11 - 14 of 14

Two Studies for Patients with Unfavorable Intermediate Risk Prostate Cancer Testing Less Intense Treatment for Patients with a Low Gene Risk Score and Testing a More Intense Treatment for Patients with a Higher Gene Risk Score, The Guidance Trial

Prostate

This phase III trial uses the Decipher risk score to guide therapy selection. Decipher score is based on the activity of 22 genes in prostate tumor and may predict how likely it is for recurrent prostate cancer to spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body. Decipher score in this study is used for patient selection and the two variations of treatment to be studied: intensification for higher Decipher score or de-intensification for low Decipher score. Patients with higher Decipher risk score will be assigned to the part of the study that compares the use of 6 months of the usual treatment (hormone therapy and radiation treatment) to the use of darolutamide plus the usual treatment (intensification). The purpose of this section of the study is to determine whether the additional drug can reduce the chance of cancer coming back and spreading in patients with higher Decipher score. The addition of darolutamide to the usual treatment may better control the cancer and prevent it from spreading. Alternatively, patients with low Decipher risk score will be assigned to the part of the study that compares the use of radiation treatment alone (de-intensification) to the usual approach (6 months of hormone therapy plus radiation). The purpose of this part of the study is to determine if radiation treatment alone is as effective compared to the usual treatment without affecting the chance of tumor coming back in patients with low Decipher score prostate cancer. Radiation therapy uses high energy to kill tumor cells and reduce the tumor size. Hormone therapy drugs such as darolutamide suppress or block the production or action of male hormones that play role in prostate cancer development. Effect of radiation treatment alone in patients with low Decipher score prostate cancer could be the same as the usual approach in stabilizing prostate cancer and preventing it from spreading, while avoiding the side effects associated with hormonal therapy.
Prostate
III
Kirschner, Austin
NCT05050084
VICC-NTURO23322

Testing the Usual Treatment of Radiation Therapy and Hormonal Therapy to Hormonal Therapy alone for Low-Risk, Early Stage Breast Cancer, the DEBRA Trial

Breast

This phase III trial compares the effect of radiation therapy combined with hormonal therapy versus hormonal therapy alone in treating patients with low risk, early stage breast cancer with Oncotype Dx Recurrence =< 18. Oncotype DX is a laboratory test which results in a score that is used to help predict whether breast cancer will spread to other parts of the body or come back. Radiation therapy uses high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors but may result in some side effects. Hormones called estrogen and progesterone may contribute to the growth of breast tumor cells. Hormone therapy, also called endocrine therapy, may stop the growth of tumor cells by blocking or removing these hormones. This clinical trial may help researchers understand if patients with low-risk, early stage breast cancer who have Oncotype recurrence score of =< 18 can safely omit radiation therapy and only be treated with hormonal therapy without losing any radiation treatment benefit.
Breast
III
Chak, Bapsi
NCT04852887
NRGBREBR007

Lower-Dose Chemoradiation in Treating Patients with Early-Stage Anal Cancer, the DECREASE Study

Rectal

This phase II trial studies how well lower-dose chemotherapy plus radiation (chemoradiation) therapy works in comparison to standard-dose chemoradiation in treating patients with early-stage anal cancer. Drugs used in chemotherapy, such as mitomycin, fluorouracil, and capecitabine, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Radiation therapy uses high-energy x-rays to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Giving chemotherapy with radiation therapy may kill more tumor cells. This study may help doctors find out if lower-dose chemoradiation is as effective and has fewer side effects than standard-dose chemoradiation, which is the usual approach for treatment of this cancer type.
Rectal
II
Eng, Cathy
NCT04166318
ECOGGIEA2182

Testing What Happens When an Immunotherapy Drug (Pembrolizumab) is Given by Itself Compared to the Usual Treatment of Chemotherapy with Radiation after Surgery for Recurrent Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Head/Neck

This phase II trial studies the effect of pembrolizumab alone compared to the usual approach (chemotherapy [cisplatin and carboplatin] plus radiation therapy) after surgery in treating patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that has come back (recurrent) or patients with a second head and neck cancer that is not from metastasis (primary). Radiation therapy uses high energy radiation or protons to kill tumor cells and shrink tumors. Cisplatin is in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells. Carboplatin is also in a class of medications known as platinum-containing compounds. It works in a way similar to the anticancer drug cisplatin, but may be better tolerated than cisplatin. Carboplatin works by killing, stopping or slowing the growth of cancer cells. Immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, such as pembrolizumab, may help the body's immune system attack the cancer and may interfere with the ability of tumor cells to grow and spread. Giving pembrolizumab alone after surgery may work better than the usual approach in shrinking recurrent or primary head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Head/Neck
II
Choe, Jennifer
NCT04671667
ECOGHNEA3191